By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Lovely Inan and Angeline Colonia delivered four gold medals for Team Philippines in the IWF World Junior Weightlifting Championships in Leon, Spain on Thursday, Sept. 19.
The 19-year-old Inan, the newest pride of Angono, Rizal, had a total lift of 179 kilos built on 79 kilos in snatch and 100 kilos in clean jerk to rule the women’s 49kg division.
The 2023 Cambodia Southeast Asian Games silver medalist actually trailed Karoll Dahyanne Lopez Alvarez of Colombia by one kilo to finish silver in snatch, before going full force in clean and jerk, edging Alvarez by two kilos.
Local bet Lucia Gonzalez Borrego settled for the bronze with a 170 total despite finishing fourth in snatch (76 kilos) and fifth in clean and jerk (95 kilos).
Meanwhile, Colonia, whose uncle Gregorio and older brother Nestor were both Olympians, continued to make a name for herself after reigning supreme in the women’s 45kg class.
The 18-year-old two-time Asian Youth champion posted a personal-best of 162 kilos for the gold medal after topping the snatch (74 kilos) and finishing second in clean and jerk (88 kilos).
Thailand’s Khemika Kamnoedsri settled for silver with 160 kilos, while Romania’s Ioana Madalina Miron took home the bronze with 154 kilos.
“This was my best competition, my best performance – but the gold medal was a surprise,” said Colonia in an interview for the IWF website. “I thought I was second, then the jury saw some movement (in Kamnoedsri’s final attempt) and I’m very happy.”
Meanwhile, Rose Jean Ramos also competed in Inan’s weight class but finished sixth with a total lift of 165 kilos.
In the men’s 55kg, Eron Borres and Prince Kiel Delos Santos failed to make it to the podium with 227 and 222-kilo total, a far cry from Vietnamese gold medalist K Duong’s performance of 253 kilos.
Two more lifters are set to compete for Team PH in Jodie Peralta (women’s 55kg) and Alber Ian Delos Santos (men’s 67kg)
