Peralta dominates as Philippines takes 10 golds at Youth and Junior weightlifting worlds

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May 2, 2025 | 2:46pm

MANILA, Philippines — Jhodie Peralta swept all three gold medals in the women’s 55-kilogram Youth division to cap the Philippines’ impressive 10-gold haul in the IWF Youth and Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru Thursday.

The 15-year-old Peralta, who hails from Zamboanga City where Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo hails from, topped the snatch, clean and jerk and total lift to account for three of the five mints the country won for the day.

The other two came from Albert Ian delos Santos, who copped the mints in the clean and jerk and total while winding up fourth in snatch.

The triumph of Delos Santos, son of former national champion Alvin, also carried more weight as he won it over a Chinese, who are known powers in the sport internationally.

“Ian Delos Santos beat his Chinese foe by two kilos. He’ll be a threat in the Los Angeles Olympics in three years time,” said Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella.

“After the Asian and Southeast Asian Games, he’s the man to watch now,” he added.

A third entry, Rosalinda Faustino, failed to make weight in the women’s 49kg and wasn’t able to compete.

The country’s other golden hauls came from Aleksandra Ann Diaz, a niece of Diaz-Naranjo who had two, Jay-R Colonia, who also had two, and Althea Bacaro, who picked one.