Table of Contents
Philippines Weightlifting who has made it past the SEA Games Bronze mark?
(November 8, 2021)
HD rejuvenates PHI weightlifting
By Red A. Dumuk
In an article about the chances of our athletes in the 2012 London Olympic Games, I wrote: ”POC Chairman and Philippine Weightlifting Association President Monico Puentevella had been quoted to have said, “If Thailand can produce two golds in women’s weightlifting in the Olympics, there’s no reason why we can’t. It’s just a matter of priorities.”
(Puentevella was referring to the gilts minted by Thai women weightlifters in Athens in 2004 following their notching measly a solitary bronze when women’s weightlifting made its maiden appearance in Sydney in 2000.
As Thailand’s top priority in the Olympics, their women weightlifters have amassed half of THA’s 10 gold medals. They contributed 2 silvers and 6 bronzes, as well. In contrast, a lone silver was all the men could show,)
Hidilyn Diaz, who bombed out in that middle distance racing great Sebastian Coe-orchestrated Games after acting as the flagbearer of the Philippine contingent that extended the country’s medal shutout skein, finally proved in Tokyo WE CAN, not after HD snagged the silver medal an Olympiad and a year before.
Puentevella
At the heels of HD’s unprecedented Olympic gold-medal performance, Puentevella in his exultation did Philippine weightlifting, what this former secretary-general of the Philippine Weightlifting Association deems, a great disservice if he were not misquoted.
An excerpt from the August 15 Manila Times editorial entitled Develop a grassroots program for Future Games, thus: “Monico Puentevella, president of the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas, told The Manila Times that nobody cared about weightlifting until Ms. Diaz won an Olympic medal. “Nobody knew what weightlifting was.”
I suppose his being a politician got the better of Puentevella. He was not unlike those persons who wanted to erase the achievements and exploits of their predecessors to make themselves appear bigger. This statement should not be construed as adherence to the notion politicians should keep off leadership positions in sports.
Former International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch had averred. “Politics can never be divorced from sports. But, politics should be placed at the service of sports.” To this, I am an ardent adherent.
Was Puentevella, a former Asian Weightlifting Federation president, suffering a Freudian slip when he said that nobody cared about weightlifting until Ms. Diaz won an Olympic medal?
Puentevella should have at least known the first and only Filipino to establish an Olympic record (also a world record) before HD was weightlifter Rodrigo del Rosario. In Helsinki in 1952, Mang Sayong, as he was fondly called, lifted 105kg, surpassing by 5kg the old mark set in the first Games after WW II. After the triathlon (three movements), he was tied with two others. As he was lighter than one and heavier than the other one he would up fourth in the field of 22 featherweights, slightly bettering his 5th place of 22 entries in London in 1948.
Del Rosario, a three-time Olympian, bagged a silver each in the first two Asian Games—New Delhi 1951 and Manila 1954.
Puentevella should have at least known the first Filipino world champion in an Olympic sport was weightlifter Salvador del Rosario. Badong, Mang Sayong’s nephew, emerged as champion in the flyweight division of the 1970 World Weightlifting Championships held in Columbus, Ohio, USA. He also netted the gold medals in snatch and clean & jerk.
President Ferdinand Marcos, no less, met del Rosario, who was accompanied from Hong Kong by then Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation president Felipe Monserrat, at the airport.
Del Rosario who would also see action in three Olympics was dubbed Mighty Mite and hailed as the Strongest Little Man in the World.
Puentevella should have at least known Salvador del Rosario’s singular achievement inspired the persons who cared for weightlifting, among them Elpidio Dorotheo, 1952 Mr. Philippines and president of Philippine Weightlifting Association, to host the 28n World Weightlifting Championships in 1974.
Programs
A year later, Dorothea, who was the physical trainer of FM was appointed as Undersecretary of the Department of Youth and Sports Development with FM himself holding the cabinet portfolio.
Puentevella should have at least known weightlifting was never in the ambit of Project::Gintong Alay. The support and assistance of Lucio Tan, its Godfather, were sufficient to fuel the weightlifters to give the tracksters a run for their money in terms of gold medals and records in the international arena.
Before HD, there was Jaime Sebastian as a weightlifting icon from Zamboanga City. Sebastian gravitated to weightlifting to combat a rheumatic heart. and rose to become Southeast Asia’s strongest man. From 1977 to 1989, as a super superheavyweight, he harvested SEA Games 21 gold medals.
Sebastian punctuated his playing career with his national weightlifting team coaching chores. He could have gone further if he wasn’t foiled in his bid for the PWA presidency. Fair play was glaringly absent in this Sebastian’s particular loss.
