Illness can’t stop Wangsu as she lifts her way to gold

Raipur: Just days before she was due to leave for the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games in Raipur, 21-year-old weightlifter Anai Wangsu was confined to a hospital bed. A recurring gastric condition had left her dehydrated and weak, requiring intravenous fluids to restore her strength. Despite the physical setback, the Arunachal Pradesh athlete returned to training a day after her discharge to secure a long-awaited gold medal.Wangsu clinched the top spot in the women's 58kg category, marking a significant milestone in a career previously defined by bronze and silver finishes. Speaking to SAI media after her victory, she said, "I had won bronze and silver earlier, and my family always asked when I would win gold."The athlete has battled chronic health issues since 2019. These episodes often strike without warning, challenging her performance in a sport that demands high levels of power and balance. Last year, she narrowly missed out on a gold medal at the All India University Nationals due to a time-limit exhaustion on her final lift."I cried a lot that day. It felt like all my hard work had gone to waste," Wangsu recalled. Wangsu, who belongs to the Wancho tribe, believes this gold medal validates her perseverance. She now sets her sights on representing India at the international level.