Judo, weightlifting assured of Olympic slots

MANILA, Philippines - Two more Filipino hopefuls, one each in judo and weightlifting, have been virtually assured of slots in this year’s London Olympic Games.

Weightlifting association president and Philippine Olympic Committee chair Monico Puentevella yesterday announced that youthful lifter Heidilyn Diaz, by virtue of her seventh world ranking, earned for her a second straight Olympic stint, provided she retained her position following the last of the qualifying tournament she is scheduled to compete this April in Korea.

National men’s  head coach Rolan Llamas and his women’s counterpart, Lori Mendoza, likewise, assured that at least either Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Nancy Quillotes and Fil-Japanese Tomashiko Hoshina,  or both, can also make the London trip, again, depending on the results of three competitions they will see action to.

“Heidi is currently ranked seventh in the world in the 58-kilogram division and only needs to perform creditably in the last qualifying round this coming April 23-30 in Pyeongtack City in Korea,” Puentevella said during yesterday’s SCOOP Sa Kamayan weekly session at Kamayan Restaurant-Padre Faura.

“Heidi, as you all know made it in Beijing four years ago as a wild card entry, but in London she will make it through her own merit and performance,” Puentevella added.    

“The important thing is she is not out of the Top 10 and she’s in, because of the International Weightlifting Federation rule that only the top 10 with world standing in each weight division can qualify to the London games,” the former Congressman from Bacolod City told his audience in the forum, sponsored by Coca-Cola Export, FILA and UNTV.

Besides Diaz, only 20, Nestor Colonia, who is competing in the 56-kilogram level, also has a chance to earn a ticket to London, being ranked 13th in the men’s division. “If he performs well in Korea and improves his standing to make it in the top 10, then we will have two Olympians in weightlifting.”

Llamas said the Judo Union of Asia has assured judo president Dave Carter of at least one slot for the country. Either Quillotes or Toshina can avail themselves of the slot on condition that both participate in the last qualifying tournament, the Asian Championships, set in April in Uzbekistan.

“The Asian federation has already assured the Philippines of at least one qualifier and because of Nancy’s gold medal finish in the last SEA Games, in all probability, she’s it,” Llamas stressed.

“But if Nancy fails, depending on her performance in April or in the other point-giving tournaments, Hoshina will be in,” Mendoza said. “In fact, if we’re lucky, we can have two.”

Mendoza said Quillotes is eighth in the Asian women’s standing, while Hoshina is 17th in the men’s ranking.