MANILA — Filipino weightlifter John Ceniza, hailing from Cebu City, clinched his ticket to the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, April 2.
Ceniza sealed his place in Paris by securing a top-ten finish in the men’s 61kg class Olympic Qualification Rankings (OQR). The top ten lifters from the qualifiers advanced to the Games.
The final qualifying event was the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup held in Phuket, Thailand. On Tuesday, Ceniza lifted a total of 300kg — 132kg in snatch and 168kg in clean and jerk — earning him a commendable fourth place.
Ceniza’s total lift marked his personal best among all the qualifiers, surpassing his previous record of 297kg. He was ranked sixth in the OQR before the World Cup.
(By el Amigo/MNM)