Sarno seeks honor, glory in Bogota

MANILA, Philippines — Vanessa Sarno topped the Tashkent Asian Championships at age 17 and the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games at 18.

Now a year older, the Tagbilaran, Bohol lass will try to prove that she’s a worthy successor to Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo as queen of Philippine weightlifting when she plunges into action in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships in Bogota, Colombia tonight.

The sky is the limit for Sarno, being tipped as the heiress to the Filipina Tokyo Olympics gold winner after her exploits in international meets that includes a fifth-place finish in the World Championships last year.

Sarno will vie in the women’s 71kg division alongside countrywoman Kristel Macrohon, a SEA Games gold medalist herself.

Sarno will give it her all and try to add to the three glittering gold medals snared by Diaz-Naranjo in the 55kg class last week.