Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Vanessa Sarno and Kristel Macrohon bombed out of the medal podium in the women’s 71-kilogram category to cap the country’s campaign in the IWF Grand Prix II in Doha on Monday.
Sarno, who emerged victorious in the 32nd SEA Games early this year, registered 108 kgs in snatch and 141 kg in clean and jerk for a total lift of 249 kgs that gave her a fifth-place finish in this prestigious event that offers ranking points for the Paris Olympics next year.
Macrohon, who ruled the 30th SEA Games in 2019, finished ninth after tallying 104 kgs in snatch and 140 kgs in clean and jerk for a total lift of 169 kgs.
Song Kuk Hyang of North Korea dominated the event with a snatch of 120 kgs and a clean and jerk of 149 kgs for a total lift of 169 kgs while reigning world champion Liao Guifang of China, settled for the silver medal with 116 kgs in snatch and 148 kgs in clean and jerk for a total lift of 264 kgs.
World Weightlifting Championships bronze medalist Olivia Reeves of the United States completed the podium finishers after posting 115 kgs in snatch and 147 kgs in clean and jerk for a total lift of 262 kgs.
It was a disappointing finish for the Filipinos, who saw Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz fall prey to a superior field and injury in the women’s 59-kg event.
Diaz, who climbed the weight category after ruling the 55-kg class of the Summer Games, failed to finish the competition after succumbing to cramps.
Asian Games bronze medalist Elreen Ando, for her part, finished 11th after lifting 95 kgs in snatch and 120 kgs in clean and jerk for a total lift of 215 kgs.
Rosegie Ramos, a 31st SEA Games bronze medalist, lifted a snatch of 88 kgs and a clean and jerk of 103 kgs for a total of 191 kgs for fifth place in the women’s 49-kg event.
With that, only Rose Jean Ramos and John Fabuar Ceniza took home medals in the seven-man national squad that aims to book tickets to the Paris Games.
Ramos captured three silver medals in the women’s 45-kg event while Ceniza snagged one silver in the men’s 61-kg event.
But all hopes are not yet lost for the Filipino lifters as the final qualifiers for the Summer Olympics will be at the 2024 Asian Championships from 3 to 10 February in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Only the top 10 best lifters per weight category will get an outright berth in the Olympics along with those entering via the continental quota.
