Medalling at the Asian Games remains the one milestone Mirabai Chanu is desperate to achieve this year, with the Tokyo Olympics silver-winning weightlifter terming it "unfinished business" in an otherwise illustrious career. For more than a decade, Chanu has been the face of Indian weightlifting. An Asian Games medal is the only silverware missing from the Manipuri's decorated cabinet, which includes a Tokyo Olympics silver, three World Championship medals and as many Commonwealth Games podium finishes.

"The Asian Games is very important personally because I still have unfinished business there. The competition level is very high, which makes it even more challenging and exciting," Chanu said at a press conference following the opening ceremony of the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games here. Chanu's journey in the Asian Games has been marked by near-misses and setbacks. She finished ninth on debut at 2014 Asian Games and was forced to skip the 2018 edition due to a back injury. The closest she came to a podium finish was in the 2022 Asian Games, where a hip injury derailed Chanu's campaign at a crucial moment, leaving her just short of a medal.