Sarno happy and humbled to be likened to idol Hidilyn

CEBU, Philippines —  With her remarkable performance in the past three years, young but promising Boholana lifter Vanessa Sarno has earned a lofty billing as the next big thing in Philippine weightlifting.

From a nondescript athlete, Sarno first shot to fame when she produced three of the country’s 12 gold medals at the 2018 Indonesia Weightlifting Championships in Bali.

A year later, she minted two gilts and a silver at the 2019 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Pyongyang, North Korea.

And at the height of the pandemic last year, Sarno managed to catch the headlines and make the country proud with her golden treble in the virtual 2020 International Weightlifting Federation Online Youth World Cup hosted by Peru.

Now vastly improved at 17 and loaded with a wealth of experience, the Tagbilaran City-native Sarno showed great potential to follow in the footsteps of her idol, 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz.

More than an iconic figure, Sarno revealed that the Zamboanga-native Diaz has a great influence in her career.

Walking down memory lane, Diaz first took notice of Sarno back in 2015 when the aspiring Boholana lifter, then only 12 years old setting foot in Manila for the first time to pursue her athletic dreams, would walk around and train barefooted.

Touched by the sight of the young dreamer, Diaz gave Sarno a pair of shoes and some training equipment.

Unknown to Diaz, who ended Phl’s 20-year Olympic medal drought five years ago in Brazil, her kind gesture has left an indelible mark in the heart and mind of Sarno, who used it as a driving force towards reaching greater heights.

“Si ate Hidilyn po dati yung nagbigay sa akin ng lifting shoes at iba pa pong pang-weightlifting na gamit  kasi wala talaga akong mga gamit nun at naka-tsinelas lang ako nag-training. Minsan naka paa lang po ako kasi madulas yung tsinelas,” Sarno recalled with pride.

Sarno, a Grade 10 student of BIT International College (formerly Bohol Insitute of Technology) in Tagbilaran, straightforwardly admitted that the thought of being considered as an heir apparent to Diaz’s throne is so overwhelming.

It means a lot to her.

“Masaya po ako na ganun ang sinasabi nila sa akin kasi isa po si ate Hidilyn Diaz sa mga idol ko sa weightlifting at lalong-lalo na po yung techniques niya sa pagbubuhat,” Sarno furthered.

With that guiding light, Sarno hopes to duplicate the feat of Diaz someday.

“As a weightlifter, yung ultimate goal ko po is maging Olympian balang araw,” said Sarno.

With her talent, dedication and perseverance, it seems that things look bright for Sarno ahead.