Powerlifters haul seven golds in Iran

MANILA, Philippines -  The Philippine junior powerlifting team came away with seven golds, two silvers and three bronzes and set four Asian junior records, three Philippine Open records and 12 Philippine junior marks in a sterling campaign in the 2013 Asian Powerlifting Championships in Ahwaz, Iran recently.

The Junior category is for lifters 23-years-old-and-below. In addition, all five lifters combined to win the third place trophy in the Junior team category, edging Oman by just one team point.

Regie Ramirez, 20, captured four gold medals in the 53kg class with lifts of 440 pounds in the Squat event, 248 pounds in the Bench Press event, 579 pounds in the Deadlift event, and 1,168 pound in the Total – all Philippine and Asian Junior records.

Raymond Debuque, 19, hoisted 440 pounds in the Bench Press (Philippine Junior and Open record), 545 pounds in the deadlift (Philippine junior record), and 1,515 in the Total in the 120kg class to win three gold medals. He also bucked a knee injury and lifted 529 pounds to clinch the silver in the Squat.

Clark Cruz, the youngest lifter at 18, won a silver medal with a Philippine Open record lift of 540 pounds in the Deadlift in the 83kg class. He also picked up three bronze medals with his 518 pound Squat, 308 pound Bench Press (new Philippine Junior record), and 1,366 in the Total (Philippine Open and Junior record).

Brandon Cueto, 21, set four new Philippine junior records in the 105kg class with a 496 pound Squat, 314 pound Bench Press, 485 pound Deadlift, and 1,295 pound Total.

Aldrin Caparas, also 19, lifted 380 pounds in the Bench Press in the 93kg class but was red-flagged on a technicality and settled for fourth in the event which drew 132 participants from Iraq, UAE, Chinese-Taipei, Tajikistan, Japan, Oman, Mongolia, Pakistan, Indonesia and the Philippines.