Puentevella knows this very well. He was Sebastian’s adversary.
IOC Approves Revised Weightlifting Olympic Qualification System For Tokyo 2020
Lausanne, 29 May 2020; The IOC has approved the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF’s) revised Olympic Qualifying System for Tokyo 2020, extending the qualifying period to 30 April 2021.
And will retain all results and rankings achieved by weightlifters during the qualifying events held before the qualifying cessation with no changes to their value.
Following the suspension of qualifying events caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent postponement of Tokyo 2020, the revised qualifying system will allow for a further qualification period, which will run from 1 October 2020 to 30 April 2021.
Replacements for the canceled events originally scheduled will be held during this period.
The revised qualification system has been developed around key principles of clean competition and fairness. The criteria whereby weightlifters must participate in at least six competitions throughout the overall period starting 1 November 2018 has been maintained.
Weightlifters were also required to compete in at least one of the specified competitions during the first, second, and third original qualifying periods.
Some weightlifters had already competed in six events, including one in each of the qualifying periods. The third period, however, was brought to a premature end by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, not all weightlifters had the opportunity to fulfill this eligibility requirement.
Philippines Weightlifting – Asian Championships in Weight Lifting
The country’s top weightlifters, including Cebuanos John Febuar Ceniza and Elreen Anne Ando, are expected to compete in Kazakhstan’s 2020 IWF Asian Championships.
Therefore the Asian Championship set in March is the final Olympic qualifying event. Similarly, the PH team weightlifters need to accumulate enough points to cut the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) also gave a P2.2 million budget for the airfare, accommodation, allowance, and other related expenses of the seven athletes and four officials who competed in Italy.
Above all, this is apart from the P1.7 million budget for the core team of Hidilyn Diaz.
Philippines Weightlifting – Bronze for Macrohon
31 January 2020.
JUST IN: 2019 SEA Games gold medalist Kristel Macrohon won 2 bronze medals in the women’s 71kg category of the Roma World Cup in Italy! ?? #LabanPilipinas
- ?Clean and jerk – 115kg
- ?Total – 209kg
Nestor Colonia finishes 7th
Nestor Colonia of the Philippines competes in the men’s 56kg weightlifting event during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on August 20, 2018. Photo by MONEY SHARMA / AFP
August 20, 2018
On Day 1 of Weightlifting, Nestor Colonia wound up 7th in the Asian Games. With 253kg, 113kg in the Snatch, and 140kg in the Clean and Jerk.
However, his Personal Best of 282kg (124-158) would have seen him land the silver. In conclusion, this took Colonia to the Bronze medal at the world champs in 2015 behind Korea and China.
Also, the Olympian was pressured to get back into form as quickly as possible. Above all, after clearing 140kg in his first clean and jerk attempt, Colonia decided to increase his second attempt to 150kg to chase the podium finish.
“Kailangan kasi taasan ‘yung attempt because parang wala lang kapag mababa ‘yung attempt,” said Colonia. (I have to make the weight of my attempt heavier because there is no use if the attempt is low.)
However, he failed to lift 150kg in his second and third clean and jerk attempts, putting him in the lower half of the standings.
Besides, the 26-year-old, who had a lackluster SEA Games finish last year, had hoped for a major comeback after showing improved form this year when he bagged a gold in the Philippine National Games.
After Colonia captured his last major medal – a bronze in the 2015 World Championships – he injured his knee while training for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Next for Colonia is the 2018 world championships held in Turkmenistan in November, serving as a qualifier for the 2020 Olympics.
/
Analysis of the Field
Om Yun Chol, who won the Gold, is a highly accomplished athlete; he is the defending Asian Games Champion, 2012 Olympic Champion, and 2013, 2014, and 2015 World Champion; he has a PB of 303kg (2016). He lifted 287kg (16kg below his PB).
Tuan 2017 World Champion and silver medalist last Asian Games and SEA Games Champion PB of 296kg (lifted 280kg).
Surahmat Bin Suwoto did PB with 272kg for Indonesia. Had everyone PBed, Nestor might have got a bronze. However, due to the injury, his form has been off beside.
Also, Eileen Perez wound up 11th of 12 entries in the Women’s -48kg category with a 154ksnatchesl (69 snatches, 85 clean and jerk).
In conclusion, as she had the lowest body weight on the team, Perez dropped from -53kg to -48kg. As a result, Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz will participate in the games in the -53kg.
