By Waylon Galvez
Asian Games-bound athletes Elreen Ann Ando and Ellen Rose Perez bagged gold medals in the 2018 Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Open Championships last Sunday at the Meralco Fitness Center in Ortigas, Pasig.
One of the four weightlifters who will compete in the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games next month, Ando, 19, ruled the women’s 63-kg event with a total lift of 200-kg.
A senior high school at University of Cebu, Ando lifted 90-kgs in snatch and 100-kgs in the clean and jerk to beat Hong Kong’s Supawon Hui (137) and local bet Sonia Pascual (123).
Perez, the Tagbilaran, Bohol native had a total lift of 155-kg in the 53-kg category and bested Singapore’s Sheryl Wei Foo at 146 and PEP lifter Marie Justine Talamayan with 115.
“I’m very happy with the turnout because a lot of athletes, some from different countries, joined the event,” said Diaz, in whose honor the event is held.
