TOKYO Olympian Erleen Ann Ando, Asian champion Vanessa Sarno and eight other promising athletes will carry the country’s colors in the absence of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz in the International Weightlifting Federation World Championships set from December 7 to 17 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Ando, who turned only 23 last November 1, will be competing in the women’s 59-kg category, down from the 64-kg class where she vied in the Tokyo Olympics.
Sarno won gold as a 17-year-old at the Asian championships also in Tashkent in April. She will vie in the same -71 kgs class in the worlds.
Diaz, who broke the country’s Olympic gold medal spell in Tokyo last July, opted to skip the world championships for her lack of preparation. She and head trainer and conditioning Coach Julius Naranjo flew to Malacca, Malaysia, to resume training but decided weeks of preparations aren’t enough for her to be in top shape for Tashkent.
“Whatever she [Diaz] decides, I’ll always go for it and respect her decision,” Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas President Monico Puentevella said. “She has nothing to prove anymore, she won Olympic silver and gold. So if she competes or not, it’s the same—I respect her and all I want for her is to enjoy life after weightlifting.”
Diaz wanted to win the world championships gold medal, the only piece of gem missing from her collection of Olympic, Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games titles.
Joining Ando and Sarno in Tashkent are Diaz’s cousin, Asian championships silver medalist Mary Flor Diaz (-45 kgs), Ellen Rose Perez (-49 kgs), 2019 SEA gold medalist Kristel Macrohon (-76 kgs), Margaret Colonia (-64 kgs), Fernando Agadin (-55 kgs), John Febuar Ceniza (-61 kgs), Dave Lloyd Pacaldo (-67 kgs) and John Dexter Tabique (- 96 kgs).
They will be coached by Christopher Bureros, Richard Augusto and Roberto Colonia.