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India will present a completely new-look team for the continental competition, as leading lifters, including Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu, have chosen to abstain from the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2025 in Jiangshan, set to take place from May 9 to 15, as per olympics.com website.
Seram Nirupama Devi (women's 64kg) and Dilbag Singh (men's 96kg) are the sole two Indian weightlifters set to compete in Jiangshan. Seram Nirupama Devi is a medallist from the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships and a champion at the National Games, whereas Dilbag is a gold medalist from the National Games that took place earlier this year. Mirabai Chanu, who last participated in a competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics, will not be attending the upcoming event as she wants to take this time to acclimate to her new weight category following the reshuffling of divisions by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). The IWF has introduced an updated list of weight classes that will come into effect on June 1, 2025, for all international events. For senior and junior male competitors, the updated weight classes include: 60kg, 65kg, 71kg, 79kg, 88kg, 98kg, 110kg, and +110kg. In contrast, the new divisions for senior and junior female athletes are: 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 77kg, 86kg, and +86kg. These modifications, which will be applicable during the 2026 Asian and Commonwealth Games, will impact many weightlifters worldwide, including some of India's top athletes. Competitors from various parts of Asia showcased remarkable skills, with the home country, China, quickly taking the lead in the medal rankings, as per the Asian Weightlifting Federation. As the Championships continue, attention is fixated on Jiangshan, where records are tested and rivalries heat up. Importantly, the 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships is significant as it is the last continental competition to include 10 weight classes. (ANI)
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