Top Indian weightlifters to miss Commonwealth Championships at home, Ajay Singh to spearhead India's campaign

Ajay Singh (Pic: AFP)

Two-time gold medallist Ajay Singh will spearhead hosts India's campaign as Mirabai Chanu and other star weightlifters will skip the Commonwealth Championships, starting in Greater Noida from July 12.

India is hosting the tournament for the second time, having successfully organised it in Pune in 2015.

Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu will miss the event as she undergoes rehabilitation for a thigh injury in the US.

Commonwealth Games medallists Jeremy Lalrinnunga, Achinta Sheuli and Bindiyarani Devi are also missing the event for various reasons.

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In their absence, all eyes will be on CWG silver medallist Lovepreet Singh, former Asian champion Jhilli Dalabehera and CWG bornze medallist Hajinder Kaur.

The Commonwealth tournaments, be it the CWG or the Commonwealth Championships, have been a happy hunting ground for Indian weightlifters, who revel in the absence of traditional powerhouses like China and North Korea.

Winning medals in these events also opens up job opportunities for the weightlifters, majority of whom come from impoverished backgrounds.

"By hosting the Commonwealth tournaments they remind us that we were their slaves," Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) President Sahdev Yadav told reporters on Thursday.

"But we are hosting it because it's an international tournament and the lifters, who come from poor families, get jobs on the basis of the performance here," he added.

Indian Squad:
Men: Shubham Todkar (61kg), N Ajith (73kg), Ajay Singh (81kg), Amarjit Guru (89kg), VISHWAKARMA Jagdish (96kg), Harshad Wadekar (96kg), Harcharan Singh (102kg), Lovepreet Singh (109kg).
Women: Komal Kohar (45kg), Jhilli Dalabehera (49kg), Shrabani Das (55kg), Popy Hazarika (59kg), Nirupama Devi (64kg), Harjinder Kaur (71kg), Vanshita Verma (81kg), Purnima Pandey (+87kg).

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