(UPDATE) FILIPINO weightlifter John Ceniza booked his ticket to the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, April 2.
Ceniza, who hails from Cebu City, secured his Paris berth after finishing fourth in the top 10 of the men's 61 kg class Olympic Qualification Rankings (OQR), which qualifies him to advance to the Games.
The last of those qualifying tournaments was the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, on Tuesday, when Ceniza hoisted a total of 300 kg — 132 in snatch and 168 in clean and jerk — which placed him in fourth place.
Ceniza's total lift is the best he had in all of the qualifiers, topping his previous best of 297. He was sixth in the OQR before the World Cup.
Ceniza actually just needed to show up to formalize his Olympic entry.
The 26-year-old Ceniza became the second weightlifter from the Philippines to qualify for the Paris Olympics after Rosegie Ramos, who gained her Olympic berth on Monday when she hoisted a total of 190 kg.
Ramos, whose best overall lift was 191 kg, placed ninth in the women's 49 kg class OQR.
The top 10 eligible weightlifters in each weight category qualify for the Paris Games.
Hidilyn Diaz, the lone Filipino Olympic gold medalist, as well as Vanessa Sarno are also on track to qualify for the Paris Olympics as they're in the top 10 of their respective weight categories.
Diaz is in eighth place in the women's 59 kg with a best lift of 224 kg, a weight that will most likely keep her in the top 10 considering the best lift of the 11th placer, Belgian Nina Sterckx, is 220.
Unless disaster strikes Wednesday, Diaz will make a Philippine record for a fifth straight Olympic appearance.
Sarno, on the other hand, gets to officially qualify on Sunday, April 7, when she competes in the women's 71 kg, where she is currently fifth with a best lift of 249 kg.
Ceniza became the eighth Filipino athlete to qualify for the Paris Games as he joined Ramos, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan, as well as boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas.
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