Vanessa Sarno comes up with a strong showing to boost her chances of making the 2024 Paris Olympics. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PSC
SPORTS

Sarno falls short in Olympic debut

Ivan Suing

Vanessa Sarno’s Olympic debut did not go as planned as she got a DNF (did not finish) after not recording a single lift in the women’s 71-kilogram event of the Paris Summer Games at the South Paris Arena 6 early Saturday (Manila time).

Sarno could not register 100kgs three times in the snatch, ending her Olympic debut.

This ends the Phillippines’ campaign in weightlifting after Southeast Asian Games silver medalist John Ceniza also registered a DNF in the men’s 61-kg event. Asian Games bronze medalist Elreen Ando broke the national record in the women’s clean-and-jerk and total lift in the women’s 59-kg with 130kgs and 230kgs, respectively.

It is also the first time the Philippines will not be taking home an Olympic medal in weightlifting since Hidilyn Diaz picked up a silver medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and a gold medal in Tokyo in 2021.

The Filipinos have collected two gold medals thanks to gymnast Carlos Yulo and two bronze medals, courtesy of boxers Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio.

Golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina are the only athletes in the 22-man Philippine delegation still competing as they head to round 4 of the women’s individual stroke play at the Le Golf National on Saturday.

The No. 23 Ardina will tee off at 5:17 p.m. (Manila time) while Pagdanganan, who is T13 after three rounds, will tee off at 5:44 p.m.