World champion weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu may have to compete in the 49kg category in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics instead of her current 48kg category as the International weightlifting federation recently decided to introduce new categories in the event.
The Executive Board of the International Weightlifting Federation, in its meeting in Tashkent on July 5, decided to introduce seven weight categories for both men and women in the Olympics and 10 new classes for both men and women in other international championships.
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The decision by the Executive board was given a approval a day later by the Congress of the IWF.
The weight categories to be competed in the 2020 Olympics are 49kg, 55kg, 59kg, 64kg, 76kg, 87kg and +87kg for women while the men’s weight classes will be 61kg, 67kg, 73kg, 81kg, 96kg, 109kg and +109kg.
In 2016 Rio Olympics, the women weightlifters competed in 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 75kg and +75kg while the men had 56kg, 62kg, 69kg, 77kg, 85kg, 94kg, 105kg and +105kg.
In this case Mirabai had to add 1 more kilo of weight and compete in the 49kg category.
New weight categories were also introduced for the youth and junior categories on which Indian Weightlifting Federation said that the new weight categories will come into influence from the next national championships for all age groups which includes youth, junior and senior.
“The bodyweight categories will be affected from the forthcoming 14th Youth (sub-junior boys and girls) and 55th men’s and 31st women’s junior national weightlifting championships 2018-19 and 71st men and 34th women senior national weightlifting championships 2018-19,” the national federation said in a circular issued to all its state units and executive members.
However, Commonwealth Gold medallist Mirabai Chanu will compete in 48kg category at the Asian Games 2018 and will be the favourite to win a gold for the country. In the last edition in Incheon, Mirabai competed in the same category having finished 9th with a total lift of 171 kg.
