Rose Jean Ramos, who usually trains in Olympian Hidilyn Diaz’s gym in Mampang, Zamboanga City, will now have a chance to make it to the Paris Olympics.
The 15-year-old Ramos improved her chances of going to France for the quadrennial meet when she bagged two gold medals and a silver for the Philippines on Day 2 of the 2021 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Youth World Championships late Wednesday evening (Manila time).
Ramos took first place in the girls’ 45-kg category during competitions held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
She claimed the overall honors with her lifts of 67 kgs in the snatch for the gold, 80 kgs in the clean and jerk for the silver and a 147-kg total for another gold.
“Another star for the Paris Olympics is born. We’re on a roll,” said Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella.
Polish lifter Oliwia Drzarga settled for the silver with a total of 143 (58-85), while Naja Khoirunnisa took the bronze with a 142 aggregate (62-80).
Eleven months ago, Rose Jean and her sister Rosegie Ramos won medals together by joining a virtual event.
The two won a gold, three silvers and one bronze in the IWF Online Youth World Cup, a tournament organized in Peru.
Back then, the 15-year-old Rose Jean claimed the gold in the 65-kilogram division snatch (63 kgs) and took the silver in total (138 kgs) in the meet attended by 402 athletes from 62 countries.
Jeaneth Hipolito, also considered as one of the country’s future bets in international meets, claimed a medal for the Philippines in the opener late Tuesday evening (Manila time).
The 14-year-old Hipolito settled for a bronze with a 52-kg heave in the snatch event of the girls’ division when Day 1 ended.
Another Filipino lifter, Albert de los Santos settled for fifth place with his tally of 208 in Group A of the boys’ 61-kg class on Day 2. Hampton Morris of the USA took the top honors with his total of 206. Peter Atencio