PENDING confirmation by the International Weightlifting Federation, weightlifter Rosegie Ramos is poised to become the country’s next Olympic qualifier after finishing eighth overall in the women’s 49kg division of the IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand last Monday.
Ramos, the niece of Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Hidylin Diaz-Naranjo, hoisted a total of 190 kilos, counting 87 and 103 kilos, respectively, in the snatch and clean-and-jerk to fortify her grip on a ticket to the Paris Olympic Games in July.
“Yes (Ramos has qualified), but we have to wait for confirmation from the IWF when the whole (IWF World Cup) is finished. According to our own computation, she’ll make it,” weightlifting chief Monico Puentevella said from Phuket yesterday.
Puentevella said Philippine Olympic Committee president and Tagaytay Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino watched Ramos in action and was so sure about Ramos’ qualifying that the POC issued a statement shortly after the athlete completed her lifts.
The confirmation of Ramos’ stint in Paris and the rest of the other Olympic qualifiers will be announced by the IWF on Apri 28.
Based on the IWF Olympic qualifying rankings, the Zamboanga City native is virtually assured of making it to the quadrennial sports showcase since she is No. 12 in the current standings in her weight division.
She is bound to go higher since there are two Chinese and Thai athletes ranked higher than her in the standings, with a country limited to only one who will qualify for the Olympics.
Ramos is set to become the country’s sixth qualifier after pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Edriel Yulo and Aleah Finnegan and boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas.
Puentevella said set to compete in the men’s 61kg class late yesterday is Olympic hopeful Jose Fabuar Ceniza, who is ranked No. 9 in the Olympic qualifying rankings in his weight division.
Scheduled today is the highly-anticipated showdown in the women’s 59kg category between Diaz-Naranjo and Cebuana Elreen Ann Ando for the country’s lone slot to the Olympics.
Diaz-Naranjo and Ando are ranked No. 10 and No. 12, respectively, with lifts of 224 and 222 kilos, and should the latter surpass the current total weight of her famous compatriot she would likely earn the slot to the Paris Summer Games.
