The Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) has the talent to see it through to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles as a couple of 16-year-old boys on Saturday swept the gold medals in the 49-kilogram (kg) category of the Asian Weightlifting Youth and Junior Championships in New Delhi, India.
Prince Keil Delos Santos and Eron Borres, who four months ago also outshone everybody else in the International Weightlifting Federation World Youth Championships in Durres, Albania, delivered for the Philippine contingent like Alexsandra Ann Diaz, who picked up a gold medal and a pair of silvers in the women’s 40kg division.
“Four golds, four silvers on the first day in two events. What more can I ask for? Hard work really pays off,’’ said SWP president Monico Puentevella. “These boys are ready by the time the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics comes.”
Delos Santos’ double-gold output came in the snatch (94kgs) and total (210kgs) after claiming the silver in the clean and jerk with a 116-kg effort.
Borres seized the gold medal in the clean and jerk at 119-kg and wound up with a silver in the total at 210. He placed third in the snatch with a 91.
The only real threat that Delos Santos and Borres faced came from Vietnam’s Dao Minh Bui, who got a silver in the snatch (93kg) and two bronzes in the clean and jerk (116kg) and total (209kg).
The 15-year-old Diaz, a niece of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, ruled the snatch (57kg) that went with two silvers in the clean and jerk (66kg) and total (123kg).
Vietnam’s Phuong Linh Nguyen topped their weight class with golden efforts in the clean and jerk (68kg) and total (124kg) plus a silver in the snatch (56kg).