Macrohon following in Hidilyn’s footsteps

ANOTHER Filipina weighlifter is on the rise.

Pretty soon, Kristel Macrohon will be joining her fellow Zamboanguena, Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, at the top podium of elite weighlifting competitions.

At 21, Macrohon has yet to reach her peak, yet she’s already winning in international regional tournaments.

In 2016, she began competing in bigger stages. She placed fifth in the Asian Championships by lifting a total of 195 kgs. from her combined 85 in snatch and 110 in clean and jerk. She improved her lift to 196 in the Asian juniors, but still settled at fifth.

In the same year, she took the bronze in 4th Qatar International Cup and 2016 Asian Cup at the Doha Intercontinental Hotel in Doha City.

Her best international stint so far was the 5th Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan in September, when she bagged a bronze medal in the 69-kg category.

Over the weekend, she hoisted 85 kgs. in snatch and 115 kgs. in clean and jerk for a 200 kg. total, good for 13th place overall in the World Championships in Anaheim, California. She was the third-best finisher among Asian participants, behind India and Vietnam.

“Considering her age, mag-iimprove pa si Kristel in the coming years. May malaking potential na siya naman ang susunod sa yapak ni Hidilyn Diaz,” said Marc Velasco, director of the Philippine Sports Institute and Siklab project under the aegis of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Velasco accompanied the weightlifting team composed of Macrohon and Diaz, and their coach Tony Agustin. Diaz captured the overall bronze and the silver in the clean and jerk.

Through the Siklab Foundation, Velasco is taking care of the at least 40 athletes, who are potential medalists in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, including Diaz, who may be competing in her last Olympiad.

Velasco, a conditioning coach and nutrition expert in Hong Kong before joining the PSC, said athletes under the Siklab program will be given premium attention, especially in competition abroad and nutrition.

 Macrohon is not yet part of the Siklab program, but she will be the next priority after Diaz.