FILE–Philippines’ Elreen Ando is returning to the Olympics after securing her ticket to the Paris Games.
Elreen Ando surprised everybody with a performance to remember 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 secured the ticket to the Paris Olympics after finishing ahead of Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo in their final Olympic qualification face-off.
Ando registered a personal high of 228 kilograms in the total, following a 100 in the snatch and 128 in the clean and jerk, enough to land at seventh overall well inside the qualifying standard in their weight class.
READ: More than the bronze, Elreen Ando wins confidence back in Paris Olympics quest
The 25-year-old Cebuana overshadowed Diaz-Naranjo, the nation’s first and only Olympic gold medalist who finished 11th overall with a total lift of 222 following a 99 in the snatch and 123 in the clean and jerk.
The top 10 lifters in each category will progress to the quadrennial Summer Games where only one representative from a country secures a spot.
Seeking a fifth straight Olympic appearance after her golden stint in Tokyo 2020, Diaz-Naranjo was ahead by one kilogram from 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 berth after silver
China’s Luo Shifang struck the gold medal with a 248 output while North Korea’s Kim Il Gyong settled for the silver with a 240. Canada’s Maude Charron placed third (236) followed by China’s Pei Xinji (233) and Hsing-Chun Kuo of Chinese Taipei (230).
The IWF will formally announce the final list of athletes who qualified to Paris by the end of the month.