John Ceniza boosts Tokyo hopes with bronze in Weightlifting World Cup
FILE – Philippines’ John Fabuar Ceniza celebrates his silver medal finish in the men’s 55 kg weightlifing at the 30th SEA Games 2019. INQUIRER PHOTO/ Sherwin Vardeleon
MANILA, Philippines–John Fabuar Ceniza seized a bronze medal in the 2020 Weightlifting World Cup on Tuesday in Rome, Italy, boosting his chances for a spot in this year’s Tokyo Olympics.
The Cebuano rallied to finish on the medal podium after lifting 152 kilograms on his final attempt in the clean and jerk to compensate for a 117kg effort in the snatch.
The combined output in both events gave the 22-year-old Ceniza a total lift of 269, a performance good enough for third place in the men’s 61kg category behind champion Tuan Kim Thach of Vietnam and silver medalist Shota Mishvelidze of Georgia.
Thach carried 293 kgs after posting 161 in the clean and jerk and 132 in the snatch to defeat eight other contenders while Mishvelidze compiled 286 (155 in clean and jerk and 131 in the snatch).
Ceniza, who collared a silver medal in the recent 30th Southeast Asian Games, positioned himself for a possible Olympic berth along with fellow Filipino lifters Nestor Colonia and Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz.
