ORMOC CITY, Philippines – A 21-year-old powerlifter from this city placed 2nd overall in the World Powerlifing Championship held at Orashaza, Hungary from September 3 to 6.
Regie Ramirez, a freshman education student of the Eastern Visayas State University-Ormoc Campus, was one of two Filipinos sent by the Philippine Sports Commission to the international tournament participated in by athletes from 26 countries.
The other Filipino athlete was 16-year-old Clarish Octavio, from Quezon City, who placed 3rd overall.
Only Ramirez and Octavio qualified to represent the Philippines in the World Powerlifting Championship organized by the International Powerlifting Federation.
Ramirez told The Freeman he won a silver medal each in squat and deadlift, and a bronze medal for bench press in the Juniors category for lifters aged 18-23. This made him 2nd best in the world.
Ramirez also represented the country in three World Powerlifting Championships before Hungary. In 2011, he came home from Canada with a silver medal; in 2012, he got silver and gold medals from Poland; and last year he won a gold medal to place 3rd overall in the world.
The Ormocanon's feat in Hungary was an addition to his long list of victories, both local and international competitions. His first win was in 2010 when he was named champion in the Visayas Powerlifting Championship.
Ramirez then brought home a gold medal when he competed in the Asian Bench Press Championship and, for four consecutive years, he was undefeated in the same competition, overpowering all other Asian countries.
Ramirez won four more golds in the Asian Powerlifting Championships, first in Japan in 2012 and then in India last year where he set an Asian record. His recent win was the one hosted by the Philippines, held in Makati last August.
The young Ormocanon said he never thought of becoming a powerlifter. He used to be a ballet dancer but since male ballet dancers were required to lift their partners, he needed to be trained in lifting.
That's when his strength and potential in lifting was discovered by his uncle Tony Koykka, a former 6-time World Powerlifting champion himself. Since then, Ramirez left ballet dancing and focused on weightlifting.
Ramirez said his road to success were "good training, good rest, and a good coach." His message to all athletes is to avoid the use of performance-enhancing drugs and go with the "slowly but surely" way of accomplishing endeavors.
"If you want to achieve something, set goals; and then do your best," he said. After all, "sports is not all about winning all the time, it's about beating your old self."