PROMISING Rose Jean Ramos marked her international debut last Wednesday with a bang, clinching two gold medals and one silver in the girls’ minus 45kg division of the Youth World Weightlifting Championships at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Coming from Zamboanga City, which produced Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Hidylin Diaz, Ramos topped her class by ruling the snatch with a lift of 67 kilograms and combined lifts of 147 kilos, while taking runner-up honors in the clean-and-jerk where she hoisted 80 kilograms.
Fellow Zamboanguena Jeaneth Hipolito also made her mark earlier in the competition organized by the International Weightlifting Federation by capturing the bronze medal in the girls’ minus 40kg category, lifting 52 kilos in the snatch.
Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas President Monico Puentevella said Hipolito and Ramos, protégés of national youth coach Allen Diaz, a cousin of Hidylin, are being groomed “to be our future hopefuls for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“It will all depend on their determination to succeed. They are going through the same route as Hidylin. With enough support, they shall also win more medals for the country in international competitions.”
Puentevella said he might include Ramos in the national team bannered by Diaz that will see action in the World Weightlifting Championships on Dec. 7-17 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan to see how she will fare against the senior lifters.
“I don’t mind if Rose Jean loses because I want her to gain more international experience against stronger and better opponents. We might even include her in our national team that will compete in the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games in May next year,” he said.
Aside from Diaz, who is scheduled to return to Malaysia by the end of the month together with newly-appointed coach and boyfriend Julius Naranjo to resume training for the World meet, also being considered for the Tashkent meet are Tokyo Olympics veteran Elreen Ann Ando (59kg class), Mary Flor Diaz (45kg), Kristel Macrohon (71kg) and Vanessa Sarno (76kg).
