Angeline Colonia, a teenager from Zamboanga City, made waves on Saturday as she clinched a well-deserved silver medal in the women’s 45kg event at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games on Saturday.
At just 16 years old, Colonia emerged as the youngest participant among her fierce competitors, setting the stage for what promises to be an enthralling campaign by the country’s weightlifters.
Exhibiting incredible strength and skill, Colonia astounded onlookers as she flawlessly executed a snatch lift of 68kg, followed by an impressive clean and jerk of 80kg.
Her remarkable total lift of 148kg firmly established her position among the top contenders at the National Olympic Stadium.
Although falling short of the gold medal, which was seized by Myanmar’s Zin May Oo with a total lift of 164kg, Colonia’s outstanding performance surpassed all expectations.
Coach Edmundo Cardano expressed his pride and admiration for the young weightlifter, remarking on her emotional reaction to winning a silver medal against more experienced adversaries.
“She cried after winning a silver against her veteran counterparts. She is so young and promising,” he shared, highlighting the immense potential that Colonia possesses.
Cardano firmly believes that this achievement marks the beginning of a remarkable campaign for the Philippine weightlifting team in this competition.
Adding a touch of familial significance to her triumph, Colonia is the sister of Nestor Colonia, a renowned weightlifter who represented the Philippines in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
As Angeline celebrates her silver medal victory, her gift to herself as she celebrates her birthday on the 22nd.
The excitement surrounding the Southeast Asian Games shows no signs of waning as the tournament progresses.
Anticipation builds as reigning 71kg women’s champion Vanessa Sarno prepares to defend her title on Monday, while Tokyo Olympian Erleen Ann Ando eagerly awaits her turn to compete in the women’s 59kg class on Sunday.
