OLYMPICS-BOUND. Elreen Ann Ando at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Ando and fellow Cebuano John Febuar Ceniza have qualified for the Paris Olympics in July. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – Cebu's Elreen Ann Ando earned a return trip to the Olympics after finishing seventh in the women's 59 kg category while province mate John Febuar Ceniza (M61kg) also clinched a Paris slot in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in Phuket, Thailand on Wednesday night.
Ando, who bagged two silvers at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Uzbekistan last February, registered 228 kgs (100 kg in snatch and 128 kg in clean and jerk) to beat compatriot Hidilyn Diaz, who was 11th with 222 (99-123).
Ando's performance put her at No. 8 in the world rankings. Only the Top 10 lifters will get a quota place for their respective country and bodyweight category through the IWF Olympic Qualification Ranking tournaments from August 1, 2022 to April 28, 2024.
Diaz was the country's first Olympic champion after winning the 55 kg in Tokyo.
“I love this sport. I don’t want to stop. But what I have to do now is take a good rest and think about the priorities in my life. Today wasn’t my day, Paris was not to be," Diaz was quoted as saying in a news article on IWF's website. “But overall, I’m happy. I’ve given a lot to this sport and it’s given a lot to me.”
Ceniza was at No. 4 with a total of 300 (132-168), behind Chinese Li Fabin with 312 (146-166), Korean Pak Myong Jin with 306 (134-172) and American Hampton Miller Morris with 303 (127-176).
The 25-year-old Filipino got the silver medal at the 2023 World Grand Prix II in Qatar where he tallied 298 despite finishing fourth in snatch (133) and fifth in the clean and jerk (165).
Meanwhile, Vanessa Sarno of Bohol and Kristel Macrohon of Zamboanga City are scheduled to compete in the women's 71 kg category on Sunday.
Sarno is currently ranked No. 12. She has a total lift of 228 (100-128) during the Asian Championships.
At the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG), Sarno won in Vietnam (2022) and Cambodia (2023), while Macrohon triumphed in Manila (2019).
Sarno also snatched two medals at the Asian Championships -- a gold in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (2020) and a silver in Jinju, South Korea (2023).
"In God's grace, we shall now have 3 or possibly 4 weightlifters in Paris. More than 20 years ago, we started with one, then two in Brazil and Tokyo, and now 3 or 4 to be confirmed officially by the IWF in a months-time. New kids on the block," Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella said in a statement.
"Yet, even with the loss of our Tokyo gold medalist Hidilyn last night, please remember that she inspired these new lifters. She did her best and we all thank her for her great contribution to our Olympic sport. And I promise, we’ll have more lifters coming up too for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028.” (PNA)
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