In a historic moment for Venezuela, weightlifter Katherin Echandia has secured her spot at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by finishing in sixth place in the 49 kilograms category at the World Weightlifting Championships in Phuket, Thailand. This achievement marks a major milestone in her career and is a testament to her hard work and dedication.
On the first day of competition, Katherin delivered an outstanding performance, lifting 85 kilograms in the snatch, 108 in the clean and jerk, and achieving an Olympic total of 193 kilos. Despite facing strong competition from North Korean Ri Song Gum and Chinese athlete Hou Zhihui, Katherin’s determination and skill allowed her to secure her place on the podium.
The gold medal in the category went to Ri Song Gum, who set a new record with her impressive lifts. The silver medal was awarded to Hou Zhihui, while Jiang Huihua finished third. With these results, both Katherin Echandia and three-time Olympian Beatriz Pirón from the Dominican Republic have secured their spots for Paris 2024.
Katherin’s qualification marks another significant achievement for Venezuela on the international stage. She has had an impressive sports career so far, including winning a gold medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, a bronze at the 2018 World Cup, a bronze at the 2021 Cali Junior Pan American Games, and a silver at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. With this latest success, she continues to establish herself as one of Venezuela’s top athletes.
With Katherin’s qualification, Venezuela now has 18 athletes qualified in nine different sports for Paris 2024. The country is looking forward to representing itself on this global stage once again and showcasing its rich athletic talent to audiences around the world.
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