BESPECTACLED Albert delos Santos sustained the glittering run of the country in the 11th World Weightlifting Youth Championships early yesterday (Sunday night in Europe), sweeping all three gold medals in the men’s 61kg class at the Olympic Park in Durres, Albania.
The lanky 16-year-old, who is the son of national coach Alvin delos Santos, began his blitz by hoisting 100 kilos in the snatch and effortlessly lifted 149 kilos in the clean and jerk for a total tally of 249 kilos in the meet organized by the International Weightlifting Federation.
His third lift of 149 kilos proved crucial as it secured the golden treble by one kilo over Turkmenistan’s Perhat Tagyyarov, who settled for runner-up honors with 114 in the snatch and 144 in the clean-and-jerk for a grand total of 248.
Angeline Colonia, the younger sister of Rio Olympian Nestor Colonia, lifted 72 kilos for the gold in the snatch event of the women’s 45kg category and also won a pair of silvers in the clean-and-jerk (83) and total lifts (155).
She narrowly lost by just one kilo in total lift to Turkmenistan’s Olgushat Amanova, whose gold-medal hoist of 85 kilos in the clean-and-jerk proved to be the winning edge.
Prince Keil delos Santos won two gold medals last Sunday while Eron Borres also bagged a gold.
Weightlifting chief Monico Puentevella said the last Pinoy lifter seeing action in competition is Rosalinda Faustino, who was set to compete in the women’s 55kg division last night.
“We are confident that Rosalinda is also a gold-medal contender so we expect all of our five lifters that we sent to the tournament coming home with golds around their necks,” Puentevella said.
