Commonwealth Games: Chanu carries opening day hopes

Gold Coast: World champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will be in focus for her medal-winning chances but India’s high-profile shuttlers and boxers will also be watched keenly when they open their campaigns at the 21st Commonwealth Games here on Thursday.

Competing in the 48kg category, Chanu, who claimed silver at the 2014 CWG, is considered a sure shot medal prospect as her personal best of 194kg stands over 10kg more than her nearest rival in the competition.

Chanu became only the second Indian world champion weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari in November 2017 when she created a new world record of 194kg — 85kg snatch and 109kg clean-and-jerk — at the world weightlifting championships in Anaheim, USA.

None of the lifters in her competition have touched even 180kg with her likely closest rival, Amanda Braddock of Canada, having a personal best of 173kg.

Also in action will be the shuttlers, boxers, the women’s hockey team and the table tennis squad among others.

In women’s hockey, India finished fifth the last time around and begin their campaign against Wales on Thursday. India did well on their recent tour of South Korea coming into the Games, winning the series in a morale-boosting effort. The most star-studded Indian line-up in the Games, the badminton squad, has a busy schedule on the first day. The team will be in action in the mixed event with matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Then there are the boxers. Only one of them —2010 CWG gold medallist Manoj Kumar (69kg) —takes the ring on the morrow. He will be up against Nigeria’s Osita Umeh in his opener and will aim to ensure the focus firmly shifts from the needle controversy that marred the squad’s build-up.

On the squash court, Dipika Pallikal, Joshna Chinnappa, Sourav Ghosal and Harinder Pal Sandhu kick off their singles campaigns.

The women’s table tennis team square off against Vanautu and Fiji, while the men’s team comprising the likes of veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal and G. Sathiyan face Trinidad and Tobago and Northen Ireland.

The Indian men’s team of artistic gymnasts will be in action on the opening day with the spotlight on Ashish Kumar, who by is the first Indian gymnast to claim CWG medals.