Paris Olympics weightlifting: Is Ando's time now?

PARIS – Elreen Ann Ando could well be the future of Philippine weightlifting, being the very lifter who denied Hidilyn Diaz another Olympic return.

The question is whether her time is now.

Ando, 25, competes in her second Olympics but in a new weight category with a talent-laden, star-studded cast led by Tokyo gold medal winners Kuo Hsing-chun of Chinese Taipei and Luo Shifang of China.

World No. 2 Kim Il-Gyong of North Korea will not be seeing action, but World No. 3 Maude Charron and No. 5 Kamila Konotop of Ukraine are in the start list of the competition set at 3 p.m. Thursday (9 p.m. in Manila) at the South Paris Arena.

Kuo won the 59kg event in Tokyo in 2021 where Luo was also champ in the 49kg. Meanwhile, Ando was there competing in the 64kg.

They had their showdown in the 59kg in the IWF World Cup in Thailand where Luo emerged champ with a total lift of 248 followed by Kim with 240 then Charron, another Chinese in Pei Xinyi, Kuo and Konotop all at 130.

Ando was good for only eighth at 228, topping Diaz who did a 122. Diaz moved up to 59kg with the cancellation of 54kg for the 2024 Olympics.

In the run-up to the Paris Games, Ando and the rest of the Philippine weightlifting team spent time training at Metz and in Germany.

“Bira sila nang bira,” said Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella of the Philippine lifters’ bid to improve.

Needless to say, they’re facing a tough competition, and they have to beat themselves to have a chance at a podium finish.

Looking to continue what Diaz started, Ando, from Cebu, will also be facing Mexico’s Janeth Gomez Valdivia, Nigeria’s Rafiatu Folashade Lawal, Italian Lucresia Magistris, Marshall Islands’ Mathlynn Sasser, Venezuela’s Anyelin Venegas Valera, Colombia’s Yenny Alvarez and home bet Dora Tchakounte.