SAMAHANG Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) President Monico Puentevella was recently elected as Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) vice president in Doha, Qatar.
After earning his mandate, the AWF honorary president’s first order of business is to make sure the sport, which delivered the country its breakthrough Olympic gold medal in the 2021 Tokyo Games, will remain in the 2028 Los Angeles Games calendar.
While weightlifting will see the day in next year’s Paris Olympics, there is a chance it may not in the next staging in LA as following its removal from the initial list of disciplines to be played there by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“From being AWF honorary president to vice president simply means I would like a more active role within the new AWF and IWF (International Weightlifting Federation) boards to make sure our beautiful sport doesn’t get scrapped in the 2028 LA Olympics and all Games thereafter,” said Mr. Puentevella.
Just before his election, Mr. Puentevella received an award for his exemplary performance as AWF honorary president as well as an inclusion to the IWF Hall of Fame.
Under his leadership, the Philippines won its historic Olympic gold courtesy of Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo in Tokyo.
And there is hope more will be won in Paris. — Joey Villar