Zamboanga lifters dominate in Vigan
VIGAN City, Ilocos Sur—olympic and world champion Hidilyn Diaz-naranjo hovered in the hearts and minds of a bunch of weightlifters from Zamboanga City and a young rider from Caloocan City showed a strong semblance of following her elder siblings’ tracks in the Batang Pinoy National Championships on Sunday.
Adrian Bucol and Cydrelle Jay Andalahao sparked Zamboanga City’s gold medal rush in weightlifting at the Caoayan Gym while Maritanya Krog, youngest sister of national cyclists Luis “Nognog” and Mathilda, led winners in criterium in a circuit starting and finishing at the Ilocos Sur Provincial Capitol.
Bucol topped the snatch with 31 kgs, clean and jerk with 45 kgs for a 76-kg total to bag gold in the boys’ 12-under 32-kg category, with John Ember Colonia of Zamboanga del Sur clinching silver with 28 kgs in snatch, 38 kgs in clean and jerk and 66 kgs total.
Tristan Aranzado of Bohol settled for bronze with 21 kgs in snatch, 33 kgs in clean and jerk and 54 kgs total lift.
Andalahao, 10, claimed the gold in the boys’ 37-kg 12-under class with 32 kgs in snatch, 43 kgs in clean and jerk and 75 kgs total. Jacobo Amor of Quezon City bagged silver (26-35-61) and Lorven Karaan clinched bronze (24-23-47).
“I came here to win the gold, I’m stronger than anybody and I want to win always,” the 11-year-old Bucol—one of 19 Zamboanga City weightlifters under trainers-coaches Allen Diaz, Gregorio Colonia and Arvin Delos Santos—told BUSINESSMIRROR. “I really like to follow the footsteps of Hidilyn Diaz,” said Andalahao, who looks up to the Olympic and world champion from Barangay Mampang in Zamboanga City. “I want to be an Olympian, too.”
Sharing the spotlight was Krog, who captured the 13-under gold in girls’ criterium with Iloilo’s Maria Louise Alejado finishing second and Calapan’s Jhanah Abella third in the event raced over a 1.20-km circuit.
Emmanuel Arago of Batangas City, Jacqueline Joy de Guzman of Quezon City and Chris Andreu Ferrer of Cebu City also struck gold in criterium—arago in boys 13-under, de Guzman in girls 14-15 and Ferrer in boys’ 14-15.
Dashiel John Carmona of General Santos City and DJ Perez finished second behind Arago; Davine Novo of Tuguegarao and Mica Angela Montaos joined de Guzman in the podium.
Brendz Agyn Celerian of Iloilo City clinched silver and Mark Dave Pipo bagged the bronze for host Ilocos Sur in the boys’ 14-15.