By REY C. LACHICA
PARIS – Have faith in yourself if you wish to come out on top.
That’s the mantra of world No. 4 Vanessa Sarno in her previous battles, and for sure, she’ll going to use it again as she tries to give the country another “high” when she competes in the 71kg class of women’s weightlifting in the Paris Olympics on Friday, Aug. 9, at the South Paris Arena in Versailles.
That was the same mantra she rode on the way to her first Olympic journey in this charming French capital.
And she hopes to make the most of it in her desire to uplift the status of her family – not to mention her hopes and dreams for the country.
“Gawin ko po lahat pero hindi po ako mag-promise,” she said in past interview.
She has already defied expectations after lifting 110kg in snatch to beat her own national mark before clearing 135kg in clean and jerk for a total of 245kg during a qualifying tournament.
Her total lift, however, was far from her best of 249kg which she logged in a Doha tournament but she is hell-bent to achieve it here considering the level of competition and the kind of opposition she’s going to face.
Among her toughest rivals are American Olivia Reeves, Angie Paola Palacios of Ecuador, Loredana Elena Toma of Romania and Taiwanese Chen Wen-Huei.
Like everybody else, Sarno is eager to hear the national anthem, saying: “It feels great.”
CENIZA SUFFERING FROM SHOULDER INJURY
Sarno is now the country’s best hope for a podium after world No. 5 John Febuar Ceniza bombed out early of the men’s 61kg class after failing thrice to clear the 125kg he declared as his starting lift in the snatch.
He got a DNF (did not finish) card that he cried his heart out all the way to the Olympic Village.
A PH team official who spoke on condition of anonymity blamed Ceniza’s forgettable showing to a shoulder injury.
“Grabe iyak nya,” he said. “Sobra masama ang loob.”
Ceniza only managed to compete with the help of painkillers.
Eleen Ando, who beat Tokyo Games hero Hidilyn Diaz for a spot in the PH team, is competing in the 59kg class at presstime.
Weightlifting head Monico Puentevella is hoping the presence of Diaz will inspire Sarno even more, same thing for Ando.
