Weekly video calls with American therapist Aaron Horschig keeps Mirabai Chanu injury free ahead of Asian Games

As the thirst for a maiden Asian Games medal gets stronger every day, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu is leaving no stones unturned to win the only global medal that has eluded the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist. To stay injury free ahead of the September 19-October 4 Games in Aichi-Nagoya remains Mirabai’s topmost priority.

Two men who have been part of Mirabai’s stellar journey have been her coach Vijay Sharma and American strength and conditioning coach Dr Aaron Horschig. The association with Dr Horschig started in November 2020 and continues till today.

“We have a video call every Thursday with him and we discuss everything about training, recovery and the next steps. Everything is reviewed to the finest detail and since Dr Horschig was a weightlifter himself, he knows every muscle in the body. This constant review has kept me in shape,” Mirabai told SAI Media.

The quest for the Asian Games has been relentless. Mirabai and team did not waste a day after winning the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this time. The CWG organisers had dismantled the weightlifting hall but Mirabai, Sharma and physio Rohit Chhabria found a gymnasium and paid for a training session in Glasgow.

“I was straight back to training at Modinagar. In fact, I did not go home (in Manipur) and I have set myself a challenge ‘no going home till I win a medal at the Asian Games,’” said Mirabai.

Mirabai Chanu aims to better 2022 Asiad position

Injuries have jinxed Mirabai’s quest for an Asian Games medal. At the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, Mirabai finished fourth in the 49 kg category after a hip and thigh injury ruined her campaign in the snatch section itself. In the 2018 edition in Jakarta, Mirabai was ruled out with a severe back injury.

Despite the hattrick of Commonwealth Games golds, Mirabai is not attaching great importance to the level of competition in Glasgow. “To be honest, the competition in the Commonwealth Games was not tough for me. I did not have to put in a lot of effort at Glasgow. The real test lies ahead,” she added.

In Glasgow, Mirabai lifted a total of 190kg (snatch - 85kg; clean and jerk - 105kg) to clinch the women's 48kg gold medal, setting new Commonwealth Games records in the snatch, clean and jerk and overall total. Nigeria's Ruth Asuquo Nyong claimed the silver medal with a total of 168kg (75kg + 93kg), while Malaysia's Irene Jane Henry took bronze with 167kg (77kg + 90kg).

Mirabai’s personal best is 205 kgs (89 + 116 kgs) set in the 2021 Asian championships and more recently at national championships in February 2026. “I want to see how far I can go in Japan. The Asian Games have been the toughest for me. You will probably see the ‘Olympics’ at the Asian Games this time because the strongest lifters in our weight category are from Asia.”

Mirabai expects tough competition in Japan

Mirabai says she is expecting the toughest competition from Chinese, North Korean, Japanese and Thailand lifters. At the Paris Olympics in 2024, Mirabai was relegated to the fourth spot by Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao by just one kilo. The Thai girl had lifted a total of 200kgs

“We have been careful with fitness and so far, I have felt good with my body,” said the 32-year-old, adding that the Asian Games remains her only target. “I will see how it goes at the Asian Games. In Los Angeles, the weight class will be 53 kgs and I will need to bulk up.

“That should not be a problem but everything will depend on the performance at Nagoya and then we can plan with the Olympic qualifiers in December. I reckon all those who will play in Japan will target LA 2028 but for now it’s mission Asian Games for me,” said Mirabai.

Mirabai will lead a five-member Indian weightlifting contingent at the Asian Games. The three-time Olympian will be one among the four women in the squad. The weightlifting competition will be held between September 22-28 at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium in Aichi, Nagoya.