MANILA – Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal winner, failed to earn a qualification for the 2024 Summer Games slated this July in Paris, France.
The Zamboanga City native fell short of qualifying for the Olympics’ women’s 59-kilogram event after a subpar showing in the IWF World Cup on Wednesday night in Phuket, Thailand.
Diaz-Naranjo finished with 99-kilogram lift in the snatch before settling for a 123-kilogram lift in the clean and jerk to cap off her qualification campaign with 222-kilogram total.
In the snatch event, Diaz-Naranjo was successful in the 95 and 99 kilograms before faltering in the 101-kilogram. In the clean and jerk, she lifted the 123-kilogram before failing twice in the 127-kilogram lift.
With this, Diaz-Naranjo snapped her streak of Olympic appearances after having competed from the 2008 edition until the 2020 Tokyo Games, where she captured a gold in the 55 kilogram event.
Elreen Ando, meanwhile, booked a return trip to the Olympics as she garnered a total lift of 228kg anchored on 100kg in snatch and 128kg in clean and jerk of the same 59 kilogram event.
Ando was successful in lifting the 98 and 100 kilograms before failing in the 102 kilograms in the snatch event. She then finished the 125 kilograms on the second try and completed the 128 kilograms in the clean and jerk.
John Ceniza also booked his spot for the Summer Games following a strong showing in the men’s 61-kilogram event, tallying a total lift of 300kg following a 132kg from snatch and 168kg in clean and jerk.
Only the top 10 weightlifters in each weight category will qualify to the quadrennial event.
Ando and Ceniza joined fellow weightlifter Roselie Ramos, as well as pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan, and boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, and Aira Villegas in the Paris Summer Games./PN
