Commonwealth Games: Golden chance for the next generation to step out of Mirabai’s shadows
The Commonwealth Games weightlifting competition in Glasgow features a mix of world-class international athletes and emerging Indian talent. The event serves as a platform for the next generation of Indian lifters to establish their own legacies beyond the shadow of Mirabai Chanu.
Why it matters
This highlights the development of sports talent and the importance of international competition in fostering national athletic programs.
The five-day weightlifting competition of the Commonwealth Games beginning at the Scottish Event Campus here on Sunday is packed with world-class talent.
The biggest international star is Canada’s Maude Charron in the women’s 63kg category. A two-time Olympic medallist and World Championships medallist, Charron is one of the most accomplished athletes in the field.
Like India’s Mirabai Chanu, the 33-year-old is chasing a third consecutive gold medal at the Games. Only three men — Precious McKenzie, Louis Martin and David Morgan — have performed the feat. No woman has achieved the distinction since women’s weightlifting was introduced in the 2002 edition. Before then, the sport was contested only by men. In fact, in the 2002 CWG, two Indians — Kunjarani Devi and Sanamacha Chanu — had won the gold.
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