PAP to compete in 2017 World Classic

THE Powerlifting Association of the Philippines (PAP) will be sending a strong five- player delegation to the prestigious 2017 World Classic Powerlifting Championships slated on June 15 to 25 in Belarus.

Asian Powerlifting Championship gold medalist and former world record holder Joan Masangkay banners the squad in the tournament which is expected to draw more than 300 lifters from 40 countries.

Masangkay, a Tony Siddayao awardee in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards, is fresh from winning four gold medals in the 2017 Asian Powerlifting Championship held at the Gor Gymnasium Jalak Harupat in Soreang Bandung in Indonesia.

Masangkay topped the women’s 43kg. sub-junior squat (100 kgs.), bench press (47.5 kgs.), deadlift (110 kgs.) and total (257 kgs.)

She is currently No. 3 in the World Powerlifting Federation ranking.

But Masangkay will have her hands full in the world meet as she compete against the world’s best junior lifters including world No. 1 Natalia Gorbacheva and Volha Yermalitskaya of Russia who owns the world record in squat ( 80 kgs), bench press ( 50 kgs) and deadlift ( 115 kgs.).

Joining Masangkay in Belarus are Cyber Muscle gym standout Jessa Mae Tabuan and Veronica Ompod, who will also be seeing action in the women’s 43 kg. sub- junior division, Jeremy Reign Bautista of Zest Power gym who will play in the 57 kg. subjunior division and 2017 Open Asian Powerlifting Champion Leslie Evangelista, a participant in the women’s 47 kg. division.

Despite the presence of powerhouse teams in the tournament, PAP President Eddie Torres remains confident of his ward’s chances in the world meet.

“These athletes are no pushovers. They’re raring to win gold medals for our country. They trained hard for this competition and we’re optimistic that we’ll be able to win medals,” said Torres.