/
Sources:
- https://www.rappler.com/sports/specials/asian-games/210016-nestor-colonia-weightlifting-falls-short-asiad-redemption-bid
- http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1045381
- http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/20/18/asian-games-colonia-fails-to-medal-in-weightlifting
- http://tv5.espn.com/story/_/id/24424259/nestor-colonia-comes-short-bows-weightlifting-competition
Batang Pinoy Weightlifting Records (as of 2016)
Event | Name | Team | Venue | Date | BWT | SNATCH | CLN&JRK | TOTAL (kg) |
Compiled by ATFS Statistician Andrew Pirie | ||||||||
As of 01.01.17 | ||||||||
BOYS | ||||||||
30kg | Dino Singson | Cebu City | Tagum | 28.11.16 | 29.70 | 35 | 40 | 75 |
34kg | Justin Luke Lorete | Bohol Province | Cebu | 28.11.15 | 34.00 | 45 | 52 | 97 |
38kg | Ernie Basalo | Brgy Pasobolong Z.C. | Cebu | 28.11.15 | 38.00 | 50 | 58 | 108 |
42kg | Evangelito Dale | Cebu | Bacolod | 2013 | 40.90 | 60 | 80 | 140 |
46kg | John Paolo Rivera Jr. | Dasmarinas City | Cebu | 28.11.15 | 44.50 | 70 | 96 | 166 |
50kg | Marjun Agad | Cebu City Team A | Cebu | 28.11.15 | 48.00 | 76 | 95 | 171 |
56kg | Edwin Lucero | Zamboanga | Bacolod | 2014 | 54.20 | 77 | 93 | 170 |
62kg | Vincent Colonia | Zamboanga | Bacolod | 2014 | 56.10 | 70 | 75 | 145 |
62kg+ | John Kyle Macrohon | Zamboanga | Naga | 2011 | 68.25 | 91 | 111 | 202 |
GIRLS | ||||||||
28kg | Shydijean D. Tormis | Midsalip ZDS | Tagum | 28.11.16 | 27.50 | 27 | 36 | 63 |
32kg | Rose Jean Ramos | Zamboanga City | Tagum | 28.11.16 | 30.50 | 35 | 44 | 79 |
36kg | Rosegie Amis | Zamboanga City/Mampang | Cebu | 28.11.15 | 35.90 | 48 | 60 | 108 |
40kg | Leonida Cambarijan | Cebu City Team A | Cebu | 28.11.15 | 39.00 | 43 | 54 | 97 |
44kg | Ma. Flor Diaz | Zamboanga | Bacolod | 2014 | 54 | 62 | 116 | |
48kg | Elien Rose Perez | Zamboanga | Bacolod | 2014 | 57 | 75 | 132 | |
53kg | Lyann Pineda | Zamboanga | Naga | 2011 | 48.25 | 40 | 55 | 95 |
53kg+ | Margaret Colonia | Zamboanga | Bacolod | 2014 | 53.60 | 61 | 76 | 137 |
.
Philippine Weightlifting needs help, says Sports Chief
From Manila Bulletin 30th May 2018
/

/
Philippine weightlifting, the only sport to have ended the 20-year medal drought for the country in the Olympics, has aired a plea to major sports stakeholders: Please help us.
Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella yesterday called on the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Department of Education, NCAA, and UAAP to help the sport.
“We should be given priority because we have proven ourselves in the Olympics,”
Puentevella told the PSA Forum at Tapa King in Cubao. “There’s no reason why we won’t be given priority.”
Puentevella said there is P15 million worth of new equipment — off it, Meralco pledging to give our P5 million worth of barbels — on its way, but he chose to hold it until the PSC finishes the new gymnasium it promised to build inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
“The gym we are using is the same gym we have used for the last 30 years. Parang hindi bagay sa new equipment. Luma ang gym namin,” added Puentevella. He said the new weightlifting gym was to be built behind the tennis courts and beside the gymnastics hall.
He also asked the PSC to raise the number of national coaches from the present five to 10, “because we need to reach out to more cities in the country. Right now we only have hubs in Manila, Zamboanga, Bohol, Cebu and Baguio City.”
Aside from 2016 Olympic silver winner Hidilyn Diaz (53 kilograms), Puentevella is endorsing promising lifters like Ellen Rose Perez (48kg), Maria Desa Delos Santos (58kg), Elreen Ann Ando (63 kg), and Kristel Macrohon (65kg).
The SWP also nominated Olympian Nestor Colonia and Jeffrey Garcia for the men’s team.
/
“After all, the Asian Games is the qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics,” he added.
“Weightlifting is our biggest chance to medal in the Olympics. It is our best chance for gold for that matter.”
/
2017 SEA RANKINGS WEIGHTLIFTING UPDATED
Please Note:
- Added Results to Rankings of 2017 World Champs
- No Women’s Weightlifting at SEA Games since 2013. So Rankings compared to 2013 Medals.
