Vanessa Sarno looks to secure Paris Olympics berth

MANILA, Philippines: Filipino weightlifter Vanessa Sarno looks to secure a Paris Olympics berth in the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup women’s 71kg class in Phuket, Thailand on Sunday, April 7.

Sarno, whose competition starts at 2:30 p.m. (Manila time), is virtually qualified for the Paris Games by virtue of being inside the top 10 of the Olympic Qualification Rankings (OQR) of her weight class.

Vanessa Sarno PHOTO BY RIO DELUVIO 

As it stands, the 20-year-old weightlifter from Bohol is ranked fifth with her total best lift of 249 kg.

Topping that weight in this World Cup by a few more kilos will most likely seal the Olympic slot for Sarno just in case competitors outside the top 10 of her weight class stunningly hoist heavier than her 249.

Hidilyn Diaz, the only Filipino Olympic gold medalist who was gunning for a fifth straight Olympic appearance, suffered that unfortunate event as she lost her spot to compatriot and fellow Tokyo Olympian Elreen Ando.

Diaz was eighth in the women’s 59kg category OQR but got bumped outside of it as Ando, who was outside top 10 prior to the World Cup, cracked it after raising 228kg, besting Diaz’s previous best of 224 on April 3.

Ando could only raise 222kg prior to the World Cup.

Another Filipino weightlifter Kristel Macrohon, albeit a long shot, could do an Ando and push Sarno outside the top 10.

Macrohon is ranked 15th in the longlist of the women’s 71kg class.

Should Sarno stay in top 10, she will be the fourth weightlifter from the Philippines to have qualified for the Paris Games after Ando, Rosegie Ramos (women’s 49) and John Ceniza (men’s 61).

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has yet to confirm the qualification of the aforementioned lifters but the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has already announced that they’re in.

The other Filipino Paris Olympics-bound athletes are pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan, as well as boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, and Aira Villegas.