CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Young weightlifters from Zamboanga City powered the Philippines to a 26-medal haul—including 13 golds—at the 2026 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Through three days of competition, the Philippine delegation built a tally of 13 gold, six silver, and seven bronze medals, anchored by standout performances from Jhodie Peralta and Angeline Colonia.

Dominant Lifts

Peralta commanded the women's 53 kg category across both youth and junior divisions, capturing three gold and two silver medals. Coached by Allen Diaz, Peralta swept the youth division with gold in snatch (86 kg) and total lift (188 kg), alongside silver in clean and jerk (102 kg). She added another gold in junior snatch (86 kg) and silver in junior total lift (188 kg).

Meanwhile, Angeline Colonia secured gold in snatch (80 kg), alongside silver medals in clean and jerk (93 kg) and total lift (173 kg) in the women's 49 kg junior division.

Carrying the Family Legacy

Colonia comes from one of the country's prominent weightlifting families. Her uncle and coach, Gregorio Colonia, and her brother, Nestor Colonia, are both former Olympic lifters.

Despite the pressure of her lineage, the former 32nd SEA Games silver medalist and Asian youth record-holder revealed her entry into the sport began almost by chance during COVID-19 lockdowns.

"No'ng pandemic lang po," Colonia shared, noting that home isolation prompted her to begin training under her brother's guidance. "Si Kuya, tumutulong po sa 'kin sa training, sa technique. Tapos 'yung sinasabi niya, 'Training lang, training... para marating mo.'"

To prepare for international weight limits, Colonia underwent strict dietary cuts alongside daily practice.

"Training lang po, tapos medyo binawasan ko 'yung pagkain ko para makuha 'yung category," she added.

Team-Wide Surge

The Zamboanga contingent featured key contributions across multiple categories. Alexsandra Ann Diaz delivered three golds and two bronzes, while Jerick Icon Castro claimed three golds. Althea Bacaro added two golds, Prince Keil Delos Santos earned one gold and two bronzes, Jay-R Colonia secured two silvers and one bronze, and Kirby Kent Alas-as rounded out the haul with two bronzes.

Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas President Monico Puentevella praised the squad’s trajectory toward future Olympic qualification.

"This is the future of Philippine weightlifting. Some of these young lifters are on their way to the Olympics. The future looks bright," Puentevella said. "I thank the coaches, their parents, and our sponsors. With more training and international exposure, they will win more medals. Nowhere to go but up. We have gained the world’s respect."

Upcoming Matches

More Filipino lifters are scheduled to compete in the coming days, including Albert Ian Delos Santos in the men’s 70 kg division, Jea Mae Palagtiw in the women’s 69 kg division, Rhianne Cabalida in the women’s 77 kg division, Rosalinda Faustino in the women’s 57 kg division, and Mango Prince David Tarro in the men’s 65 kg division. (Dave Achondo, Editorial Assistant)