SURAKARTA, Indonesia. — Adeline Dumapong Ancheta will be gunning for not one but two gold medals as she tries to stretch her dominant run in the women’s powerlifting +85kg division of the 11th Asean Para Games set to start this Saturday at the Manahan Stadium here.
“Just like in regular weightlifting competitions, under our new rules, now we not only count the best lifts but also the total of all three lifts in the bench press,” Ancheta said on the chartered Philippine Airlines plane Tuesday that flew the national team to the regional sportsfest here.
A bronze medalist in the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games, the stocky athlete from Kiangan, Ifugao has bagged five Asean Para Games gold medals, including three in the last four editions of the regional sports showcase for para athletes.
She is, however, wary of Indonesian rival Sriyanti, who has been the perennial bridesmaid to the Pinay lifter in the Asean Para Games.
“Sriyanti is younger than me but always placed second in the past. Ang alam ko mas malakas siya ngayon kaya I am not sure if I would be able to retain my title had it been under the old competition format,” Ancheta said. “But with this new rule, I might have a chance for gold in the total lifts.”
“We are grateful to the PSC for allowing us to have at least more than a month’s bubble training at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City. Malaking bagay din ‘yon in helping us prepare for this competition,” she said.
Ancheta and veteran two-time Asian Para Games silver medalist Achelle “Jinky” Guion spearhead the national powerlifting squad of five female and three male athletes who will try to surpass the country’s haul of one gold and a bronze medal in the 2017 Malaysia Asean Para Games.
Guion will be the country’s flag-bearer during the inaugural rites of the event featuring the cream of para-athletes from all over the region.
The other members of the team are veteran Agustin Kitan, Gregorio Payat Jr. and Romeo Tayawa in the men’s category while Denesia Esnara, Marydol Pamatian, and Nikki Vidal are the other female powerlifters.
