Eko Yuli Irawan Qualifies For The 2024 Paris Olympics

Eko Yuli Irawan qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics (Instagram/@sekower61).

JAKARTA The famous Indonesian lifter, Eko Yuli Irawan, made sure to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics after appearing at the 2024 Weightlifting World Championships in Phuket, Thailand.

Eko locked the tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics before the end of the Group A men's 61 kilograms class race on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, afternoon WIB.

This certainty came after his compatriot, Ricko Saputra, failed in three snatch attempts. The result made Ricko unable to create the best total force through Eko.

"Athlete weightlifting, Eko Yuli Irawan managed to get one ticket to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics after entering the top 10 RTO (Race to Olympic) ranking as well as winning a silver medal in the men's 61 kg snatch, at the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand," wrote the Ministry of Youth and Sports on Instagram.

Qualifying for Paris makes Eko history as an Indonesian athlete with the most appearances at the Olympics. Paris will be Eko's fifth chance to pursue the Olympic gold medal he has dreamed of for a long time.

Eko has previously been at the Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In Beijing and London 2012, he brought home a bronze medal. Then, in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2020, he bagged a silver medal.

This result made Eko holds the title as an Indonesian athlete with the most medal collections at the Olympics, which was four copies. Following in the second position is the female weightlifter, Raema Lisa Rumbewas, who has three Olympic medals.

Although most successful, Eko Yuli's dream of winning an Olympic gold medal has not materialized. Therefore, Paris will be his last chance to realize this ambition.

Eko is the eighth Indonesian athlete to secure tickets for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Previously, there were already two archery athletes, two rock climbing athletes, one wave surf athlete, one artistic gymnastics athlete, and one shooting athlete.

The seven athletes are Arif Dwi Pangestu (panahan), Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi (rocket climbing), Rifda Irfanaluthfi (indonesian gymnast), Diananda Choriunisa (flood), Rahmad Adi Mulyono (long cliff), and Fathur Gustafian (shooting), and Rio Waida (smooth waves).