Lifters right on track
‘The fourth Filipino lifter to join us will be decided in Phuket between Diaz and Ando because Ando is behind by just two kilograms.’
The Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas is confident that four of its athletes will be able to book a slot for the 2024 Paris Olympics with one more tournament left in the qualifying period.
Weightlifting chief Monico Puentevella told DAILY TRIBUNE on Friday that Paris hopefuls Rosegie Ramos, John Fabuar Ceniza and Vannesa Sarno are poised to make the grade as they prepare for the IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand from 31 March to 11 April.
The only fight Puentevella thinks will happen will be at the women’s 59-kilogram division where Tokyo Summer Games gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz and 32nd Southeast Asian Games champion Elreen Ando are expected to square off.
“Hopefully we will have four lifters joining the Paris Olympics this August. Sarno, Ramos and Fabuar are almost sure of getting through,” Puentevella said.
“The fourth Filipino lifter to join us will be decided in Phuket between Diaz and Ando because Ando is behind by just two kilograms.”
The Filipino lifters are currently within the top 10 of their respective weight categories in the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualification Ranking.
Only the 10 best lifters in the ranking will be given an outright Olympic berth.
Sarno, a SEA Games gold medalist, ranks in sixth place in the women’s 71-kg category with her best total lift at 249 kgs while Ceniza is in ninth place with his best lift at 298 kgs.
Diaz is in ninth place in the women’s 59-kg category with a total lift of 224 kgs but Ando, despite currently at 11th place with 222 kgs, still has a chance to take her slot when they do battle in Phuket.
Like Ando, this will be Ramos’ last chance to book a slot in the 2024 Paris Olympics as she is currently in 12th place in the women’s 49-kg rankings.
She needs to eclipse her best lift of 191 kgs done in the IWF Grand Prix II in Doha last December and add at least three more kilograms once she competes in Thailand.