Mirabai to lead seven-member Indian team in Weightlifting World Championship

Former champion Mirabai Chanu will lead a seven-member Indian team in the upcoming Weightlifting World Championship to be held in Pattaya, Thailand from from September 18 to 27.

The World Championship is a gold-level qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The squad, which is already training in Thailand, has four women and three men lifters.

The quartet of Mirabai (49kg), Commonwealth Championship gold medallist Jhilli Dalabehera (45kg), Sneha Soren (55kg) and Rakhi Halder (64kg) will represent India in the women's events.

Among men, Youth Olympic gold medallist Jeremy Lalrinnunga (67kg) will make his World Championship debut.

Besides, Commonwealth Championship gold medallist Ajay Singh (81kg) and national champion Achinta Sheuli (73) will also ply their trade.

"This our core Olympic group. They have to participate in six qualifying events for Tokyo. So they will be the ones competing in the World Championship," national coach Vijay Sharma told PTI.

"We have also added some ...