Weightlifting champion Elreen Ando glad to fulfill late father's dream of SEAG gold

PHNOM PENH — Elreen Ando didn't just fulfill her own dream when she won the gold medal in the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia in record-breaking fashion.

According to her, it was also a way to realize her father's longtime dream for her.

Ando shared that it had always been the wish of her late father, Lupito, to see her cop the gold medal in the biennial meet. She finally achieved that on Sunday, but her father, who died last year due to liver cancer, was no longer around to see it.

Still, Ando said she's dedicating the victory to him.

"Syempre masayang-masaya po ako kaso goal ko talaga…matagal ko na ‘to ginoal na makuha ‘yung gold medal para sa papa ko," Ando shared.

"Itong medal na kinuha ko at pinagsikapan ko, matagal na ’tong hiniling ng papa ko nung buhay pa siya. Kahit wala na si papa, andito pa rin, gino-goal ko pa rin na makuha ‘yung gold medal sa SEA Games."

("Of course, I'm very happy because this was really my goal... It's been my goal for a long time to win the gold medal for my papa... This medal I won and worked for, my papa has been wishing for this when he was alive. Even though he's gone now, the goal was still hear to win the gold medal at the SEA Games.")

The golden victory wasn't just a simple win for Ando as she managed to break three records in the competition.

She broke the snatch record in the women's 59kg category when she lifted 98 kilograms, shattering the previous mark at 96kg. In the clean and jerk, she also reset the record after hoisting 118kg and breaking the previous 115kg record.

In total, Ando also set a new mark at 216, smashing the previous record at 210.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News