WEIGHTLIFTING chief Monico Puentevella hopes to reunite Olympic-bound Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ann Ando and Jose Febuar Ceniza with the Chinese coach credited for the success of Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Hidylin Diaz-Naranjo in a one-month training in Taiwan before they plunge into action in the Paris Summer Games.
“Chinese coach Gao Caiwen, who trained Hidylin for Tokyo, is now in Taiwan coaching so it would be good for Vanessa, Elreen and Jose to train there for a month before the Paris Olympics,” Puentevella said yesterday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum at the PSC conference room.
The Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president was joined in the public sports session backed by San Miguel Corp., the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Smart, Milo and popular gaming portal Arena Plus by the three lifters, who discussed their prospects for the forthcoming global sports showcase.
“I have tried to have them train in China but the response to the request has been lukewarm, so I am turning to Taiwan where Gao is now based since I have a good relationship with the Taiwanese federation president,” Puentevella said.
“Hopefully, our athletes will be able to train with Gao, who knows our culture and is familiar with these three weightlifters. This will be a good experience for them to be under the coach responsible for Hidy winning our first Olympic gold,” he pointed out.
Set to make her Olympic debut, the stocky Sarno, 20, ranked No. 5 in the women’s 71kg class of the International Weightlifting Federation Olympic qualifying rankings, said she is keen on achieving a podium finish in the glamorous French capital.
“Although overwhelmed po ako, I would like to break the mold that an Olympic first timer cannot win a medal. At least bronze po ang target ko,” Sarno stressed, disclosing that she was just one kilo off Taiwanese fourth placer Chen Wen-huei in the IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand.
