MANILA — Rosegie Ramos has etched her name in history as the first Filipino weightlifter and the seventh athlete from the Philippines to confirm participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Her triumph came at the 2024 IWF World Cup, a pivotal qualification event where she emerged triumphant.
At just 20 years old, Ramos dominated the women’s 49kg Group B, earning her coveted spot at the quadrennial event scheduled for late July.
Her performance in the qualifiers was nothing short of spectacular, with lifts of 87kg in the snatch and 103kg in the clean and jerk, totaling an impressive 190kg. This accomplishment solidified her position as the top athlete in her category.
Hailing from a lineage of champions, Ramos is the cousin of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz.
She now joins a distinguished group of Filipino athletes who have already qualified for the Paris Olympics, including EJ Obiena (pole vault), Carlos Yulo (gymnastics), Aleah Finnegan (gymnastics), Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, and Aira Villegas (boxing).
Ramos has been a stalwart of the national team, consistently showcasing her prowess by clinching numerous medals in regional and continental competitions.
Notably, she secured gold medals at both the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Asian Junior Championships and earned a bronze medal at the 2021 Southeast Asian Games.
In addition to Ramos, other Filipino athletes poised to compete at the World Cup include John Ceniza in the men’s 61kg category, alongside Diaz and Elreen Ando in the women’s 59kg category, and Kristen Macrohon and Vanessa Sarno in the women’s 71kg category.
This year’s edition of the quadrennial meet is slated from July 24 to August 11, 2024, in Paris, France.
(el Amigo/MNM)
