New Delhi: Indian weightlifting prodigy Jeremy Lalrinnunga’s hopes of participating in the World Weightlifting Championships 2023 and securing a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics have been dashed after he failed to appear for the trials due to a back injury.
The World Weightlifting Championships, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from September 4 to 17, hold immense importance as they serve as a mandatory qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, Lalrinnunga’s absence from the trials has put his qualification prospects in jeopardy.
The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) organised the trials on June 30 to select the participants for the upcoming world championships as well as the Asian Games 2023. Unfortunately, Lalrinnunga, who sustained a back injury in May, was unable to attend the trials, further hindering his chances of securing a place in the prestigious events.
In a major setback, Lalrinnunga was also not included in the Indian weightlifting team for the Asian Games 2023, which was announced earlier this month. The young weightlifter’s absence from both competitions is a disappointment not only for him but also for the fans who were eager to witness his extraordinary talent on the international stage.
It is worth noting that Lalrinnunga declined the Indian Weightlifting Federation’s offer of medical treatment in the United States. As a result, he was subsequently released from the national camp. Alongside Lalrinnunga, Sanket Sagar, a silver medalist in the men’s 55kg category at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, has also been dropped from the national camp due to non-performance.
IWF president Sahdev Yadav told reporters, “Considering the manner in which Dr. Horschig has worked on Mirabai Chanu, we decided to send him (Jeremy Lalrinnunga) to St. Louis in the USA for rehabilitation under the leadership of Dr. Aaron Horschig.
“But Jeremy told me in a letter that he doesn’t want to travel. He refused to even give a justification for it. He has been receiving medical guidance from a doctor in Mumbai, Yadav added.
Should Lalrinnunga triumph at the national championships, which are expected to take place next year, he will be able to rejoin the national team.
Jeremy Lalrinnunga, the current 67kg Commonwealth Games champion, is getting back into shape at the Army Sports Institute in Pune.
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