Ando has better chances of winning in Uzbekistan

Elreen Ando (left) and Ramon Solis (right) during the Tokyo Olympics. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Olympian weightlifting coach Ramon Solis is confident that his prized ward, Elreen Ann Ando of Cebu will fare well in her debut in the lighter – 59 kilogram division as she takes centerstage in the ongoing International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, tomorrow, December 11. 

In an interview with CDN Digital, Solis, who is one of Ando’s coaches in Cebu and who accompanied her in the Tokyo Olympics last July, said that the Ando would perform great in the 59kg division from the 64kg division.

It will be Ando’s first time to compete in the lighter weight division to improve her chances of winning a medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Ando debuted in the Olympics last July and settled for seventh place under the heavier -64kg division.

“Sa training namo, naay deperensya gamay, kay nag reduce man siya ani kay ninaog siya ug lain nga weight category. Dili na siya pareho sa iyang body weight pag Olympics, pero nindot man iyahang training para ani nga duwa,” assured Solis. 

(In our training, there is a small difference because she reduced weight, she wend down to another weight category. Her body weight is not the same as when she competed in the Olympics, but her training for this competition was really good.)

Ando, being the lone Olympian in the 10-man Philippine team in the world championships, is the top bet to win a medal.

This after, Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz decided to skip the world championships for personal reasons. 

Also, three Filipinos have already faltered in their respective bids to bring home a medal for the Philippines. 

On Wednesday, Cebuano Fernando Agad finished eighth overall in the men’s -55kg.

Meanwhile, Elien Perez and Mary Flor Diaz also fell short in their respective weight divisions.

Perez, finished eighth in the women’s -49kg with a total lift of 166kg while Diaz, the cousin of Hidilyn Diaz and a silver medalist of this year’s Asian Championships didn’t place in the final rankings.

This as, she failed in all of the three attempts in the snatch under the women’s -45kg division. 

For Solis, they have a bigger chance to win a medal in the lighter weight division.

“First ni niya nga 59kg division nga international competition, pero pag tan-aw nako sa mga record sa iyang makakontra, halos pareho ra gyud silag total nga gialsa. Pero nagreduce man gud si Elreen maong nagexpect sad ko nga mominus siya ug 5kg sa iyang best clean and jerk,” added Solis. 

(This is her first time to compete in the 59kg division in the international competition, but when I saw the record of her competitors, they have similar weights lifted. But Elreen reduced weight so I am expecting that we will also reduce by 5 kg as her best clean and jerk.) 

Ando along with Agad and two other Cebuanos, John Febuar Ceniza and John Dexter Tabique have trained for months to prepare for the world championships at the University of Cebu (UC) weightlifting training center which is also the Cebu headquarters for the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas. 

Solis decided to stay in Cebu and let his fellow coach Christopher Bureros to oversee the team in the world championships.

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