Colonia kicks off Phl weightlifters’ medal hunt

Southeast Asian Games silver medalist Angeline Colonia will kick off the country’s bid in the IWF World Junior Championships that will be held in Leon, Spain on Friday.

National team head coach Gregorio Colonia said his 17-year-old niece has a solid chance of winning in the women’s 45-kilogram class of the tourney that starts at 1:30 a.m. (Manila time).

The younger Colonia is part of the eight-man delegation that also includes Rose Jean Ramos, Jhodie Peralta, Rosalinda Faustino, Albert Ian delos Santos, Lovely Inan, Prince Keil delos Santos and Eron Borres.

“She is doing okay and she is ready for 19 September,” Gregorio, who represented the country in the Seoul Olympics in 1988, said.

“She has a chance to get a medal. We don’t know what color but she has a big chance to make it to the podium.”

The elder Colonia said the rest of the delegation trained in Manila for a month before flying to Spain last Sunday.

“They’re now adjusted to the climate in Spain,” said Gregorio, who was joined by coaches Diwa delos Santos, Samuel Alegada, and Allen Diaz, the cousin of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz.

“We have been training continuously in Zamboanga but our preparation was more than a month.”