Elreen Ando during the Asian Weightlifting Championships. | Photo from Ando’s Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippines— There’s a changing of guards in the Philippine women’s weightlifting scene.
It was after top bet and lone Filipino Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo missed qualifying for the Paris Olympics, while Cebuana Elreen Ando earned her second Olympic stint in the ongoing International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in Phuket, Thailand on Wednesday evening, April 3.
Ando and Diaz-Naranjo have been competing in the same event—the women’s 59-kilogram category in various international tilts since last year.
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It was after Diaz-Naranjo moved up from the women’s 55-kilogram category to the 59 kgs, while Ando moved down from -64 kgs to the 59 kgs.
On Wednesday evening, Filipinos saw a new contender in weightlifting after Ando finished seventh overall among 44 lifters in the last remaining Olympic qualifiers.
Ando, the pride of Barangay Carreta, Cebu City lifted a total of 228 kgs, 20 kgs lighter than eventual gold medalist Luo Shifang of China who finished with a total of 248 kgs lift.
Meanwhile, Diaz-Naranjo who mesmerized the world in 2022 for being the first Filipino gold medalist in the Olympics only lifted 222 kgs.
Ando lifted 100 kgs in the snatch and 128 kgs in the clean and jerk. Diaz-Naranjo had 99 kgs in her snatch and 123 kgs in her clean and jerk.
On the other hand, North Korea’s Gyong Kim II earned the silver medal with a 240 kg total lift, while Olympic gold medalist Maude Charron settled for bronze with her 236 kg total lift.
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Ando already showed her potential in qualifying for the Paris Olympics after earning two silver medals in the Asian Weightlifting Championships, while last year, she bagged a bronze medal in the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Only the top 10 weightlifters in the women’s 59 kg category will compete in July’s Paris Olympics, ending Diaz-Naranjo’s five Olympic stints.
Ando served as the second lifter born and raised in Cebu who qualified for the Paris Olympics.
John Febuar Ceniza of Barangay Pasil already clinched a spot on Tuesday after claiming fourth place in the men’s 61 kgs category.
In total, the Philippines now has eight qualified athletes for the Olympics. The others include EJ Obiena (pole vault), Carlos Yulo (gymnastics), Aleah Finnegan (gymnastics), Eumir Marcial (boxing), Nesthy Petecio (boxing), and Aira Villegas (boxing).
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