PH lifters win 3 silvers, 4 bronzes in Uzbekistan

“We’re happy that we were able to bring honor to the country,” said 18-year-old Perez in an interview upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Thursday. (PNA photo)

MANILA — The Philippines has won three silvers and four bronzes in the 25th Asian Junior Women and 32nd Asian Junior Men Weightlifting Championships held at the Yoshlik Sports Complex in Urgench, Uzbekistan.

Elreen Ann Ando of Cebu, a protege of many-time champion Ramon Solis, bagged two silvers and a bronze in the Junior 63kgs category,

Ma. Dessa delos Santos of Zamboanga, the daughter of SEA Games multi-medalist Alvin delos Santos, captured one silver and two bronzes in the Junior 58kgs, category.

Elien Rose Perez of Bohol, who is training under former national athlete and current national coach Samuel Alegada, got a bronze in the Junior 53kgs category.

“We’re happy that we were able to bring honor to the country,” said 18-year-old Perez in an interview upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Thursday.

“We trained hard for the competition but our opponents are very strong,” added Perez, a third year criminology student from University of Bohol.

The other members of the team are Maryflor Diaz (48kgs) and Februar Ceniza (56kgs), who competed in the Junior division, and Rosegie Ramos (44kgs), Jeanette Hipolito (53kgs) and John Paolo Rivera Jr. (56kgs), who were entered in the 20th Asian Youth Championships, which served as qualification event for the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

The eight athletes were accompanied by Alegada and coach Allan Diaz.

Ando, Delos Santos and Perez are all gold medalists in the Private Schools Athletic Association of the Philippines (PRISAA) which was held in Iba, Zambales last year.

Delos Santos won three silver medals in the 2016 Asian Junior and Youth Championships in Japan while Perez joined the Summer Universiade last year in Chinese Taipei.

Perez has competed in the Asian Junior Championships (Uzbekistan) Asian Youth and Junior Championships (Japan) in 2016, and the Asian Youth Championships (qualifying tournament for the Nanjing Youth Olympics) in China in 2014.