Star Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will not participate in the upcoming 18th edition of Asian Games in Indonesia due to a backache.
Confirming the news, International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Secretary General Sehdev Yadav told ANI: "Yes, she is not going to participate in the Asian Games and I am going to send an official mail to the government by afternoon."
Chanu wrote to the IWF to give her time to recover from the injury and prepare for the Olympics qualifiers, slated to be held later this year.
The 23-year-old Manipuri weightlifter's absence from the upcoming Asian Games will come as a huge setback for India, as she was considered as one of the strongest contenders for a gold medal in the event.
Earlier in April, Chanu bagged a gold medal at Commonwealth Games 2018 at Gold Coast in Australia. She set a record on snatch by pulling off a clean lift in all her three attempts on 80 kg, 84 kg and 86 kg respectively.
Chanu then lifted more than double her body weight (103 kg, 107 kg and 110 kg) in three successful attempts to claim the clean and jerk as well as the overall CWG record.
The Asian Games are scheduled to be held from August 18 to September 2 in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.
(Inputs from ANI)