- In Men’s 2017 SEA Games Weightlifting, so Rankings compared to 2017 Medals.
- The Higher weight categories in Men 94kg and up, and Women 69kg and up very few competitors.
- Diaz, Ando, Macrohon’s strong SEA Games Medal chances
/
Loading...
/
PLEASE EMAIL [email protected] FOR ANY UPDATES
ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THESE RANKINGS. OFFICIAL RESULTS MUST accompany ANY ADDITIONS.
/
Evaluation of Asian Cup 2017 Weight Lifting
Nov 10, 2017

The Asian Cup and Interclub Championships 2017 Weight Lifting was held in Yanggu, Korea. And held it from October 28 to November 2, 2017. Unfortunately, I was only able to retrieve the results today and can view them here.
Overall in points for men and women combined, the Philippines finished fourth behind Uzbekistan, Korea, and Iran. Thailand, the only other SEA Nation in the Top 10, was in fifth place. 12 Teams participated. Consequently, the Philippine women finished third overall, behind Korea and Uzbekistan. Thailand was 5th. 8 Teams participated in women’s.
/
Filipino Results Evaluation
Name | CAT | PL | Result | SEA Top 10 | SEA Bronze | Notes |
Mary Flor Diaz | W -48kg | 4 | 143kg | 158kg (not ranked) | 176kg | Thailand ranked 10th SEA won GOLD |
Elien Rose Perez | W-53kg | GOLD | 158kg | 158kg (10th) | 191kg | Weight Class of Hidilyn Diaz |
Ma Dessa Delos Santos | W- 58kg | BRONZE | 177kg | 81kg (5th) | 204kg | Lifted 184kg at Ashgabat |
Elreen Ando | W -63kg | BRONZE | 198kg | 179kg (2nd) | 201kg | Medal Chance 2019 SEA Games |
Margaret Colina | W -69kg | 4 | 170kg | 4th | 188kg |
Sources:
/
Full Results of the 2017 Asian Cup and Interclub Championships in Yanggu, South Korea Oct 28-Nov 2.
Loading...
Key Success Factors of Thai Weightlifting
Summary by Go For Gold Philippines

The research results found the factors leading to the Thai weightlifters’ success in the World Weightlifting Championships. And the Olympic Games consist of five factors.
First, the association management, including strategy and planning, personnel management, facilities and equipment management, budget and privilege, public relations, and welfare.
Second, athlete management and preparation include empowering the association to increase clubs, members, athletes, athlete recruitment, training, practicing, sending athletes to competitions, planning competitions, and athletes’ welfare.
Third, coach management. This factor comprises the empowerment of coaches in Thailand. For example, coach selection for the Thai national team, consideration of the Thai national athlete selection process, coaches orientation for training the national team, and planning for practice and competition.
Fourth, sports science emphasizes Exercise, Biomechanics, Sports Psychology, Nutrition, Sports Medicine, and Sports Engineering and Technology.
Fifth, referee management refers to
- increasing the number of the association’s referees
- encouraging Thai referees to become International Weightlifting Federation referees,
- supporting Thai referees to perform in international competitions
- assigning them special duties
- supporting them to be selected as committee members of Asian and International Weightlifting Federations.
However, all these factors need cooperation and teamwork under the association’s supervision via proper management.
Reference:
- Limsuknirun, N., Samahito, S., & Kutinara, I. 2017. A study of key success factors of Thai Weightlifters in the World Weightlifting Championships and the Olympic Games. ABAC Journal 37: 119-133.
- Thai Weightlifters had already won 5 gold, 2 silver, and 7 bronze medals in the Olympic games, including 2 golds, 1 silver, and 1 bronze in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
- http://www.assumptionjournal.au.edu/index.php/abacjournal/article/view/2857/1844
- Filipinos have almost the same build as the Thais. As such, there is no doubt that we can excel in this sport. We already had silver in Rio in 2016. Moreover, in the 5th AIMAG in Turkmenistan, Filipino weightlifters brought home a silver and a bronze, with another female teenager finishing fourth.
2016 Batang Pinoy Weightlifting New Records
Nov 27, 2016

Boys
30kg | Dino Singson | Cebu City | Tagum | 28.11.16 | 29.70 | 35 | 40 | 75 |
New Category
Girls
28kg | Shydijean D. Tormis | Midsalip ZDS | Tagum | 28.11.16 | 27.50 | 27 | 36 | 63 |
New Category
32kg | Rose Jean Ramos | Zamboanga City | Tagum | 28.11.16 | 30.50 | 35 | 44 | 79 |
Previous Record:
32kg | Kateleen Marie A. Diaz | Zamboanga City/Mampang | Cebu | 28.11.15 | 32.00 | 33 | 44 | 77 |
Batang Pinoy Weightlifting – New Records
Andrew Pirie
ATFS Statistician
Cebu – Several meet records fell in Weightlifting at the 2015 Batang Pinoy. Interestingly, Bohol, Dasmarinas, and Cebu took away some records in a sport traditionally dominated by Zamboanga.
