Weightlifting World Championships: Shubham Todkar finishes 3rd on debut, Mirabai Chanu withdraws after weigh-in

Indian weightlifter Shubham Todkar produced a respectable performance footing on the grand stage of the World Championships for the very first time. His unwavering efforts helped him secure third place in Group D of the fiercely competitive men's 61kg event.

Coming from Maharashtra and having the esteemed title of the national champion, the 26-year-old athlete depicted his great strength by upheaving a total weight of 269kg. This outstanding accomplishment observed a notable refinement from his earlier outings on the international stage.

In May, Shubham Todkar lifted 263kg at the Asian Championships, and in July, he hooked a gold medal at the Commonwealth Championships with a 259kg lift. As of now, at the World Championships, he has outperformed both of these accomplishments by 6kg and 10kg, respectively.

Voicing on his performance, Shubham Todkar shared his views, saying:

"The result is not what I expected, but I'm satisfied that the total is good this time. It is my highest on the international stage." Despite not attaining his expected outcome, his devotion and progress were obvious.

In the same weight category, Malaysia's Aznil Muhamad appeared as the leader, lifting an exceptional 290kg (129kg+161kg), while Korea's Rok Shin assured the second place with a total of 280kg (125kg+155kg).

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Mirabai Chanu opts to withdraw from World Championships

On the other hand, in a surprising turn of events, the Tokyo silver medalist and ex-world champion, Mirabai Chanu, opted to withdraw from the tournament. Her call to skip the women's 49kg event, where she was initially positioned in Group D, was strategic, as she is devoting her best performance to the Asian Games later in the month.

It's worth mentioning that the 2023 World Championships is important for athletes all over the world, as it serves as one of the two compulsory qualifying events for the highly-awaited Paris Olympics.

This esteemed competition not only pictures the enormous talent and commitment of weightlifters like Shubham Todkar but also sets the stand for the route to Olympic glory. As Shubham persists in growing and pushing his limits, he undoubtedly stays an optimistic prospect for India on the international weightlifting stage.