Perez, Ando claim gold in Hidilyn Diaz weightlifting tiff

MANILA, Philippines – Asian Games campaigners Elreen Ann Ando and Ellen Rose Perez claimed gold medal in their events in the 2018 Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Open Championships last Sunday at the Meralco Fitness Center in Ortigas, Pasig.

The 19-year old Ando, one of four athletes in the Jakarta-Palembang meet next month, topped the women's 63-kg with a total lift of 200-kg. The native of Cebu edged Hong Kong’s Supawon Hui, who tallied 137, and local bet Sonia Pascual, who submitted 123.

Perez, on for her part, had a total lift of 155-kg that gave her the gold in the women's 53-kg. A native of Tagbilaran, Bohol, she won against Singapore’s Sheryl Wei Foo (146) and PEP’s Marie Justine Talamayan (115).

Other winners in the tournament backed by the MVP Sports Foundation and Meralco are Guam’s Jacinta Sumagaysay in the 58-kg, Zamboanga’s Mary Flor Diaz in the 48-kg and Margaret Colonia in the 79-kg, and Foo in the 75-kg in women’s category.

In men's, Cebu’s John Ceniza ruled the 56-kg, Singapore’s Lewis Chua in 105-kg, Guam’s Raymond Santos in 69-kg, Joseph Mangulabnan of Davao City in the 77-kg, John Kevin Padullo of UE in 94-kg and Benjie Payay of Hungduan in 62-kg.