Filipina Vanessa Sarno places fifth in World Weightlifting Championships

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Young Filipina weightlifting star Vanessa Sarno impressed in the 2021 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships held at the Uzbekistan Sports Complex after clinching fifth place in the women’s 71-kg category.

The 18-year-old sensation had the chance to deliver the country’s first podium finish in the prestigious weightlifting competition but failed to complete her final attempt in the tiebreaker after deciding to add three more kilos to the 128-kg weight in the clean and jerk.

Sarno tied with Sweden’s Patricia Strenius and USA’s Olivia Lynn when they were deadlocked at the 231-kg mark but the Filipina failed to progress.

Meredith Alwine of USA clinched the gold medal after lifting 235-kg, just one kilogram ahead of silver-medal finisher Sarah Davies of Great Britain.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympian Elreen Ando also missed a top three qualification in the women’s 59-kg category.

Despite a decent total lift score of 214-kg, 116-kg in the clean and jerk and 98-kg in the snatch, the Filipina still wasn’t able to secure a medal.

The last hope for PH, Kristel Macrohon, finished her campaign in seventh place with a total lift score of 228-kg.