WITH the exclusion of the women’s weightlifting in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Malaysia, the Philippines is left with a sole entry in Olympian Nestor Colonia for the men’s category.
Philippine Weightlifting Association president Monico Puentevella confirmed this Monday and he expressed optimism that Colonia will win a gold medal.
“One athlete, one gold,” he said.
On the case of exclusion of the women’s event in the 2017 SEAG, Puentevella said he made an appeal to Malaysian officials to reconsider the participation of women's weightlifting for the SEAG.
“But they claimed it is too late now. With this concept of hosts choosing only the games they prefer, I believe the SEAG will be deteriorating in the future,” he said.
One of the Philippines ace lifters who should have been assured of a medal is Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz.
“We will have our elections in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) two months from now. It's always beneficial for the Philippines to be involved in the selection of candidates. This way, we get more support from the top officials of the IWF,” Puentevella said.
Other sports undertakings excluded in this year’s SEAG are women’s boxing, athletics events marathon (men’s and women’s), 10,000m (men’s and women’s), 3,000m steeplechase (men’s and women’s), men’s decathlon and women’s heptathlon; bodybuilding, canoeing, fencing, women’s soccer, wrestling, judo, among others.
National women’s boxing team head coach Roel Velasco was saddened over news that Malaysia excluded the women boxing in the upcoming 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Velasco said that Pinay defending champion Josie Gabuco is supposed to be on her way to a fifth gold medal this year.
“I know that she (Josie) can make her fifth in SEAG that’s why I’m saddened with the event’s exclusion,” the former Barcelona Olympic bronze medalist said. (HGD)