John Ceniza suffers early exit in Paris Olympics weightlifting

Team Philippines’ John Ceniza competes in the men’s -61kg weightlifting event during the Paris Olympics 2024 at the South Paris Arena in Paris, on August 7, 2024. (Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP)

It wasn’t the ending John Ceniza had hoped for.

The lifter out of Cebu saw his Olympic debut end in a “Did Not Finish” in the men’s 61-kilogram weightlifting competitions late Wednesday in the 2024 Paris Olympics at South Paris Arena.

Ceniza failed in all three attempts at 125 kg of the snatch. The 26-year-old lifter was able to go under the bar in all three lifts but could not find the right balance for a successful lift.

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The Olympics only hands out medals for total lift unlike other major tournaments, which gives out medals for snatch, clean and jerk, and total.

That meant that Ceniza would no longer progress to the clean and jerk.

READ: PH weightlifter John Ceniza headed to Paris Olympics

Ceniza, who became emotional after leaving the stage following his third “no lift,” is one of three lifters representing Team Philippines. The others are fellow debutante Vanessa Sarno, a former Asian champion, and Tokyo Olympian Elreen Ando.

Ceniza’s failure at 125 came as a surprise as the Southeast Asian Games medalist owns a personal best of 133kg in the snatch.