Four lifters vie for berths in 2014 YOG

MANILA, Philippines - Four Filipino weightlifters – all standouts of the Batang Pinoy and the POC-PSC National Games – will aspire for berths in  the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

Eilyn Rose Perez, Margarette Colonia, Patricia Niña Gregorio and Marko Lliena have been named by the Philippine Weightlifting Association (PWA) as the country’s bets to the first qualifiers for the YOG, the IWF Youth World Championships on April 6-13 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Bohol’s Perez, daughter of former national lifter and coach Ely Perez, earned the nod with her gold medal effort in the girls’ 44kg competitions in the last Batang Pinoy via personal best lift of 111kg (50kg in snatch and 61kg in clean and jerk).

Zamboanga City’s Colonia, daughter of national coach Greg Colonia made her mark with her triumph in the Batang Pinoy’s girls’ above-44 kg division via lifts of 50-61-111.

Colonia’s fellow Zamboangueño Gregorio also made it to the Phl contingent after taking the silver in the same category with her 48-58-106 lifts.

Llena from San Jose, Nueva Ecija is the lone male entry, making a case for himself with his victory in the Batang Pinoy’s boys’ above-50kg class and his earlier record-breaking effort in the PNG while competing in the 62kg youth division.

The 14-year-old Llena is younger brother of Patricia, a veteran of the inaugural YOG in 2010 in Singapore. Patricia placed fifth in the girls’ 63kg play of the Singapore Games.

As in the qualification guidelines for the last London Olympics, teams/nations will be ranked on total points earned by their lifters (each finish gets corresponding points) during the world joust. Twenty-five slots will be awarded in the male division (top nine teams get two slots each and 10th to 16th gets one apiece) while 22 will be given in the distaff side (top seven teams nail two berths each and eighth-15th secure one apiece).

Continental qualifiers will also be held in 2014 with universality slots likewise to be awarded.