At 40,Kunjarani launches comeback bid,targets Commonwealth Games gold

She won three gold medals in Manchester,winning one medal each for snatch,clean and jerk,and total lift. And again in Melbourne,where only the total lift carried a medal.

Kunjarani said she is confident she would gain top form in the 20 months left for the Commonwealth Games. “I have started training since December last year. I want to defend my gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and stand on the victory podium before my home crowd,” she said.

Kunjarani will be 42 when the Commonwealth Games are being held in October next year in Delhi,but the Manipuri lifter said her body is still in good shape and she is lifting a good weight in training.

“I know myself that I still have the capability to win gold in Delhi next year. My body is responding well. I am lifting the minimum necessary weight from where you can go for more. Otherwise I would not have thought of making a comeback,” said the Delhi-based Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee.

“My career-best has been the 190kg in Athens Olympics. That is still the best among Commonwealth lifters. I won gold with 166kg in Melbourne and I am lifting not much less than that now,” explained the CRPF Deputy Commandant.

Kunjarani,who was last seen in action in the All India Police Games in Jalandhar in October 2006,is not taking part in the Senior Nationals starting in Pune from January 28 because of the one-year ban that has been imposed on the Police team. Five of the Police lifters flunked dope tests in the All India Police Games in Haryana last year which attracted a one-year ban from the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF).

“I am targetting the National Games in Jharkhand (to be held in June) for my comeback to competition. After that there are many national and international events lined up before the Delhi Commonwealth Games,” she said.

“I have to take part in national competitions otherwise the IWF may not permit me to take part in the CWG. So I will take part in the National Games,” she said.

Kunjarani also feels that Indian women would dominate the lifting event in 2010 CWG.

“Except for one or two categories (out of seven),we should dominate. It should be better than Melbourne,” she said.