Vanessa Sarno’s golden campaign in the 2020 Asian Weightlifting Championships might actually lead to a ticket to Tokyo.
According to Samahang Weighlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella, there’s a huge possibility that the 17-year-old native of Tagbilaran City can qualify as a wildcard to the Olympics.
“After the other continental events, they will compute the evaluation in the IWF,” shared Puentevella during this week’s Philippine Sportswriter’s Association forum, powered by Smart and Upstream Media as official webcast partner.
“If we get lucky, she’s in.”
Sarno finished with two golds and a silver in the 71-kilogram division of the continental event.
Kristel Macrohon, who won two bronzes in 76kg, and Elreen Ando, who won silver in 64kg, can also earn a spot in the Olympics as wild cards. Sarno though has the best chance among the three.
Wild card entries are determined once all the ranking points from the Qualifiers have been determined. There is no universality rule in weightlifting.
Hidilyn Diaz qualified for the Games also in the same tournament as she was able to accumulate the ranking points needed when she stepped foot on the stage.
Diaz was the seventh Filipino who booked a place in the Tokyo Games joining pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio, and Carlo Paalam
