Playing in heavier weight class, Macrohon delivers two bronzes

Kristel Macrohon finished with a bronze playing in a weight class that features a world record holder. —IWF SCREENGRAB

Kristel Macrohon, despite playing in a heavier weight category, picked up two bronze medals in the women’s 76-kilogram final of the IWF Asian Championships Thursday night in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The Southeast Asian Games 71kg champion missed the podium in snatch with a 99-kg output but made amends in the clean and jerk after lifting 126kgs in her final attempt for a 225kg total that netted a pair of bronzes.

“It was a good performance,” said Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella. “In her weight class, the field here is Olympic level.”

The 24-year-old Macrohon, also the 2020 World Cup bronze medalist in the 71kg, was entered in a heavier weight category and encountered the finest in that class with world record holder Zhang Wangli of China showing why she’s a cut above the rest.

Zhang was unreachable in the snatch (115kgs) and clean jerk (148kg), sweeping the three gold medals after a 263-kg total.

“[Zhang] is a sure gold in Tokyo,” added Punetevella.

It was a gallant stand by Macrohon, who competed in a heavier weight class as the SWP hopes to declog the 71kg weight class, which also features Vanessa Sarno, who won two golds recently.

Unless the IWF allows multiple representation in the same weight class, Puentevella would rather not have Macrohon and Sarno going head-to-head.

“It’s a welcome problem to have and we just have to find a way to make it work,” said Puentevella of the country’s prized talents in that division.

Kim Suhyeon of South Korea earned three silvers after carrying 106kgs in the snatch and 138kgs in the clean and jerk for a total of 244kgs.

Team Philippines now has two gold medals, six silvers and five bronzes in the continental meet with John Dexter Tabique expected to add more medals Friday night. INQ