Elreen Ando books return trip to Olympics, Hidilyn Diaz ends Paris dream

Elreen Ando is back in the Olympics stage.

The rising weightlifting ace booked a return trip to the Summer Games after a strong showing in the women's 59kg event of the 2024 IWF World Cup, clinching a berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Philippine Olympic Committee also announced the said development.

By doing so, however, the 25-year-old Ando booted out of contention her fellow Filipina athlete and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, who competed in the same weight class but failed to meet the required points.

Ando, who finished seventh during her maiden Olympic appearance in Tokyo three years ago, garnered a total lift of 228kg anchored on 100kg in snatch and 128kg in clean and jerk.

Diaz, meanwhile, had 99kg in snatch but was unable to lift her second and third attempts in the clean and jerk to tally 222kg.

Prior to the tournament, the veteran athlete ranked eighth in the Olympic Qualification Ranking (OQR) with 224kg while Ando was placed 11th with 222kg.

With this, Diaz snapped her streak of Olympic appearances after having competed from the 2008 edition until the 2020 Tokyo Games, where she won the country's first Olympic gold.

Ando also became the latest Filipino representative to qualify to the Paris Games after EJ Obiena, Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, and fellow weightlifters John Ceniza and Rosegie Ramos.

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News