Ando qualifies to Tokyo

MANILA, Philippines — Without much fanfare, Elreen Ando trained for a year in Cebu during the pandemic with the hope of making it to the Tokyo Olympics.

Well, she’s heading to Tokyo.

The 22-year-old weightlifter booked a seat to the quadrennial event next month via the continental quota, joining 2016 Rio Games silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz and nine others.

The others who have earlier qualified are pole-vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Caloy Yulo, boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, rower Cris Nievarez, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa and skateboarder Margie Didal.

The 2021 Tashkent Asian Championship silver medalist was ranked 12th overall in the world in the women’s -64kg division but was awarded the last of the two seats allotted for Asians in her class.

To make her Olympic stint final, Ando, whose campaign is bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), must complete the requirements set by the IWF’s Anti-Doping group on or before Tuesday.

Ando was among those being considered as the country’s future in the sport after snatching a silver and two bronzes in the Tashkent tilt last April, the others being 17-year-old Vanessa Sarno, who had two golds and a silver, and 24-year-old Kristel Macrohon, who pocketed a couple of bronzes.

Diaz also took the spotlight in Tashkent by officially qualifying to Tokyo despite finishing fourth.