Zamboanga lifter wows ’em in world youth championships

MANILA, Philippines — Weightlifting continued to be a source of pride for Philippine sports as teenage sensation Rose Jean Ramos hauled a couple of gold medals and a silver in the 2021 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Youth World Championships in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Wednesday.

Just more than a month after senior lifter Hidilyn Diaz delivered the country’s first Olympic gold in the Tokyo Games, Ramos, 16, accomplished her own feat as she copped the precious mints in snatch and total with 67 and 147 kilograms, respectively, in the women’s 45kg division.

Ramos, a Zamboanga native like Diaz, took the silver in the clean and jerk with an 80kg.

Polish Oliwia Drzazga snared the silver in total with 143kg while Indonesian Najla Khoirunnisa the bronze with 142kg.

A day earlier, another Filipina in Jeaneth Hipolito copped a snatch bronze in the women’s 48kg class.

Hipolito had 52kgs. on her third attempt, finishing behind Turkey’s Ezgi Kilic (55) and Colombia’s Velez Estrada (53).

She finished fifth both in clean and jerk (62) and total (114).

Interestingly, Ramos is from the same village where Diaz hailed, and trains at the gym that the latter built – the Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Gym.

Ramos was beneficiary of a scholarship program named after Alsons Power and Diaz herself which was intended for talented young weightlifters from the city.

Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) president Monico Puentevella was brimming with pride when he broke the news.

“The future looks bright for Philippine weightlifting,” said Puentevella.

The weightlifting chief said Ramos and Hipolito are among the lifters that could follow the footsteps of Diaz.

Also being eyed to succeed and possibly replicate Diaz’s Olympic heroics are former world juniors champion and reigning Asian titlist Vanessa Sarno, Olympian Elreen Ando and Asian Championship bronze medal winner Kristel Macrohon.

And Puentevella is expecting more to follow.

“Hopefully we’ll have more Hidilyn Diaz,” he said.