By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Powerlifter Regie Ramirez registered a new world record in his weight division at the 2025 World Open Equipped Championships held recently in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
The Ormoc City native, who is competing in the men’s -59kg division, reset the mark in the open deadlift with 276.5kgs en route to securing the gold medal.
He edged Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yi-chun, who posted 255kgs for the silver medal, and Ecuador’s Franklin Leon, who managed 245kgs on his second attempt for the bronze.
Ramirez, who finished eighth in the 2025 World Games in China last August, also settled for the bronze medal with a total lift of 669kg behind Lin, who won the gold over Leon after tiebreaks were applied after both registered identical 712.5kg lifts.
The Filipino standout came close to the podium after finishing fourth both in squat (240kg) and bench press (152.5kg).
In the women’s -47kg division Veronica Ompod finished fifth overall with 427.5kg after finishing sixth in squat (170kg), seventh in bench press (85kg) and fourth in deadlift (172.5kg).
Tetiana Bila and Mariia Polianska made a 1-3 finish in the category for Ukraine with total lifts of 482.5kg and 457.5kg, respectively, while Japan’s Yukako Fukushima finished silver with 462.5kg. Chinese Taipei’s Chen Wei-Ling finished fourth with 450kg.
