Filipina teens Angeline Colonia and Vanessa Sarno have been named Best Female lifters in the recent Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Sunday night in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
It was not difficult for the organizing Asian Weightlifting Federation to select the two emerging star lifters from the Philippines ahead of several other winners in different weight categories.
Colonia’s three-gold and silver medal haul in the 40-kg Women’s Youth category was simply unmatched in the tournament and Sarno made it look so easy after lifting her way to a three-gold performance in the Junior Women’s 71-kg category.
The 15-year-old Colonia, a Zamboangena lass with Olympic pedigree, and Sarno, a product of Bohol’s aggressive grassroots program, combined for a six-gold tally that carried Team Philippines to a total haul of 15 gold medals, on top of two silver and 3 bronze medals.
Colonia’s amazing show of force in her first international stint had her breaking the old Asian and World record of 61 kgs set in November 2018. Colonia started only training seriously last March under her uncle, 1988 Seoul Olympian Gregorio Colonia.
She is the youngest sister of 2016 Rio Olympics veteran Nestor Colonia.
Going into the prestigious tournament for Asian lifters aged 19 below, Sarno was expected to run over the opposition as she is already competing in the women’s elite with so much success. She dominated the snatch and the clean and jerk, all in just one try and with plenty to spare for a conservative total that gave her a third gold.
In the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi last May, Sarno listed three new records in snatch (104 kgs), clean and jerk (135 kgs), and total (239 kgs) to win the gold medal.
The 5’4” Sarno was crowned champion at the 2021 Asian Championships, also held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. She pocketed a silver medal in snatch (101 kgs), but took the gold medal in clean and jerk (128 kgs) and total (229 kgs).
Sarno is looking to participate in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France to follow the path of her idol Hidilyn Diaz, the 2022 Tokyo Olympic weightlifting gold medalist.
Meanwhile, team Uzbekistan emerged as the best team for Men and Women in Youth and Men Juniors.
Vietnam was the best in the Women’s Junior.
Vietnam’s K Duong and Do Tu Tung were picked as Best Male athletes in the Youth and Junior, respectively.
Sarno and the rest of the Philippine seniors’ team is preparing for the Olympic qualifying event in October, as well as the World Weightlifting Championships in Bogota, Colombia this December, where the International Weightlifting Federation is going to hold its congress.