Mirabai Chanu: Olympic Medalist Reveals Relentless Pursuit of Peak Condition, Even During Family Time

Mirabai Chanu Reveals Relentless Focus on Training and Weight Management

India's celebrated weightlifter, Mirabai Chanu, has opened up about the constant pressure of training and maintaining her weight, even when spending quality time with her family. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist in the 49kg category is currently immersed in preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Championships.

"We do get some rest, particularly after major events like the Asian Games or Olympics. I also took a break, but quickly returned to training. Spending time with family is crucial, especially after dedicating so much time to training. It's important to relax," Mirabai shared on the podcast series Game On.

She continued, "That aspect was enjoyable, but now it's time to refocus on training. The Commonwealth Championships are next, serving as a qualifier for the Commonwealth Games. Our entire focus and preparations are directed towards that."

The life of a dedicated athlete involves sacrifices. "We don't often get to enjoy traveling. Although I sometimes go out, I can't truly relax with my family the way I'd like to because we have to return to training. We've invested so much time in it that we must consider recovery and maintenance. These thoughts are always present. I constantly wonder: When should I resume training? Will I be able to perform as well as before?"

Dietary discipline is also a major factor. "We're always thinking about training, even while eating! We consider the effects of our food choices: Will this cause weight gain? Because of this, we can't even eat whatever we crave."

Mirabai confessed, "I love junk food, especially pizza! Everyone knows that. But I still can't indulge. Even when I'm not training, I crave it, but I restrain myself, thinking, 'How will this affect tomorrow's training?' I need to maintain my weight, ideally around 50 kg. It's very challenging to train and stay at that weight. So, even when I desire something, I have to tell myself, 'Not now, focus on the competition first.'"

Mirabai Chanu's impressive medal collection includes an Olympic silver, a gold and a silver at the World Championships, two golds and a silver at the Commonwealth Games, and a bronze at the Asian Championships, highlighting her dedication and consistent performance in weightlifting.