Five lifters go for Asiad gold

MANILA, Philippines — In Asian Games weightlifting history, only Hidilyn Diaz has bagged a gold for the Philippines and she did it in the women’s 53kg division in 2018. The Philippines’ overall haul in the sport since it was introduced in the 1951 Asian Games lists one gold, five silvers and four bronzes.

Claiming silvers were Rodrigo del Rosario (60kg, 1951, 1954), Rodolfo Caparas (52kg, 1954), Pedro del Mundo (90kg, 1954) and Salvador del Rosario (52kg, 1970). Finishing third were Pedro Landero (56kg, 1951), Joaquin Vasquez (90kg, 1954), Alberto Nogar (56kg, 1958) and Elreen Ando (64kg, 2022).

This year, the five-strong Philippine weightlifting team intends to end the eight-year gold medal drought with the competition scheduled on Sept. 23-29. Samahang Weightlifting Ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella recently named Eleaphraime Limmong, 21 (60kg) and Ian de los Santos, 20 (70g) to the men’s lineup and Rosegie Ramos, 22 (53kg), Ando, 27 (61kg) and Kristel Macrohon, 29 (69kg) to represent the women.

De los Santos is fresh from sweeping three gold medals (snatch, clean-and-jerk, total) and setting new world records (clean-and-jerk, total) at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Last May, he won two golds at the World Junior Championships in Egypt. His late father and coach Alvin was a SEA Games gold medalist in 1995 and silver medalist in 1997.

In Tashkent, the Philippines clinched first place overall with a harvest of six gold, three silver and six bronze medals in the junior category and 10 gold, three silver and three bronze medals in the youth division. Aside from De los Santos, the other gold winners were Jhodie Peralta (three), Alexsandra Diaz (three), Jerick Castro (three), Althea Bacaro (two), Keil de los Santos (one) and Angeline Colonia (one).

“This is the future of Philippine weightlifting,” said Puentevella. “More lifters will represent us soon in the next and future Olympics. What we have now are world-class coaches. With more support, we should continue competing against the world’s best and produce more champions. As per the results, we can do it. We are thankful to the parents, our sponsors PSC, ICTSI, MVPSF, Ayala Land and the Sy Group of Companies. And most of all, to God be the glory.”