SEA Games 2019 News 036: PH Weightlifters Training Abroad

Host Philippines is ready to challenge weightlifting powerhouses Indonesia and Vietnam as series of training and competitions are inlined going to the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Leading the squad of weightlifters is 2016 Rio de Janiero Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz who is now in China for two-month training. 

Diaz is training for the upcoming Asian Championships to be held in Ningbo, China which will start on the 17th of April to 28th. She will compete in the women's -55kg event.

Other weightlifters who are going to join Diaz at the Asian Championships are Mary Flor Diaz (45kg), Rosegie Ramos (49kg), Margaret Colonia (59kg), Elreen Anne Ando (64kg) and Kristel Macrohon (71kg) in the women’s category

Joining the women's team are John Fabuar Ceniza (55kg), Nestor Colonia (61kg), Jeff Garcia (67kg) and John Dexter Tabique (81kg) for the men's events.

As for Diaz and other lifters, they need to collect points by joining more qualifying competitions to get ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Other competition in which some of them may join is the world championships to be hosted by Thailand.

Thailand as reported will not send weightlifters to any Olympic qualifying events for weightlifting because of doping issue unless the case is resolved.   

Aside from the 10 mentioned Filipino weightlifters, few more athletes are still vying to join the squad for the SEA Games 2019.