THERE’S a reason Albert Ian delos Santos is being tipped as the country’s next Olympian.
The 18-year-old Zamboanga City native displayed that massive potential over the weekend when he bagged a gold medal in the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Mr. Delos Santos copped the mint in the clean and jerk of the juniors’ 71-kilogram division where he had lifted 177kg.
He went on to add the silver in the total lift with a 313kg, including 136kg in snatch that was good for fifth spot.
It came two months after his sensational double-gold effort in the World Juniors Championships in Lima, Peru where he beat a heavily favored Chinese foe in Yang Jinwen.
It was reminiscent of the feat of a more illustrious lifter, Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, who delivered the country’s breakthrough Olympic gold in Tokyo four years ago that came against a feared Chinese star.
“A starn is born,” Samahang weighting of the Philippines President Monico Puentevella Told The STAR. — Joey Villar
