Hidilyn Diaz, Elreen Ando
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuano national weightlifting coaches Ramon Solis and Christopher Bureros are bracing for a possible showdown between Elreen Ando and Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo in the upcoming 2023 National Weightlifting Championships from July 10 to 16, 2023, in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
This after, Solis and Bureros revealed that Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) top honcho Monico Puentevella informed them that Diaz-Naranjo plans to compete in the -64-kilograms division of the national championships.
However, Solis and Bureros revealed that they have already committed Ando in the -64kg division since they are expecting Diaz-Naranjo to vie in the -59kg division.
For many, this would be a fascinating and exciting competition between Diaz, the country’s first Olympic gold medalist, and Ando, who recently won the gold medal and shattered the Philippine record in the -59kg division of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
Solis and Bureros also believe that letting Ando and Diaz-Naranjo compete in different divisions will boost the country’s chances of winning more medals in the upcoming Asian Games in Guangzhou, China later this year.
This is because the SWP will only send one weightlifter per category.
Still, it’s not yet final if Diaz-Naranjo will compete in the -64kg division as the deadline of submission of entries is on July 11.
“Sa gi submit namo nga entry, si Ando kay 64kg man. Ang among nahibaw-an mo compete pud si Diaz sa 64kg division. Pero amo pa i-confirm karong July 11 kung unsa jud ang timbang nila. Crucial kaayo ni kay usa ra man gud ka weightlifter kada division ang makasulod sa Asian Games, mao nang sayang kung mag abot sila duha,” said Solis.
For Bureros, the Philippine weightlifting team will ultimately benefit if Diaz and Ando will vie in separate categories as it increases their chance of bagging two medals in the Asian Games.
“Para sa akoa mag buwag lang unta sila ug category kay kana national open namo sa Bacolod, qualifying pud na siya para Asian Games pohon sa China,” said Bureros.
Besides Ando, Solis, Bureros, and fellow coach Kelly Rojax will have eight more weightlifters from the University of Cebu-Team Cebu City vying in the national championships.
They are SEA Games medalists John Febuar Ceniza (-61kg men’s) and John Dexter Tabique (+89kg men’s).
Also, Fernando Agad (55kg), Jun Dominic Bohol (55kg junior), Joery Frasco (55kg), Kicly Hermosa (49kg youth), and Rhianna Cabalida (71kg youth) complete the official line-up of UC Webmasters-Team Cebu City. /rcg
RELATED STORIES:
Hidilyn Diaz vows to do everything to get another Olympic gold medal
Hidilyn Diaz: A blueprint for success in sports and in life
Olympic gold medalist Diaz-Naranjo donates weightlifting equipment to Cebu teams