TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – Young Filipino weightlifters delivered a commanding performance at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships, collecting 26 medals over three intense days of competition. The haul of 13 golds, six silvers, and seven bronzes signals a powerful new generation ready to carry the legacy of Philippine weightlifting onto the Olympic stage.
A Medal Surge in Tashkent
The national squad arrived in Uzbekistan determined to prove their growing strength on the continental platform. Each session brought fresh podium finishes, with the youth and junior lifters consistently outperforming rivals from across Asia. By the end of the third day, the Philippines had built an impressive medal count that underscored the depth of its grassroots program.
The performance drew praise from Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella, who declared that the future of the sport has never looked brighter. He credited the athletes' parents, national coaches, and key sponsors including the Philippine Sports Commission, MVPSF, and ICTSI for making the campaign possible. The result, he said, shows the world that Filipino weightlifters can compete at the highest levels.
Peralta's Five-Medal Showcase
Zamboanga City's Jhodie Peralta emerged as the standout performer of the Philippine campaign with a spectacular five-medal showing in the women's 53kg division. Competing across both the youth and junior categories, she dominated the snatch with an 86kg lift that earned her gold in both age groups. Her silver in the junior total and strong clean and jerk performance pushed her individual tally to five.
Peralta's versatility demonstrated the value of cross-category competition, where youth athletes test themselves against older rivals. Her success in Tashkent follows a long line of elite lifters from Zamboanga, a region that has consistently produced world-class talent. The 188kg total across her best lifts placed her firmly among the continent's most promising young athletes.
Family Legacy and Rising Stars
Alexsandra Ann Diaz, niece of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, continued her family's winning tradition by sweeping three golds in the youth women's 49kg division. She powered through a 77kg snatch and 92kg clean and jerk for a 169kg total, then added two junior bronzes. Her performance proved that the Diaz name remains synonymous with weightlifting excellence.
Jerick Icon Castro of Angono, Rizal, matched that dominance in the men's 60kg youth category, claiming all three available golds with a 116kg snatch, 144kg clean and jerk, and 260kg total. Angeline Colonia added a junior gold in snatch plus two silvers, while Althea Bacaro, Prince Keil Delos Santos, Jay-r Colonia, and Kirby Kent Alas-as each contributed to the growing medal count. The widespread success across different weight classes and regions highlighted the sport's expanding reach throughout the archipelago.
A Bright Olympic Future
Puentevella noted that some of these young lifters are already on a trajectory toward the Olympics, with continued international exposure expected to sharpen their competitive edge. The Tashkent results follow years of investment in talent identification and training camps, a program that has gained respect across the global weightlifting community. For the athletes, the medals represent both validation of their daily sacrifices and motivation to aim even higher.
