Paris 2024: Elreen Ando hoping to reap fruits of sacrifice in 2nd Olympics stint

Philippine representative for weightlifting to the 2024 Paris Olympics Elreen Ando during a PSA Forum in Manila on May 7, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Elreen Ando is one of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games-bound athletes that the Philippines is banking on to bring home a medal.

The 25-year-old Ando, who won gold in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games, is taking the place of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz -- whom she overcame in the qualifiers to clinch a spot in the 59kg category of women's weightlifting.

Qualifying for this year's Summer Games was a bittersweet moment for the Cebuana.

READ: Elreen Ando secures Olympic spot; Hidilyn Diaz misses out

Ando had beaten Diaz to a spot in Paris during the IWF World Cup in April. Diaz, who competed in the 55kg division has been scrapped, forcing the veteran weightlifter to move up a division.

Ando placed seventh overall in the World Cup with a total lift of 228kg, while Diaz was 11th after tallying a total of 222kg. With the Olympics only allowing one athlete per country to qualify in each weight division, the result meant that it was Aldo's time to represent flag and country.

"Sa part ko lang po, proud na proud ako sa sarili ko kasi nakayanan ko eh," the 2019 and 2021 SEA Games silver medalist told ABS-CBN News' Dyan Castillejo in a previous interview. 

"Kinausap ko rin yung coach ko na 'Gusto ko po talagang mag qualify.' Sinabi naman ng coach ko na kung gusto ko talaga, kailangan kong mag sacrifice," she added.

However, it is not only advancing at the expense of her idol Hidilyn, whom Elreen competed alongside in the Tokyo Olympics, that she needed to overcome and sacrifice to book a flight to Paris. 

"Never akong umuwi nung nagte-training ako," she revealed. "Ang dami kong sinacrifice na pinagdaanan. [Na-miss ko] death anniversary ng mama ko at death anniversary ng papa ko. Lahat sinacrifice ko para dito. Months po akong hindi umuwi sa Cebu."

"Sinabi ko lang sa sarili ko na kaya ko 'to," added Ando, who moved down a weight class herself after previously competing in the 64kg division in Tokyo.

But now that she is the country's bet, Ando is ready to step up to the challenge and make a name for herself.

"Gusto ko [sa Paris] any color of medal kasi kayang kaya naman," she emphasized. 

Ando, as well as Vanessa Sarno and John Ceniza, are currently in Metz, France for the combined training camp of the Philippines there.

They will open their campaign on August 7.

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