Hidilyn Diaz on track for Paris Olympics despite fourth place finish in Asian Championships

Hidilyn Diaz’s successful lift in snatch in the 2023 Asian weightlifting championships in Jinju, Korea.

MANILA, Philippines–Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo fared decently in her initial foray into the 59-kilogram class, finishing fourth overall in the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jinju, South Korea on Sunday.

Despite finishing out of a medal, Diaz-Naranjo remained on track with her bid for a second Olympic gold medal, staying within the classification circle for the Paris Olympic Games.

Weightlifters in all weight divisions are looking to finish inside the top eight to automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Diaz-Naranjo won the country’s first gold medal in the Olympics when she ruled the 55kg class in Tokyo, but her division was scrubbed off, forcing her to shift to a heavier weight.

She will have work to do, however, after a total lift of 221kg.

Women’s 59-kilogram podium finishers in the Asian Championships 2023.

Chinese lifters Luo Shifang and Pei Xinyi took gold and silver, respectively with total lifts of 238kg and 236kg—standards Diaz-Naranjo will now have to focus as targets.

Taiwanese lifter Kuo Hsing-Chun, who owns the world records of the division, finished third with a 230-kg total.

Diaz-Naranjo built her total on a 99-kg lift in snatch and a 122-kg result in clean and jerk.

Elreen Ann Ando, who slid to 59kg after her 64kg division was also scrapped for the Paris Games, started out strong, finishing behind Luo, Pei, Kuo and Diaz-

Naranjo in the snatch with a 99kg lift, but faded in clean and jerk.

As a rule, only one athlete per country will qualify outright.

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