In order to receive treatment for a back injury under the supervision of Dr. Aaron Horschig, a strength and conditioning specialist that Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu consults, Commonwealth Games gold medalist Jeremy Lalrinnunga was ‘weeded out’ of the weightlifting national camp.
According to Sahdev Yadav, president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF), Jeremy, 20, opted not to compete in the Asian Games and World Championships trials held in Patiala on June 30 and ‘at the last minute’ decided not to go to St. Louis despite the proposal being approved by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.
“Jeremy is no longer a part of the camp. He is unfit, hence there is no performance, that is the explanation. Therefore, it serves no purpose to retain him in the camp. We intended to send him to Dr. Horschig’s office in St. Louis, Missouri, but he emailed me to say he did not want to go.
image source:https://images.indianexpress.com/2023/07/Jeremy.jpg?w=640
He is a professional physician who has previously assisted Mirabai. TOPs approved the plan. But he abruptly said that he wouldn’t be going. On July 1, he was kicked out of camp, according to Yadav.
The IWFL president stated that Jeremy, who is currently at the Army Sports Institute in Pune, will need to recover for at least one and a half months before beginning training. He also added that since Jeremy won’t be competing in the World Championships, he won’t be eligible to attend the Olympics.
“The accident happened while I was exercising. He sat out of the World Championship trials and the Asian Games. He cannot compete in the Olympics if he does not attend the World Championships. The IWLF president stated that this was the law.
Although Yadav affirmed there were no significant disciplinary issues, he claimed Jeremy didn’t seem to be paying enough attention. “I am quite concerned for him. If he had continued in the same manner, he would have won a gold medal at the Youth Olympics.
After the gold, he received a large sum of money from CWG—roughly one crore—and the government also gave him about Rs 50,000 each month. He is pampered. I’m upset because I want him to return, but he must change.
According to the IWLF president, Jeremy’s trip to the USA would have made a significant difference and he might even have been in shape to compete in the World Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I think he could have competed in the World Championships if he had travelled to the USA and received medical attention there. If I could, I would have made sure he attended the global championships.
Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu is “95 percent fit” now after overcoming a thigh injury she sustained a month and a half ago. She won’t compete in the Commonwealth Championships, which India will host starting next week, but she will compete in the World Championships starting on September 2 and the Asian Games three weeks later.
