Weightlifter Ando takes a slot for Tokyo

Weightlifter Elreen Ando is now the 11^th Filipino athlete to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, earning the slot through the continental quota for the women’s minus-64 kg division.

In a list released by the International Weightlifting Federation, Ando finished 12^th place in her division.

The Cebuana qualified because Europe already had four entries in the top nine of the rankings, bypassing the 10^th and 11^th rankings of Lisa Marie Schweizer and Anni Teija Vuohijoki, respectively.

The 22-year-old just won two silvers and one bronze medal at the 2020 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Uzbekistan held early this year.

She joins fellow weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz who will be competing in the minus-55 kg category in her fourth Olympics.

Other Tokyo-bound Filipino athletes include boxers Carlo Paalam, Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, and Nesthy Petecio, gymnast Carlos Yulo, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, skateboarder Margielyn Didal, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, and rower Cris Nievarez.