Elreen Ando still in contention for Olympic berth after silver

Elreen Ann Ando remains positive about her Olympic hopes. —AFP

Elreen Ando is up against an Olympic gold medalist in her bid to make the Paris Olympics.

She isn’t showing signs of being fazed at all.

The Cebuano lifter bagged a pair of silver medals at the ongoing Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, sustaining an impressive performance that began with a bronze medal in the Asian Games last year.

READ: More than the bronze, Elreen Ando wins confidence back in Paris quest

The Tokyo Olympian lifted 120 kilograms in the clean and jerk, bolstering her total to 213 kg in placing second in both events in the women’s 59 kg category.

Kim Il-Gyong of North Korea clinched the gold with a 225 kg total and Natasya Beteyob of Indonesia claimed the bronze (212 kg).

Ando remains on track for a ticket to this year’s Paris Olympics in July with one tournament left before the qualification rankings are finalized.

Compatriot, toughest foe

FILE–Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo. —ASIAN GAMES POOL

Her toughest hurdle may be compatriot Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, the sport’s heroine who gave the Philippines its first gold medal in the Olympics with her triumph in Tokyo last year.

Diaz-Naranjo climbed to Ando’s weight class after her preferred division, the women’s 55 kg, was scrapped from the Paris calendar.

READ: In SEA Games, Elreen Ando gets chance to polish her shine

Not only does Ando need to make the top 10 qualifying circle, she also must finish better than Diaz-Naranjo as only one of them can make it to Paris.

The final Olympic roster will be determined after the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation World Cup on April 2 to April 11 in Phuket, Thailand.

Diaz-Naranjo is ahead of Ando in the Olympic rankings.