Vanessa Sarno entered the Olympic Games in Paris with one thing in mind: winning an Olympic medal, even though it was her first time.
However, when competition time came, the 20-year-old weightlifter had an Olympic debut she would rather forget.
Sarno attempted to lift 100 kg in the snatch – something she routinely does in training – three times, but she was unable to do so in front of a supportive audience, including no less than the first-ever Filipino Olympic champion, her ate, Hidilyn Diaz.
The 2020 Asian champion quickly apologized for this unexpected result, explaining that the days leading up to the Olympics had been tough for her, as she felt some people around her were not rooting for her success.
“Hindi naman po siya sa pressure. It’s more like frustration po sa mga tao na nasa paligid namin, kasi ang toxic po nung environment. Ang pangit po nung ganoong environment while preparing for the Olympics po kasi,” Sarno shared to the POC Media Group in Paris.
“Aminado po ako na naging mahina ‘yung mentality ko ‘pag dating sa mga taong nasa paligid ko na sobrang toxic.”
Sarno also explained that in her road to the Olympics, in the two years leading up to her qualification, her personal coach, Richard ‘Pep’ Agosto, had been her rock during difficult times, knowing exactly what to do when the Boholana felt unsure.
However, Agosto was not allowed to be with Sarno starting from the pre-Olympic training camp in Metz.
The 32nd Southeast Asian Games gold medalist tried to have the former weightlifting national athlete and De La Salle University trackster on board, but it was not accommodated.
Instead, she had to settle for the coach provided by the national federation, which affected her mentality during the Games.
“Yung coach po na kasama ko po nung sa Metz training ay hindi po si Coach Pep [na] siya pong gumagabay sa akin, nag-ga-guide, at nagtitiwala po na nagpu-push na kaya ko mag-Olympics,” Sarno said.
“Ang lumalabas po kasi is parang ayaw nila na si Coach Pep ang mag-coach sa akin sa Olympics. Nag-explain din po ako sa kanilang lahat kung bakit siya ‘yung gusto ko, dahil sa mentality ko po nakakatulong po si Coach Pep. Alam niya po ako, kilala niya na po ako, kung anong nangyayari sa utak ko.”
Despite the circumstances, Agosto eventually came through, as Sarno’s request to the Philippine Olympic Committee was eventually granted.
Nonetheless, the past few days took a toll on the weightlifting prodigy, leading to her uncharacteristic finish.
With these challenges behind her, Sarno vowed to rise above the environment she had been through and do better next time.
“Sobrang nanghinayang lang po. Nanghihingi rin po ako ng patawad sa lahat nang na-disappoint ko na mga tao dahil nagpadala po ako sa mga tao na nagdo-down po sa akin. Nagpadala po ako sa mga tao na mine-mental po ako,” she said.
Sarno now looks ahead, determined to learn from this setback and take another shot at Olympic glory in Los Angeles four years from now, but with the right support system in place.
