From left, Gary Hortelano, Elreen Ando, Fernando Agad, and Dexter Tabique. | Photo from PSC Via Gary Hortelano.
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebuano weightlifters Elreen Ann Ando, John Dexter Tabique, and Fernando Agad are all set to compete in the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) weightlifting event at the Hanoi Sports Training and Competition Center in the Vietnamese capital.
Weightlifting competition begins on May 19, 2022, and will run until May 22.
Head coach Gary Hortelano, who is also a Cebuano, told CDN Digital that the Philippine team is not taking the competition lightly.
“More than a month sad mi nangandam ani before pa sa qualifiers nato. 100-percent ready na jud atong mga weightlifters… Ready na kaayo mi diri sa Vietnam,” said Hortelano.
(We’ve been preparing for more than a month, even before the qualifiers. Our weightlifters are 100-percent ready…We’re ready here in Vietnam.)
Ando, an Olympian who is touted to be the next Hidilyn Diaz, will compete in the 64-kilogram women’s division.
She is eyeing for redemption after a silver medal finish in the same weight category in the 2019 edition of the SEA Games.
Agad and Tabique, meanwhile, are making their SEA Games debut.
Agad will compete in the 55kg class while Tabique will vie in the 89+kg division.
Ando’s last major weightlifting competition after the Tokyo Olympics was the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. She competed in the -59kg division. She placed fifth overall in the division before climbing up to the 64kg division.
Agad also vied in the world championships and managed to place eighth in the -55kg division despite being a first timer.
Tabique showcased his huge potential when he vied in the Asian Weightlifting Championships in early 2021, topping the 96kg division’s class B and finished sixth overall.
The three Cebuano weightlifters trained in Cebu under Hortelano and Ramon Solis.
“Ang amo lang gyud ani kay dili mi mo kumpyansa ug kinahanglan stay healthy and strong lang jud ni sila hangtod sa competition” the coach said.
(We just hope that they won’t be too confident and they should always stay healthy and strong throughout the competition.)
Agad will be the first to plunge into action on Thursday along with Mary Flor Diaz (45kg), and Rosegie Ramos (49kg). On Friday, Hidilyn Diaz will vie in the 55kg division along with Rowel Garcia (61kg), and Nestor Colonia (67kg), and Margaret Colonia (59kg).
Ando will be seeing in action on Saturday along with Vanessa Sarno (71kg), and Lemon Denmark Tarro (73kg). On Sunday, Tabique will take centerstage together with John Kevin Padullo (89kg), and Kristel Macrohon (71+kg).
For Solis, who is here in Cebu, said that Agad, Ando, and Tabique should remain cautious to prevent injuries while giving their best in their respective competitions.
/bmjo
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