MANILA – Vanessa Sarno, touted as the next Hidilyn Diaz, exited early in the women’s 71kg weightlifting event at the Paris Olympics after failing all three attempts at 100kg in the snatch. This marks the first time since 2012 that the Philippine weightlifting team will leave the Olympics without a medal.
With Sarno out, the Philippines’ last hope for an Olympic medal rests on golfer Bianca Pagdanganan, who dropped from joint sixth to 13th after a 1-over 73 in Round 3. Dottie Ardina moved up to joint 23rd with a 69 but remains a long shot for a podium finish.
In weightlifting, the USA’s Olivia Reeves claimed the first American gold in 24 years, setting a new Olympic record in the snatch at 117kg. Romania’s Loredana Toma and Ecuador’s Angie Palacios initially matched the record, but Toma’s lift was nullified after review, leaving her with a DNF. Palacios secured bronze, while Colombia’s Mari Sanchez took silver with a high-risk 145kg lift.
(ia/mnm)
