Lifter, boxer jack up Team Philippines medal haul

MANAMA – Lifter Jhodie Peralta took a silver and a bronze while pug Leo Mhar Lobrido pocketed a bronze as the Philippines fought on in the 3rd Asian Youth Games at the Exhibition World Bahrain here yesterday.

Peralta came a breath away from snaring two golds but fell short in the end and consoled herself with a silver in snatch (87kg) and a bronze in clean and jerk (100kg) in the girls’ 53 kg class.

Top honors went to North Korean Pak Hae Yon, who had an 88kg in snatch and 107kg in clean and jerk.

“She (Pak) beat me by only one kilogram,” said Peralta, a triple gold winner in the World Championships in Lima, Peru last May.

Meanwhile, Lobrido succumbed to the taller, longer Abdugani Yorkinjonov of Uzbekistan via unanimous decision in their boys’ 46kg bout and settled for bronze.

“I was able to hit him even though I’m smaller, but the judges saw it differently,” said the Philippine flag-bearer.

In all, the Philippines, which was once at fifth in the medal tally, improved with a haul of six golds, seven silvers and eight bronzes, which was good for ninth.