8th Dewfoam Southern Philippines Championship: Five meet records tumble

Records fell to highlight the first day of competition in the 8th Dewfoam Southern Philippines Powerlifting Championships at Robinson's Place-Cebu yesterday.

A total of five new marks were established yesterday with four in the men's division.

Ormoc Powerlifting Association (OCPA) bet Ronald Roca lead the cast of record-breakers as he set a national master's record in the men's open 52 kgs class.

Roca shattered the three year-old record of the bench press, which stood at 87.5kgs by former national team member Tony Taguibo, lifting 95kgs.

Roca tallied 355kgs coming from 140kgs in the squat, 95 in the bench press and 120 in deadlift to win the gold.

In the 60kgs class, another OCPA lifter Aldrin Taneo posted Southern Philippine records in bench press from 100 to 105kgs and deadlift from 190 to 190.5kgs.

Taneo had 160 in the squat to get a total of 455kgs, enough to defeat Josebert Sayabao and Kristine Gym's Steve Alinabon, who ended with the silver and bronze.

Neil Bryan Dawal also grabbed part of the limelight with a Philippine novice record in the 60kgs class after posting 170.5kgs. The previous mark was 170kgs established by Rhodor Salva in 1997.

On the other hand, Ela Armi Malazarte lifted a total of 265kgs, which is 15 kilos better than her own Southern Philippines record.

Malazarte, who is under the women's open class' 48kgs class had 100kgs in the squat, 55kgs in the bench press and 110kgs in deadlift to come up with a the total of 265kgs.

Far behind Malazarte in her class was Hardcore Gym's Jessica Jagna who had 147.5kgs total effort.

In the women's novice, it was also a battle between OCPA and Hardcore Gym with OCPA's Marlyn Rica winning the gold with a total of 175kgs lift as Jagna only got 147.5kgs.