Pinay lifter cracks Top 3 in Asian meet

MANILA, Philippines — With little fanfare, Elreen Ando trained for a year in Cebu City amid the pandemic with the goal of one day making a name in weightlifting.

The 22-year-old silver medalist in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games is on the right path as she pocketed two silver medals and a bronze in the women’s 64kg division in the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan Tuesday night.

Ando, who shelved plans to take up college education at University of Cebu to focus on this event and the SEA Games in November, snared the silver medals in the total (213kg) and clean and jerk (119kg), and the bronze in the snatch (94).

Her impressive feat in the prestigious event was a shot in the arm for the Philippine team in Tashkent, where 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz failed to land in the podium but formalized her entry to the Tokyo Games in July.

Diaz ended up fourth in the 55kg class.

Ando, who could have won the 2019 SEA Games gold if not for a time lapse, is being groomed as successor to Diaz’ throne and tipped to win the gold in the Hanoi SEAG.

“Watch out for Ando, Vanessa (Sarno) and (Kristel) Macrohon, et al. Fearless forecast, they will win gold in the Vietnam SEA Games and will be ready for 2024 Paris (Olympics) to follow Hidilyn’s success,” Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) president Monico Puentevella told The STAR.