Lifters upbeat on Rio slots

MANILA, Philippines - National weightlifting coach Dondon Aldanete said the other day he’s optimistic that the country will be represented by two lifters at the Rio Olympics with Hidilyn Diaz virtually assured of a ticket and Nestor Colonia expected to book it at the Asian qualifier in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on April 25-30.

Diaz, 24, is in line to compete in her third Olympics after stints in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. Dropping down from the 58 kilogram division to 53, she bagged three gold medals at the Asian Championships in Phuket and three bronze medals at the World Championships in Houston last year. POC first vice president and Philippine delegation chef de mission Joey Romasanta said he is awaiting final confirmation of her participation which has been recommended by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).

Cutting back like Diaz, Colonia slid from the 62 kilogram division to 56 in capturing two golds and a silver at the Asian Championships and a bronze in the clean and jerk at the World Championships last year. While Colonia’s ticket to Rio is still up in the air, Aldanete said a repeat of his Phuket showing in Samarkand should clinch it.

Aldanete, who took over from Tony Agustin as national coach, said weightlifting can provide a harvest of medals for the Philippines at the Olympic stage with the Thai and Indonesian experience as basis. Since the 2000 Sydney Games, Indonesia has claimed eight weightlifting Olympic medals, two silvers and two bronzes from women, a silver and three bronzes from men. Thailand’s haul consisted of two golds, a silver and three bronzes from women.

From weightlifting alone, Indonesia has taken eight Olympic medals of its total collection of 27 since 1952. Thailand has brought in 24 Olympic medals, seven from weightlifting, including three golds, since 1952. The Philippines has compiled only nine Olympic medals, five from boxing and none from weightlifting, since 1924.

“If Thailand and Indonesia can win Olympic medals in weightlifting, so can we,” said Aldanete, a 2005 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games silver medalist in the 94 kilogram division. “There was no weightlifting at the last SEA Games in Myanmar so the SEA Weightlifting Federation held its own competition last year with Hidilyn taking a gold and Nestor a bronze. With our recent showing in the Asian and World Championships, our SEA neighbors are envious of us. I think the support of the POC and PSC is critical for our program to succeed. We’re getting new Olympic-standard equipment through the PSC. Everything depends on the program which has to be continuous. We were set back by Hidilyn’s left knee injury which made her miss the Asian Games in 2014. She battled tendonitis, underwent therapy and couldn’t qualify for the Asian Games. But now, both Hidilyn and Nestor are on track.”

Aldanete, 42, said the country’s weightlifting hotbed is Zamboanga City where Diaz, Colonia and he are from. “It started with Mrs. Clara Lobregat who provided scholarships for young weightlifters,” he said. “Then her son Celso continued it and now, it’s Mayor Beng Climaco supporting the program. Our pool consists of about 25 lifters, mostly men, with Hidilyn and Nestor our only elite athletes. We’re training a lot of juniors and we can get more lifters if the budget will allow it. Our coaching staff is made up of Ramon Solis, Samuel Alegada and Gregorio Colonia. Roger Dollano is our new NSA president with Elbert Atilano our vice president.”

Diaz said a key to upgrading the weightlifting program is to provide regular competitions. “Marketing is important because we need sponsors to organize tournaments,” she said. “Holding national competitions once a year isn’t enough. There is little exposure for our young athletes.”

Colonia left his wife Kathlene Legazpi and their two children Elarie Pauline, 4, and John Ember, 2, in Zamboanga City to focus on his training in Manila last January. “It’s a big sacrifice to leave your family,” said Colonia who began weightlifting when he was 9 in the gym near his home. “If I make it to Rio, I won’t be able to see my wife and children until I come back in August. I haven’t been back home since the New Year holidays.”

At the recent World Championships, Colonia claimed the bronze in the clean and jerk with a lift of 158 kilograms to beat 2013 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Thach Kim Tuan of Vietnam. “I’m working on lifting five more kilos,” said Colonia, the oldest of six. “I think I’ll be able to do it in Uzbekistan. I know I have to be focused and determined. With the help of the POC through its nutrition program, I’ve been able to reduce my weight and now, I’m walking around at 59 kilos so it won’t be a problem making the weight limit of 56.”

Colonia finished up to first year of college at the Western Mindanao State University to concentrate on weightlifting. At the moment, he’s not sure when to re-enroll. It will depend on how he does in the Olympic qualifier.

There are 260 slots for weightlifting in Rio. So far, 178 tickets have been allocated with Thailand taking 9, Indonesia 7 and Vietnam 3. Each country has a limit of 10 entries, six men and four women. The tripartite commission made up of the IWF, Association of National Olympic Committees and the IOC will award 10 “wildcard” slots to six men and four women.