Youth Olympic Games champion Jeremy Lalrinnunga is set to miss the World Weightlifting Championships 2023 after failing to participate in the trials due to an injury.
The 20-year-old athlete suffered a back injury in May, which prevented him from attending the weightlifting trials held by the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) on June 30.
As the championships serve as a mandatory qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics, Lalrinnunga's chances of securing a spot in the prestigious event are now at risk.
MORE: Wimbledon prize money 2023: How much will the winner make? Total purse, breakdown
Furthermore, Lalrinnunga was also not included in the Indian weightlifting team for the Asian Games 2023, which was announced earlier this month.
What did IWLF president Sahdev Yadav say about Jeremy Lalrinnunga?
IWLF president Sahdev Yadav expressed the federation's efforts to provide rehabilitation for Lalrinnunga, stating, "We wanted to send him (Jeremy Lalrinnunga) to St. Louis in the USA for rehabilitation under the guidance of Dr Aaron Horschig... considering the way Dr Horschig has worked on Mirabai Chanu."
However, Lalrinnunga declined the offer without providing a reason and has been seeking medical advice from a Mumbai-based doctor.
"He is a talented kid, but he did not come for the trials of the World Championships and Asian Games. We can't send him to competitions if he doesn't appear for trials. He needs at least one and a half months to rest and then come back to training," Yadav added.
The absence of Lalrinnunga from these crucial events diminishes India's chances of securing medals. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Army Sports Institute in Pune. To regain his spot in the national camp will need to perform well in the upcoming national championships, expected to be held early next year.
Meanwhile, Sanket Sagar, a Commonwealth Games 2022 silver medallist in the men’s 55kg, has not been called to the national camp due to injury and performance issues.
"We have removed Sanket Sargar from the camp as he is also nursing an injury at the moment. His performance has gone down considerably as junior players are beating him at the trials," Yadav said.
What is India's weightlifting squad for Asian Games 2023?
Mirabai Chanu (49 kg), Bindyarani Devi (55 kg), N Ajith Kumar (73 kg), and Achinta Sheuli (73 kg).