Weightlifter Sarno virtually books a July Paris Olympic Games spot
VANESSA SARNO will have a chance to prove her worth as the new heiress to Hidilyn Diaz after she virtually booked a spot to the Paris Olympics this July.
The 20-year-old wonder girl from Tagbilaran, Bohol, tipped to succeed Tokyo Olympics gold winner Ms. Diaz, topped the Group B of the women’s 71-kilogram division of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in Phuket, Thailand by lifting 245kg on 110kg from snatch and 135kg from clean and jerk.
That lift in snatch also set a national record as it eclipsed the old one, 108kg, she set in the IWF Grand Prix in Doha, Qatar in December last year.
Ms. Sarno is ranked fifth in her class with a best total lift of 249kg, which she registered also from Doha.
If the Asian champion stays in the top 10 after all the lifters in Group A took their turns at press time, Ms. Sarno will join a group of Olympic-bound Filipino athletes including fellow lifters John Febuar Ceniza (men’s 61kg) and Elreen Ando (women’s 59kg), who have also virtually booked their Paris seats. Pole-vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan and boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas were the other Filipinos seeing action in Paris.
Rosegie Ramos is still waiting to see if she will make the Olympic cut or not as she is currently 11th in the women’s 49kg section. — Joey Villar