Sky's the limit for 16-year-old lifter

MANILA, Philippines - Patricia Llena, a 16-year-old incoming nursing freshman, will compete in the 63 kilogram class of weightlifting at the first Youth Olympics in Singapore this August but her sights are set in representing the country at the 2012 London Olympics.

For the teenager from San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, the sky’s the limit as she is proficient in both weightlifting and powerlifting. Weightlifting, consisting of the snatch and clean-and-jerk, is an Olympic sport while powerlifting, made up of the squat, deadlift and benchpress, isn’t.

Last April, Llena brought home three bronze medals in the snatch, clean-and-jerk and total lift at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to earn the ticket to Singapore. A few weeks later, she wiped out three Asian sub-junior records in the squat, deadlift and total lift then topped the benchpress to bag four gold medals in claiming the women’s sub-junior Best Lifter trophy at the Asian Powerlifting Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Llena started to make waves in power sports last year, capturing three gold medals in the squat, deadlift and total lift at the World Sub-Junior and Junior Powerlifting Championships in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and placing 10th in total lift at the World Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Now, she’s ready to take the world by storm. Because powerlifting isn’t in the Southeast Asian and Asian Games calendars, Llena will pursue her dream of capturing an Olympic gold in weightlifting. But that doesn’t mean she’s giving up on powerlifting where the wunderkind is the reigning world sub-junior and junior champion in the 63 kilogram category. Llena beat Kendra Miller of the US and Yana Talybova of Russia for the world crown, putting the Philippines in the global map in powerlifting.

Llena, the oldest of four children, recently graduated with honors at the Montessori School in San Antonio and will begin her pre-med course at Wesleyan University in Cabanatuan City this schoolyear. She plans to advance to medicine proper and become a pediatrician.

At the moment, Llena is busy training for the Youth Olympics where she is scheduled to compete at the Tao Payoh Sports Hall in Singapore on Aug. 17. Her makeshift gym is in the family garage where she works out with sister Leah, 14, and brothers Martin, 12 and Mark, 6. Llena’s father Leonard, a Baptist pastor and former national lifter, supervises their training.

“During the schoolyear, Patricia trains from 5:30 to 6:15 every morning and 5 to 6:30 in the evening after class on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 5 to 7 at night on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays,” said her father. “I personally coach Patricia in her weightlifting and powerlifting training.” He introduced his daughter to weights when she was only four. Llena, a brown belter in judo and karate, began competing in weightlifting at 11.

Llena’s father accompanies her wherever she competes. He joined the Philippine delegation of Lily Pecante, Anita Koykka, Eddie Torres, Leslie Evangelista, Tony Taguibao, Betsy Bordeos and his daughter at the recent Asian Powerlifting Championships in Mongolia where the team collected 17 gold medals, 14 silvers and a bronze en route to breaking a world record and six Asian marks.

Torres, the Powerlifting Association of the Philippines (PAP) president, said although not in the Olympic calendar, the sport may be included in the Southeast Asian Games at the discretion of the host country. Next year, host Indonesia has set 44 disciplines, including wall climbing and roller skating, but powerlifting isn’t in the list.

“For the Asian Games, it’s hard to tell at this time if ever powerlifting will be included,” said Torres. “There are several Asian powerlifting countries and even more in the Asian Games version of the Paralympics. Holding it in the SEA Games will help bring it to the Asian Games.”

Torres said the PAP stages competitions for novices, differently-abled, special athletes and lower-level lifters in age group, regional and interschool meets in addition to the National Open.

“This is PAP’s way of reaching out to all kinds of lifters and it has helped discover new talent,” said Torres. “The PAP is always ready to help out even small groups in organizing private competitions and seminars. Veterans have also pitched in to help develop more powerlifters.”

Torres said age isn’t a factor in powerlifting, pointing to seniors Pecante, 45, Koykka, 50, and Taguibao, 51, among the country’s top competitors. Torres himself is 44.

“Longevity plays a key role as lifters who stay healthy compete in the sport for a long time,” said Torres. “This is why majority of those who qualify for the national team are over 40 and still making the best lifts of their lives. Try to imagine what Patricia will lift 30 years from now.”

The PAP will hold the National Open in July and host the Asian Benchpress Championships at Robinson’s Otis on Aug. 13-15.