The Philippines collected five more gold medals last week, coming from Zamboanga City’s pride Jhodie Peralta and Albert Ian delos Santos to end a successful campaign at the International Weightlifting Federation Youth and Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru.
“For the last five consecutive Olympics, Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) always qualified and garnered the first Olympic gold for this country. In three years time, a new group will try to grab a medal again in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Winning these 10 golds in this world competition, which includes powerhouse China, simply means we’re on the right track again. Thanks to these new young heroes led by Ian de los Santos, and the support by the Philippine Sports Commission, MVP, SM Group, Ayala Land, ICTSI, the parents, our Board, and coaches, and by God’s grace,” said SWP president Monico Puentevella.
It was an impressive performance for the Philippine delegation with medal harvest from its rising stars.
Peralta grabbed three golds in the Youth women’s 55kg category while Delos Santos, who placed fourth in snatch, performed well at the clean and jerk, and total in the Junior men’s 67kg category.
Another Zamboanga City native Jay-R Colonia and Alexsandra Ann Diaz, and Cebu City’s Althea Bacaro produced five gold medals last Thursday.
The rising star Colonia won two gold medals (clean and jerk, and total) and a silver (snatch) in the Youth men’s 49kg category in his inaugural international tournament.
Diaz on the other hand, bagged the Youth women’s 45kg snatch and total, and placed third in the clean and jerk segment.
Meanwhile, Quee City’s Bacaro, 13, ruled the snatch in the Youth women’s 40kg category. She got the silver medal in total and the bronze in the clean and jerk.
Zamboangueña Angeline Colonia got the silver (snatch) and the bronze (total) medals in the Junior women’s 45kgs. She placed fourth in the clean and jerk.
Another weightlifting protege in Prince Keil Delos Santos of Angono, Rizal ranked fourth in snatch and total, and was sixth in the clean and jerk in the Junior men’s 55kg category.
However, Rosalinda Faustino, also from Zamboanga City, was disqualified in the Junior women’s 49kg category for failing to meet the required body weight.
The Youth division is for athletes aged 13 to 17, while the Junior division is for competitors aged 15 to 20.
The athletes were accompanied by coaches Antonio Agustin, Gregorio Colonia, and Diwa Delos Santos (Zamboanga City), and Christopher Bureros (Cebu City).
