The Philippine powerlifting team is targeting to enter six medal hopefuls for the 5th Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan this October.

National team coach Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta told DAILY TRIBUNE they need to crack the top 8 of their respective weight categories before 31 July and turn in an exceptional lift to qualify.

“Five of our lifters are within striking distance. Only the top 8 will qualify for the women and top 9 for the men,” Dumapong-Ancheta said in an episode of “Off the Court” last Thursday.

“Achelle Guion and Marydol Pamati-an are currently sitting in sixth place while Jules Empizo is in sixth place and Jeff Jaramillo is ranked 10th.

Guion, who competed in the 2012 LondonParalympics, recently clinched a gold in the women’s legend category and a bronze medal in the open event of the women’s 45-kilogram category of the Asia-Oceania Open Championships in Bangkok last 7 to 12 April after lifting a total of 252kgs.

With chess, which won eight out of the 10 gold medals in the Hangzhou edition in 2023 in China, removed for the latest edition of the Asian Para Games, the Philippine Sports Hall of Famer said they need to step up their game to make it to the podium as per the instruction of Philippine Paralympic Committee president Michael Barredo.

The Filipinos finished ninth in the 4th Asian Para Games with a 10-4-5 gold-silver-bronze medal tally. Ivan Suing