THE Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas is looking to tap a Chinese coach anew to handle the reigns of the national team leading to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Weightlifting president Monico Puentevella yesterday said the Chinese coach to be hired will take over from Gao Kaiwen, the Chinese mentor who guided Hidilyn Diaz when she won the country’s first Olympic gold in the Tokyo games last year.
Puentevella said the proposal has been approved by the former Philippine Sports Commission Board under chairman William “Butch” Ramirez.
“Nag-okay na ang PSC Board under chairman Ramirez na kumuha ako ng bagong Chinese coach,” the former Bacolod congressman and mayor said in the online Philippine Sportswriters Association.
“Si Hidilyn kasi will only be with (coach) Julius Naranjo, kaya wala na siyang Chinese coach.
So ako, kukuha ng bagong Chinese coach na tutulong (sa national team),” he added.
He admitted hiring another foreign coach depends on the incoming PSC board.
“‘Yan ang problema ko kasi hindi pa natin alam kung sino ang bagong PSC chairman. Maski in-approve ‘yan titingnan muna ang budget kung may natirang pera pa diyan kung puwede,” Puentevella said in the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corp., Milo, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila, Unilever, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
Puentevella said he will try to work things out with his Chinese counterpart, noting that of the eight Chinese entries in the Tokyo Olympics, only one failed to bring home the gold in Liao Qiuyun, who was beaten by Diaz in the women’s 55 kg division.
