Elreen Ando. | AFP Photo via Inquirer
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Olympian coach Ramon Solis is planning to move his prized weightlifter, Elreen Ando to a lighter weight category to improve her chances of winning a medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In an interview with CDN Digital, Solis, a former national team weightlifter turned coach under the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) revealed that moving down to a lighter weight category is the best path Ando should take.
From 64-kilograms, Ando will move down to the 59kg weight class.
According to Solis, Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz also came from the same weight category as Ando’s but decided to move down further to 55kg.
Ando reset some of her personal records in her first Olympic campaign in which she finished in seventh place.
“Ang amo ani nagsabot nami sa mga coaches nga amo siya paduwaon ug 59kg weight category. I transfer namo iyang body weight from 64kg to 59kg kay grabe ka dagko iyang mga kontra ato nga weight class, lagpad kaayo. Murag alkanse gyud siya ato nga weight class,” said Solis.
“Si Hidilyn niabot mana siya ug saka sa 64kg ug nisaka pa sa 67kg, pero ni balhin siya eventually sa 55kg diin nakadaog na nuon siya ug gold medal. Taas-taas pud ug gi reduce si Hidily. Pero ang importante ani sa pagnaog ug timbang ni Elreen kay maka kuha mi ug nutritionist nga maoy mo monitor ug mohatag ug unsay angay kaunon ug imnon niya. Para ni dili siya malipong ig alsa sa training kay nag reduce man gud siya.”
Solis said that he and Ando will be submitting a request letter to the Philippine Sports Commission to provide them a nutritionist to monitor Ando’s diet. Also, they will request a masseuse, physical therapist, and a psychologist which are all vital to Ando’s training for the 2024 Olympics.
Solis also added that they will start pitting Ando in the 59kg weight class in next year’s Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. Thus, he will only let Ando take only a one-week rest.
Ando, the pride of the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after winning three medals in the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Uzbekistan last April. She qualified for the Olympics via the intercontinental quota rankings.
The Olympic gold medal went to Canada’s Maude Charron while Italy’s Giorgia Bordignon bagged the silver medal. Chinese Taipei’s Chen Wen Huei settled for bronze.
“Sa assessment nako, okay naman nag improve naman siya sa iyang performance, naka break siya ug records pud. Mag sugod mi ug compete sa 59kg inig SEA Games ug Asian Games. Nakita namo sa 59kg, pwede kaayo siya maka medalya sa iyang total 222kg pang medal jud to siya. Pinaka ubos nana ang bronze sa 59kg nga iyang madaog,” said Solis.
Ando and Solis arrived in Manila last Wednesday from Tokyo, Japan. They are currently serving the mandatory quarantine before they can fly back to Cebu. /rcg