PT Usha will understand our demands better as a former athlete: Chanu on former Olympian's election as IOA chief

Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu said on Wednesday that PT Usha becoming the chief of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is good for players because as a former athlete, she can understand the demands of players better.

India's legendary athlete PT Usha was on Saturday elected unopposed as the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

"It feels good (PT Usha being elected IOA chief). It is a big thing for us. As a player, she will be able to understand the demands of other players better and it would be good for all of us," Chanu said in an interview with ANI.

On her medal win in the World Weightlifting Championships, Chanu said that she feels nice to win the medal.

"I feel good I could win a medal at World Championships after five years. It is the dream of every player. I will try for gold next time," she added.

Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu bagged a silver medal in the 2022 World Weightlifting Championships in Bogota, Colombia earlier this month.

Mirabai lifted a total of 200kg (87kg snatch + 113kg clean & jerk), 2kg more than the Olympic champion from China Hou Zhihua (198kg) and 6kg behind another Chinese, Jiang Huihua (206kg: 93+113) who won the gold medal.

On her injured wrist, Chanu said that she is exercising and feels slightly better.

"But I do not know when I will recover fully. I will not do high-intensity training for a month. I will do only light training. It is very painful but not serious," he added.

Questioned about her preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Chanu said she feels nervous and has started preparing for the event.

"Time flies. Events come and go quickly. I do not ever think that I have a lot of time. My immediate focus is Asian Games though because I have not won a medal there," she added.

The weightlifter said that it is a matter of pride and happiness for her that a lot of girls are taking up weightlifting as a sport and follow her as a role model.

On the government's initiatives in the field of sports, Chanu said, "A lot has changed in 2-3 years. I never ever felt a shortage of anything. I was able to get whatever help I needed in playing tournaments, training very easily."

( With inputs from ANI )