National weightlifting coach Vijay Sharma feels the ongoing strength and conditioning camp under Dr Aaron Horschig in St Louis, the US, is benefitting the lifters immensely. The likes of Mirabai Chanu, Achinta Sheuli and Jeremy Lalrinnunga are in the US from late August for a month-long stint. “It’s been more helpful than we expected,” he told The Telegraph on Sunday.

“Everybody is working hard and with the World Championships due in less than three months, this will hold our lifters in good stead,” he added. The World Championships will be held in Bogota, Colombia, from December 5-16. Before that, the 36th National Games, to be held in different cities of Gujarat from September 27 to October 10, will give Sharma an opportunity to gauge where the lifters stand.

“That’s a good platform for the participants,” he said. While Tokyo Olympic Games silver medallist Chanu is certain to participate, it’s still not clear whether Commonwealth Games gold medallist Achinta will be fit before the Games. He had a nagging hamstring injury for the last one year and the root cause of the problem was identified after tests in St Louis.

“I am 90 per cent fit now. The hamstring feels good,” Achinta, who hails from Deulpur in Howrah, said. Achinta, who is employed with the Army, will be representing Services. “He lifted through pain in Birmingham (the host city for Commonwealth Games) and once the tests here (St Louis) revealed the exact nature of the injury, his treatment has been very good. We are hopeful that he will participate in the National Games,” Sharma added.

Jeremy, another Commonwealth Games gold medallist, however, looks unlikely for the Games. His wrist injury has healed but he is still not fit enough to return to the arena. Sharma also gave an update on Sagar, who suffered a right elbow injury en route to winning silver in the CWG.

“He is recovering very well. I would say he is just 24 per cent short of full fitness. We never thought he would recover so fast.” The lifting contingent returns from the US on September 19 and Sharma said one more stint in the US before the World Championships will be of great help.

“We are trying to work with Dr Horschig again but if that doesn’t happen then a camp in the same time zone of Colombia could be organised.” St Louis and Colombia being in the same time zone will help the lifters get acclimatised faster.