NOT all days are sunshine and rainbows for Filipina weightlifting wunderkind Vanessa Sarno.
The 19-year-old Asian and world junior champion from Tagbilaran, Bohol had one of those rare bad moments as she finished unranked after failing to complete her clean and jerk attempts in the IWF World Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia yesterday (Sept. 14).
Ms. Sarno registered 100 kilograms in the snatch but couldn’t do anything in the clean and jerk due to injury in the women’s 71kg division.
The undisputed heiress to Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz’s throne had a history of shrugging off health discomforts in the past.
Like a superhero in the comic books, Ms. Sarno went from the ICU (intensive care unit) straight to the competition venue to sweep all three gold medals in the World Juniors Championships in New Delhi, India.
But in Riyadh, Ms. Sarno was just human after all and succumbed in the event she was supposed to deliver.
Ms. Sarno’s teammate, Kristel Macrohon completed her lift with a total of 225 kg off 97kg in snatch and 128kg in clean and jerk but it was only good for 19th place overall in the event dominated by the mighty Liao Guifang of China with a 273kg off a 120kg in snatch and 153kg in clean and jerk.
It is not yet known if the injury is serious enough to prevent Ms. Sarno from going for the gold in the Hangzhou Asia Games slated Sept. 23 to Oct. 8.
But many expect her to overcome this one too, super-hero style. — Joey Villar
