MANILA – Filipina weightlifter Rosegie Ramos punched her ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics following a successful participation at the 2024 IWF World Cup on Monday in Phuket, Thailand.
The Zamboanga-native Ramos, a back-to-back Asian Junior champion, secured her Olympic slot by maintaining her position in the top 10 of the women’s 49-kilogram category.
“She emerged victorious in the 49kg weightlifting category, securing her spot as the seventh athlete to represent the Philippines in the Paris Olympics!” said the Philippine Olympic Committee in an online post.
“Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance have paid off, and we couldn’t be prouder. Your journey to Paris is an inspiration to us all, showcasing the strength and determination of Filipino athletes on the global stage,” it added.
After her performance on Monday, Ramos kept her best lift of 191 kilogram, which was achieved at the IWF Grand Prix 2 in Doha, Qatar, last year, for ninth overall in the Olympic Qualification ranking.
Based on the qualifying process of the IWF, the top 10 lifters in the 10 Olympic weight categories are eligible for the upcoming Paris Summer Games. Each country can only send one athlete per weight class
The 20-year-old Ramos is a cousin of Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, who delivered the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan.
Diaz, fellow Asian junior champ Vanessa Sarno, and SEA Games silver medalist John Ceniza are all aiming to solidify their spots in Paris later in the competition in the southern Thailand province.
“One down, and we have three more to go in the next two days,” said Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella. “Don’t worry, we’ll have around four (weightlifters) from the Philippines in the Paris Olympics.”
Ramos now joins six other athletes – pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Alleah Finnegan, and boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas – in the Paris Games./PN
