WEIGHTLIFTING chief Monico Puentevella believes the crack national team, led by Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Hidyin Diaz, is capable of bringing home a minimum of two and a maximum of five gold medals in the 31st Vietnam Southeast Asian Games next month.
“My fearless forecast is a minimum of two and a maximum of four or five golds from our lifters in the Vietnam SEA Games if we’re fortunate,” Puentevella said yesterday in the Philippine Sportswriters Association online forum.
Filipino lifters garnered two gold medals, one each from Diaz and Kristel Macrohon, three silver and two bronze medals in the 2019 Philippine edition, and Puentevella is they could match or even surpass that tally in the Vietnam Games formally opening on May 12 in Hanoi.
Gracing the public sports program backed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, San Miguel, Milo, the Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel and Braska Restaurant, the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president is confident the female lifters will deliver the mints.
Aside from Diaz and Macrohon, he is banking on Tokyo Olympian Elreen Rose Ando, Asian championship gold medalist Vanessa Sarno, plus up-and-coming Rosegie Ramos and Margaret Colonia, who won a silver medal in the women’s 59-kilogram class in the 2019 SEA Games, to produce for the country.
Puentevella also did not rule out the male lifters from pulling off some surprises, revealing that 2016 Rio Olympian Nestor Colonia is back in harness and gearing up for a better podium finish after copping a bronze medal in the men’s 67-kilogram division in Manila three years ago.
“All of these lifters want to follow in the footsteps of Hidy (Diaz’s nickname) and earn some money and give something to their respective families,” he said.
He added that Diaz, keen on retaining her 55-kilogram crown, had requested that she and her support team, led by Guamanian coach and boyfriend Julius Naranjo, be allowed to be in the Vietnamese capital at least 10 days early before weightlifting action starts on May 19 with 14 gold medals up for grabs.
