Hidilyn Diaz stayed on pace in the Olympics race in the women’s under-59 kg category with a seventh-place finish overall in the 2023 World Weightlifting Championships on Saturday morning (Philippine time) at the Ministry Sports Hall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Diaz slipped to the seventh spot in the Olympic rankings, with the top 10 at the end of the qualification period next year earning a spot in the Paris Games. The 2020 Olympic champion in the under-55 kg category finished with a total of 224.
Elreen Ando and Diaz found themselves in an interesting battle for Olympic qualification. Ando lifted 100 kg in the snatch, while Diaz managed 97 kg.
The two Filipinos remained tied until Ando attempted 122 kg in the clean and jerk for her final lift, aiming for a total of 222. However, the Southeast Asian Games champion missed the 125 kg lift, allowing Diaz to reclaim the lone Philippine spot in the rankings with her successful 127 kg clean and jerk.
China’s Luo Shifang secured three gold medals with a total of 243 kg (107 kg in snatch and 136 kg in clean and jerk), while Ukraine’s Kamila Konotop and China’s Pei Xinyi won the silver (236 kg) and bronze (232 kg) medals, respectively.
