CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City’s John Febuar Ceniza established himself as the lightest Filipino weightlifter to establish a 300-kilogram lift during the 5-in-1 National Weightlifting Championships 2023 in Bacolod City over the weekend.
Ceniza, a resident of Barangay Pasil, weighed 60.9 kilograms during the event proper, as relayed by coach Christopher Bureros to The Freeman, under the men’s open 61-kilogram weight category.
The 25-year-old Ceniza of the University of Cebu cleared the 130-kilogram in the snatch, 170-kilogram in the clean and jerk and totaled 300 kilograms for a double gold via the men’s open and collegiate division and was adjudged as the Most Outstanding Lifter in the men’s division.
With this, Ceniza becomes the lightest Filipino lifter to post a total of 300 kilograms and the 13th Filipino to establish such a feat.
Ceniza previously had 128-169-297 kilograms record via the SEA Games in Cambodia last May.
With such an improvement, the Samahang Weightlifting sa Pilipinas(SWP) headed by its president Monico Puentevella and the national coaches are excited for Ceniza as he vies for an Olympic slot in 2024.
Currently, Ceniza is ranked 6th in his class in the IWF and has a good chance of making it to the Olympics, according to Bureros, a former national team member and now one of the national coaches.
Women’s Division
Meanwhile, Cebu’s top female weightlifter Elreen Ann Ando avoided early collision with the country’s first Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz as they competed in separate classes this time.
The 24 year-old Ando also ended with a double gold in the 64-kilogram category via the open and collegiate division representing the University of Cebu.
Ando posted 97 kilograms best in the snatch, 115 kilograms in the clean and jerk - and a total: of 212-kilograms.
Aside from Ando, three other UC bets also ended with a double gold with Fernanando Agad Jr. in the men’s 55 open and collegiate categories, Jun Dominic Bohol in the men’s 55 junior and secondary division and John Dexter Tabique in the men’s 96 open and collegiate.
Fellow Cebuanos Joefry Frasco Jr. bagged the silver behind Agad while Clark Cuico got the bronze behind Ceniza in the men’s 61 open.
Coach Bureros also disclosed that there were also some youngsters who were able to showcase their wares well.
Aliño Weightlifting Club of Cebu’s Hannah Shene Cabalida took away the gold in the girls’ 30-kilogram youth division while teammate Althea Bacaro ruled the youth 35-kilogram class.
Rhianne Cabalida also copped the gold in the youth 64-kilogram category while Kicely Hermoso and Jeamae Palagtiw both ended with silver in the youth 49-kilogram and 55-kilogram class respectively.
Alberto Bacaro Jr. of the Pacquiao Weightlifting Club, Cebu also handed a silver via the youth 49- kilogram class.
UC also got the overall champion’s trophy of the men’s collegiate while Cebu City got the overall runner up finish in the open. Cebu-based Aliño Weightlifting Club also ended runner up in the youth division. — (FREEMAN)