New names considered in SWP pool

A couple of unexpected results in the recent Smart-Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) National Open Championships have made the leadership of the association rethink the composition of the national pool being readied for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

With reigning Games champion Hidilyn Diaz and Asian titleholder Vanessa Sarno ruling their divisions with ease, losses taken by Asian junior champ Rosegie Ramos and John Ceniza have SWP president Monico Puentevella saying that “we’ll have to assess the national pool lineup again.’’

“Our Open was meant to discover new lifters, and it bore fruit for some who upset the current national pool members,’’ said Puentevella. “Rosegie lost, although she said she had a fever, while Rowel Garcia also lost to John Ceniza, so we’ll have to assess the national pool lineup again.’’

Lovely Vidal Inan upset Ramos in the women’s 49-kilogram category while Cebu’s Ceniza, a silver medalist in the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, yanked the rug from under Vietnam SEA Games entry Garcia in the men’s 55-kg class.

Diay immortalized

The coming World Championship in Colombia will open that door of opportunity for them to gain ranking points as well as the succeeding meets under the International Weightlifting Federation calendar, the 2023 and 2024 Asian championships plus the 2023 worlds, among them.

Aside from Diaz and the 18-year-old Sarno, who topped the women’s 55kg and 71kg with relative ease, Tokyo Olympian Elreen Ann Ando likewise dominated her turf in the women’s 64kg.

Meanwhile, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino recently promised the family of the late, great Lydia de Vega that his agency will keep the memories of the track star alive with her exploits the first to be displayed at the soon-to-rise POC museum at New Clark City in Tarlac.

“Lydia’s legacy will forever be remembered. So we, the POC, are planning to put all her achievements on a wall inside the Olympic museum,’’ said Tolentino when he visited De Vega’s wake at the Heritage Park in Taguig City on Saturday. INQ