MANILA – Filipino weightlifter Albert delos Santos secured the men’s 71kg gold medal Tuesday morning, May 5, 2026 (PH time), at the IWF World Junior Championships in Ismailia, Egypt.
The 19-year-old delos Santos lifted 175kg in the clean and jerk to secure the title, then added 12kg to better his own junior world record, finishing with a dominant 139-187-326 total — 17kg clear of the field.
At the end of the 71kg session, delos Santos ran off the platform to hug his mother, Diwa, who produced a photo of her late husband, Alvin, a former national player who died of liver cancer two months ago.
Delos Santos kissed the photo, saying, “I did it for him! I did it for him!”
“Last-minute clutch because a week before we left, I injured my lower back, so I had to stay focused in recovery and not lose hope,” he said in an online interview.
“The world record is for my papa,” added the second-year financial management student from Universidad de Zamboanga.
Yash Khandagale of India pocketed the silver in snatch (140), bronze in clean and jerk (169), and silver in total (309).
Jimmy Lopez of Ecuador ranked third in total despite being eighth in snatch and fourth in clean and jerk. He made 134-167-301.
The 5-foot-8 delos Santos was the Youth champion in 2023 in the 61kg division and won the Junior title last year at 67kg.
Delos Santos now sets his sights on the Asian Games and the senior World Championships in Japan and China, respectively. He is training under Julius Naranjo, husband of Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz. / PNA
