Karnam Maleswari's legacy need to be surpassed. And India has two of the best bets in weightlifting to embrace the gold metal at Asiad since never.
The Asian Games, scheduled for 2023 in Hangzhou, are already garnering attention from athletes worldwide who are busy preparing for their big day. Among the most promising athletes in the Indian contingent are the duo of Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and Bindyarani Devi. These two powerhouses of strength have been making headlines with their impressive performances and will be aiming to win gold at the 2023 Asian Games.
Her initial lift of 84 kg was already a new personal best for her, and she then successfully lifted 87 kg after that. She tried 89 kg on her third try, which would have broken the previous record. She had already accomplished enough to win the silver medal. She became the second Indian woman to take home an Olympic weightlifting medal.
Mirabai Chanu had her second brush with disappointment at the 2018 Asian Games, where she failed to participate due to an injury. She is currently training hard for the 2023 Asian Games, and her aim is nothing less than a gold medal.
On the other hand, Bindyarani Devi has been making a name for herself in the weightlifting arena for quite some time now. Bindyarani Devi took up weightlifting in her teenage years and has never looked back. In 2019, Bindyarani Devi set a new national record by lifting 206 kg in the women's 49 kg category at the National Weightlifting Championship in Patiala.
Devi's moment of glory came at the 2019 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship in Apia, where she won the gold medal. The 21-year-old lifted a total of 183 kg, which included 78 kg in the snatch and 105 kg in the clean and jerk, to win the gold medal in the 55 kg category. She followed this up with another silver medal at the 2021 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship held in Tashkent, where she lifted 198 kg.
Bindyarani Devi has been in sublime form, and her confidence is at an all-time high as he went on to win silver in both the Commonwealth Games 2022 and the Asian Weightlifting Championship in 2023. She lifted 202 kg in the Commonwealth and 194 kg in the Asian Weightlifting Championship.
The Asian Games are a platform where India's weightlifters can prove their mettle on the global stage. It's no secret that the competition will be challenging, and the Indian weightlifting duo of Mirabai Chanu and Bindyarani Devi are aware of the challenges ahead. However, they are confident in their abilities and are working hard to win a gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games.
