FILE–Filipino Elreen Ando returns to the Olympics after securing her ticket to the Paris Games.
Elreen Ando surprised everyone with an unforgettable performance at the International Weightlifting Federation World Cup in Phuket, Thailand on Wednesday night to virtually clinch a return trip to the Olympics.
The Asian Games bronze medalist in the women’s 59kg category booked her ticket to the Paris Olympics after finishing ahead of Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo in their final Olympic qualifying encounter.
Ando recorded a personal best of 228 kilograms in total, following a 100 snatch and a 128 clean and jerk, enough to land seventh overall, well below the qualifying standard in his category. weight.
READ: More than bronze, Elreen Ando regains confidence in the quest for the Paris Olympics
Cebuana, 25, eclipsed Diaz-Naranjo, the country’s first and only Olympic gold medalist who finished 11th overall with a total lift of 222 after a 99 in the snatch and 123 in the clean and jerk .
The top 10 weightlifters in each category will advance to the quadrennial Summer Games where only one representative from a country will earn a spot.
Seeking a fifth consecutive Olympic appearance after his gold medal at Tokyo 2020, Diaz-Naranjo was a kilo ahead of Ando after the snatch only to fail in two successive attempts at 127 in the clean and jerk.
READ: Elreen Ando still in contention for Olympics spot after silver
China’s Luo Shifang won the gold medal with a score of 248 while North Korea’s Kim Il Gyong settled for silver with a 240. Canadian Maude Charron ranked third (236), followed by Chinese Pei Xinji (233) and Hsing-Chun Kuo from Chinese Taipei (233). 230).
The IWF will officially announce the final list of athletes qualified for Paris by the end of the month.
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