Elreen Ando competes in the Tokyo Olympics. | file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) will hold the qualifiers for the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) on March 8, 2022 at their headquarters at the back of Cebu Coliseum here.
This was revealed by Olympian weightlifting coach Ramon Solis, who also said that the qualifying tournament will be participated by weightlifters from Bohol.
Cebuana Olympian Elreen Ando and Asian Weightlifting Championships double gold medalist Vanessa Sarno of Bohol will vie in their respective weight categories.
Solis said the qualifiers for weightlifting here is one of three tryouts for the SEAG.
“Ang usa, sa Manila on March 12, and ang usa sa Zamboanga on March 5, Solis said. “Ang mahitabo ani, kung kinsa to ma select sa SEA Games, adto na sila sa Manila mag training after. Ilang training kay bubble setup sa Rizal Memorial Complex,” he added.
Solis said the tryouts were supposed to be held earlier this year, but it was postponed to March 8 due to the heightened alert level status in Cebu due to Covid-19.
Those who will qualify will join the Philippine delegation in the SEAG to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam on May 31.
Ando, who competed in last year’s Tokyo Olympics, will vie in the 64-kilogram division while Sarno competes in the 71kg division.
Both Ando and Sarno finished at fifth place in the 2021 International Weightlifting Federation World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last December.
Aside from the two, Cebuano weightlifters in Fernando Agad, Crisdale Diamante, John Febuar Ceniza, and Dexter Tabique will also try their luck in the qualifiers.
Also competing is another Boholana, Ellen Rose Perez and six other weightlifters, while two young lifters from Barangay Carreta in Giselle Betua and Leonida Cambarijan will join the competition.
“Duna sad tay mga weightlifters nga mo try-out dili para sa SEA Games, kundili para mo apply sa national team, mao nang ubay-ubay sad ang moduwa ani,” added Solis.
/bmjo
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