The country’s successful stint in the recent International Weightlifting Federation Youth and Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru is a very good sign heading into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

This early, Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella is predicting a battle between powerhouse China and underdog Philippines in the next Summer Games.

“In the World Youth last month, China won five gold medals and the Philippines won five golds also. That’s why in the Los Angeles Olympics, it will be a fight between China and the Philippines,” said Puentevella in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

“We have smaller budget compared to China but we also won five gold medals. Before, we were very far from China. It was just like a dream. We were behind by 20 kilos.”

Puentevella said he hopes to win another gold medal in the Summer Games.

“I want to see another gold medal in the Olympics,” added Puentevella, who personally witnessed Hidilyn Diaz’ rise to fame after winning the gold medal, the first for the Philippines, in the Tokyo Games after three previous stints in the Olympics, including a silver medal finish in Rio in 2016.

Puentevella was joined in the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 app ArenaPlus by weightlifting coach and SWP official Patrick Lee, whom the latter described as “one of the main reasons why Philippine weightlifting is going up.”