In the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Mirabai Chanu will compete in a new weight category

Mirabai Chanu, an Olympic silver medalist in weightlifting, will compete in a new weight class at the Commonwealth Games later this year – 55kg — to help India win more gold medals at the multi-sport event in Birmingham.

Chanu has had a lot of success in the 49kg weight division, including capturing a silver medal at last year's Tokyo Olympics. She also holds the world record for clean and jerk in this weight class.

She used to compete in the 48kg weight class, where she won the world championship gold in 2017. She also won silver and gold in the 48kg category in the 2014 and 2018 CWGs, respectively.

The Indian Weightlifting Federation and head coach Vijay Sharma believe the 27-year-old has a better chance of winning gold in the 55kg category at the 2022 CWG than compatriot Sorokhaibam Bindyarani Devi, who won silver at the Commonwealth Championships in December.

"We (coach and federation) had a meeting and discussed that India should bring back medals on all the women's weight categories in the 2022 Commonwealth Games," Chanu told PTI.

"There is a chance of getting 4-5 gold medals and that's why we decided that I'll move up to 55kg. So, we can win one there," Chanu, who is already a two-time CWG medallist, added.

Jhilli Dalabehera, who won silver at the Commonwealth Championships, is still a gold medal contender in the 49kg category for India.

Chanu should be a shoo-in for gold in 49kg, but she'll have to work extra hard to earn gold in 55kg.

"I'll have to work really hard, I'll have to increase the weight (I lift) because it will be competitive (in 55kg). I won't increase my weight, I'll keep it as 50kg-51kg which is my natural weight," said Chanu, who has a personal best of 207kg (88kg+119kg).

With the Asian Games just a month after the CWG in Birmingham (July 28 to August 8), the petite Manipuri is undecided about whether she will return to the 49kg class or compete in the 55kg class in the continental event.

"I haven't decided which weight category I'll compete in the Asian Games. I will decide that after CWG. If all goes well I might continue in 55kg," she added.

Chanu will compete in the Singapore Weightlifting International later this month, when she will try to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in her new category for the first time since her historic Tokyo achievement.

Manipur's lifter is fine-tuning her snatch technique in the hopes of resolving her "unbalance issue" and avoiding injuries.

"I am focussing on snatch a bit more because it is my weakness. Snatch is all about technique so I'm working on that, I'm trying to change it a little.

"This new technique will not be easy. But maybe by improving my technique a little, my unbalance issue may get sorted and it may also lower the risk of injury."

Chanu's troubles in the snatch area are nothing new, since she suffers from an imbalance that affects her right shoulder and back. Dr. Aaron Horschig, a former weightlifter turned physical therapist and strength and conditioning coach in the United States, helped her tremendously in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics.

Chanu plans to return to Horschig for recuperation and endurance training next month.

"We are in talks to go in March, which is our off season. I go there keeping in mind the rehab and technique. But it has not been confirmed yet." Adidas is displaying and honouring the stories of amazing female athletes who have accomplished extraordinary accomplishments as part of its famed "Impossible is Nothing" campaign to inspire women in sports. Chanu is passionate about the initiative.

"There has been a change in mindset, people encourage women to take up sports now and Adidas has supported this a lot. Earlier people didn't get to know how much hard work has been put in by the players. This campaign shows that. It motivates women, which is a very big thing."