Olympics and World championships medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu is set to miss the Asian Championships, to be held at Gandhinagar from May 12 to 17, due to a shoulder issue, according to reliable sources.

Mirabai had picked up the shoulder issue during the National Championships at Modinagar earlier this year. Even though she is on the path of recovery, there is strong apprehension that pushing her to cut weight for three competitions in five months to compete in 48kg may take a toll on the elite athlete.

Skipping the home Asian Championships will save Mirabai, who will turn 32 on August 8, some hardships in a packed calendar, studded with other important events such as the Commonwealth Games (where she will seek to win her third consecutive gold) and the Asian Games (where she is yet to open her account).

After the Asian Games, the ace lifter may aim at switching to 53kg for the World Championships, which is the first qualifying event for the 2028 Olympics, in October.

Published on Apr 26, 2026