THE country’s weightlifting program is on track toward producing another Olympic medalist like Hidilyn Diaz.
This was declared by Philippine Weightlifting Association President Monico Puentebella, who hailed the country’s junior lifters aged 14 to 17 who hauled 12 medals in the recent Indonesian Weightlifting Championships.
“They are ready by 2020 [Tokyo Olympics], and they can win medals in the 2024 Paris edition,” Puentebella told the Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission Media Sports Chat on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
Bohol’s Vanessa Sarno, the youngest at 14, clinched three gold medals in the snatch, clean and jerk and total lift in the 69-kg category in the Indonesian tournament.
Three athletes from Zamboanga also brought home medals, highlighted by the gold medal of Rosegie Ramos, 15, in snatch of the 48-kg division and two silvers in clean and jerk and total lift.
Jane Linete Hipolito, 17, took home three silvers in the women’s 58 kgs, while John Paolo Rivera Jr., 17, collected three bronzes in the men’s division.
Puentebella said the association if focused on producing more lifters in the mold of Diaz, who clinched a silver medal in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
“I’m hoping that our first gold medal will come in weightlifting,” he said. “We already got silver, I think it’s time for the gold.”
Diaz, fellow Rio Olympian Neston Colonia and Dessa de los Santos are competing in the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia.