Mirabai Chanu: Olympic Medalist Opens Up About Relentless Training and Weight Pressures

Mirabai Chanu: Training and Weight Concerns Persist, Even During Family Time

Indian weightlifting star Mirabai Chanu reveals that the demands of training and maintaining her weight are constant preoccupations, even when spending time with family. The silver medalist in the 49kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is currently preparing for the upcoming Commonwealth Championships.

"We do get some rest, particularly after major events like the Asian Games or Olympics. I took some time off too, but then I got back to training. Spending time with family is important, especially after dedicating so much time to training – it’s necessary to relax a bit," Chanu stated on the "Game On" podcast.

"That aspect was enjoyable, but now it's time to refocus on training. Next is the Commonwealth Championships, which serves as a qualifier for the Commonwealth Games. We are fully focused on that, and our preparations are centered around it."

Chanu elaborated on the challenges of balancing personal life with the demands of her sport. "We don’t really get to enjoy traveling. I do go out sometimes, but I can’t fully enjoy time with my family the way I’d like to because we have to get back to training. We’ve already invested so much time, so we have to think about recovery, how to maintain ourselves... these thoughts are always present. I keep wondering: when should I resume training? Will I be able to perform as I did before?"

The mental aspect of weightlifting extends to dietary choices as well. "So honestly, we're always thinking about training—even while eating! We think: if I eat this, what effect will it have? Will I gain fat? Will my weight go up? Because of this, we can’t even eat what we want to."

Chanu confessed her cravings for less healthy foods. "I love junk food—especially pizza! Everyone knows that. But I still can’t eat it. Even when I’m not training, I really feel like eating it, but I stop myself and think, ‘If I eat this, how will tomorrow’s training go?’ I have to maintain my weight, especially keeping it at 50 kg. It’s very tough—training and staying at that weight. So, even when I want something, I have to stop myself and say, ‘Not now, focus on the competition first,’" she explained.

Mirabai Chanu's impressive medal collection includes an Olympic silver, a gold and a silver at the World Championships, two golds and a silver at the Commonwealth Games, and a bronze at the Asian Championships.