Elreen Ando and John Febuar Ceniza. | Photos from the PSC
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Cebuano weightlifters Elreen Ando and John Febuar Ceniza will vie in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on September 2 to 17, 2023.
Both Cebuanos won medals in the recent SEA Games in Cambodia.
Their participation in the world championship was announced by one of their coaches, Ramon Solis of the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP).
Both weightlifters are currently training at the SWP Cebu headquarters at the back of the Cebu Coliseum in downtown Cebu City.
It can be recalled that Ando bagged the gold medal in a record-breaking performance during the 32nd SEA Games in Pnom Penh, Cambodia last May 14.
Ando, an Olympian and a past silver medalist of the 31st SEA Games topped the women’s 59-kilogram division with a total lift of 216kg. She also had a snatch of 98kg and 118kg in the clean and jerk.
Meanwhile, Ceniza secured a silver medal in the men’s 61kg division by lifting a total of 297 kg. He tallied 169kg in the clean and jerk, and lifted 128kg in snatch, good for a silver medal.
According to Solis, Ando and Ceniza’s stint in the IWF World Championships in Saudi Arabia is part of their preparation for the Hangzhou Asian Games in October.
Ando has already competed in the IWF World Championships in 2021 where she finished fifth in the women’s 59kg division. /rcg
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