Showing the good spread of grassroots Weightlifting in the province. Several records were not only surpassed but completely obliterated.
Inspired by the World Championship Bronze medal of 2x Olympian Hidilyn Diaz, a new lifter generation got work.
Amis adds 40kg to the total lift.
The most impressive record was done by Zamboanga/Mampang Rosegie Amis in the Girl’s 36kg category, who added an amazing 40kg to the existing record set last year by Paula Lanit of Manila. Her lift was 108kg above the 68kg record.
Her Clean and Jerk itself was a 25kg improvement from 35 to 60kg. This has made the record almost untouchable.
Cebu’s Leonida Cambarijan (Cebu City A) improved the girls’ 40kg category record by 32kg, from 65kg to 97kg, breaking the existing record of Geraldine Climaco of Zamboanga from last year.
Kathleen Diaz of Mampang took the third record in the girl’s 32kg, with a 77kg total, improving on the 68kg of Vanessa Sarno of Bohol set last year.
In the boys, Justin Lorete of Bohol ( 34kg/ 97kg), and Ernie Basalo (Pasoblong, ZC) (38kg/ 108kg) broke meet records.
John Rivera (Dasmarinas) took the 46kg boys to record 166kg, which improved by 27kg. Marjun Agad (Cebu) improved the 50kg meet record by 33kg to 171kg,
Philippines Weightlifting Colonia Wins Asian Title in Men’s Weightlifting.
Sept 8, 2015

An emotional Colonia breaks down in tears after winning a title that no Filipino man in his weight category has won before.
Colonia, the current Philippine record holder, seized the silver in the snatch before pocketing the gold medal in the clean and jerk for a total lift of 274kg to rule the 56kg category continental-level meet held in Phuket, Thailand.
“Lord God, thank you for these medals. Thank you also to coach Aldanete Alfonsito and Elbert Atilano for helping me when I’m down,” posted the 22-year-old on his Facebook account.
He more than made up this time with two golds and one silver after lifting 121kg in the snatch and 153kg in the clean and jerk to defeat his Thai and Vietnamese foes.
“This is history, the first gold medal in the Asian Seniors for the Philippines,” said Two-time Olympian Hidilyn Diaz, who is set to compete in the women’s -53kg of the 26th Women’s Asian Championships late Monday afternoon.

Though still off the 280kg Olympic qualifying standard, Colonia’s 274 total strengthened his bid for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
According to coach Aldanete Alfonsito, his ward has been improving steadily since lifting a personal best of 270 a few months back and setting the national record of 263 in the Philippine National Games two years ago in Dumaguete City.
Source Article by Jun Navarro (Phi Daily Inquirer)
http://sports.inquirer.net/192357/ph-lifter-colonia-collects-two-golds-and-one-silver-in-asian-tilt
Philippines Weightlifting Weightlifter Colonia performance of PNG
June 29, 2016

For me, this must be the performance of the PNG. Nestor Colonia equalling the 2010 Asian Games mark in weight lifting. Simultaneously, this performance is a credible reward for all the hours of sacrifice put in by the hardest working man in Philippine Sports today.
Philippines Weightlifting Nestor Colonia makes Asian Games Bronze Mark.
May 26, 2014

Nestor Colonia qualifies for the Asian Games by matching the bronze performance of the last Asian Games.
Weightlifter Nestor Landag Colonia made the Asian Games bronze standard. Hence above the 5th place finish set by the PSC/POC Taskforce for selection criteria. Furthermore,
Colonia shattered the Philippine National Record (264kg) with a combined total of 271kg in the 56kg weight division at the Philippine National Games in Manila. National Coach Alfonso Aldanete coaches Colonia.
The 22-year-old lifted 118kg on the snatch. And 153kg on the Clean and Jerk.
Furthermore, Colonia would have won at least a silver at the last SEA Games. However, he was a few pounds overweight during the weigh-in for the 56kg category last year.
Results from the National Games
Loading...
2014 Batang Pinoy Final Results Weightlifting
17 March 2014
Loading...
December 2013 SEA Weightlifting Rankings
Loading...
Hidilyn Diaz
Batang Pinoy 2013 Luzon Results
Loading...
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE
LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE