Filipino weightlifting icon Ramon Solis, since retiring in 1998, has never stopped inspiring the next generation of weighlifters to come up with their best lifts and heaviest heaves in all competitions that they join.And that’s what Solis did when he encouraged one of three young lifters from the Province of Cebu to come up with their heaviest efforts in weightlifting in the recent the Philippine National Games-Batang Pinoy meet.Sixteen-year-old Alberto Bacaro gave Cebu City one of its five gold medals when he raised a record total of 194 kilograms in the 16-17 year old 55-kg category at the Dacudao indoor court of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.“Bagong record itong binuhat. Nag-reduce kasi siya. Nag-overweight ng dalawang kilo,” said the 63-year-old Solis.Solis, known as the first Cebuano weightlifting Olympian, was around when other Cebuano lifters grabbed gold medals, like Alex Daniel Buanghug (43kg boys, 12 years old and under), Althea Bacaro (40kg girls, 12 years old and under), Leonida Cambarijan (45kg women’s 18 years old and above) and Alberto Bacaro (55kg men’s 16-17 years old) as they topped their respective events for Cebu City.“Talagang natuwa ako sa mga bata. Kahit gaano kahirap sa training, nakaka-gold medal pa rin,”added Solis.Solis also takes pride in having spurred Hidilyn Diaz in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she won her first medal, a silver, and Elreen Ando for having placed seventh as well.And now Diaz, a Tokyo Olympics gold medalist, is helping out as an assistant mentor in Jala Jala, Rizal Province.Ando is a member of the University of Cebu varsity team in weightlifting which is coached by Solis.Solis has represented the Philippines in international meets from 1975 to 1998, winning medals in the Southeast Asian Games from 1977 to 1997.Solis competed in the men’s middle heavyweight event (90kgs) at the 1988 Summer Olympics and placed 17th.At the 1998 Asian Games, Solis saw action in the men’s 105-kg event.Since retiring, Solis has been the head coach for the Philippine weightlifting team, starting in August, 2019.
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