Record lift extends Sarno’s weightlifting reign in SEAG

PH volleybelles’ best not enough

PHNOM PENH—The bronze medal was within reach, but Indonesia just won’t wilt and the Philippines finished fourth place in women’s volleyball at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.

“We did our best, but it wasn’t enough to beat Indonesia,” said Jorge Edson Souza de Brito the morning after the Indonesians struggled to beat the Filipinas in four sets, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, in the bronze medal match on Sunday at the Olympic Stadium.

Before flag-waving and cheering fans, the Filipinas fought gallantly against their more internationally-experienced foes, with Tots Carlos holding fort until the final moment by saving two match points.

But the Indonesians, many of them playing in jihabs, were unrelenting and went on to claim bronze while dealing the Philippines its third loss in five matches from the preliminaries.

“We need to be more consistent but as a matter of fact, we’d improved a lot— less errors, better receive, more block touches,” De Brito said. “These players had such a hard time reaching their best level and it would be good if we keep a core from these players.”

By Peter Atencio

PHNOM PENH—Easy peasy.

Making it look so easy despite her lack of sleep, Vanessa Sarno extended her reign in the women’s 71-kg. category by grabbing the gold in record fashion on Monday in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games weightlifting competitions at the Olympic Stadium here.

Fresh off her three-silver campaign in the Asian Championships in Jinju, Korea, the 19-year-old Sarno, who is being considered as Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz’s heir apparent, first cleared 105 lbs in the snatch on her third attempt, to shatter her own 104-lb record set last year. She then lifted 120 on her first attempt in the clean and jerk to seize a total of 225 for the gold.

Sarno didn’t push herself any further after that, passing up on the chance to break her own SEA Games’ records in

And

justice for all the clean and jerk (135kg) and total lift (239kg).

BASKETBALL justice. We all know what it is. A missed free throw for a foul that wasn’t there—that is justice—unless, of course, the person on the free throw line is terrible at the stripes. It could be as simple as that. Or as costly as what Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers missed: eliminating the Boston Celtics when they had the chance, and losing the potential series-winning Game 6 and 7 en route to another humiliating exit once again.

“Kaya naming ituloy. Pero si Vanessa ay galing pa sa Asian Championship na Olympic qualifier. Mataas na ang level ng performance niya doon. Dito pababa. Ayaw namin siyang masira dito. Ang goal lang namin was to get the SEA Games’ gold,” said Sarno’s coach Tony Agustin.

Sarno’s mentor revealed that his ward had earlier, unofficially tied her SEAG record with a total of 239 during her silver performances in Jinju, from her lifts of 107 in the snatch and 132 in the clean and jerk—the reason why they did not have to push Sarno any further.

As it turned out, Sarno didn’t have to exert herself, as her rivals here were simply outclassed by her performance.

Taking the silver was Thipwara Chontavin of Thailand with just 208 (17 lbs behind Sarno), followed by Indonesian Restu Anggi with her 206 total (19 behind).

“Wala pa po kaming masyadong tulog pagdating namin galing Korea.

Pero in-enjoy ko na lang po ang sarili ko,” said Sarno, a native of Tagbilaran, Bohol.

Sarno bagged the Philippines’ second weightlifting gold a day after Elreen Ando’s record-smashing performance in the -59kgs.

The weightlifting team also had four silvers, courtesy of Angeline Colonia (women’s 45 kg), Lovely Inan (women’s 49 kg), John Febuar Ceniza (men’s 61 kg) and Rosalinda Faustino (women’s 55 kg).