Philippine weightlifting sensation Albert Ian Delos Santos added a bronze medal to the country’s tally at the 20th Asian Games after finishing third in the 70kg category in Men’s Weightlifting on Saturday at the Nagoya City Trade and Industry Center.
Delos Santos, one of the Philippines’ flagbearers in the opening ceremonies along with Aira Villegas, tallied a combined weight of 342kg, completing 141kg in the snatch and 183kg in the clean and jerk. He edged out Uzbekistan’s Adkhamjon Ergashev (318kg) and Chinese Taipei’s Wang‑heng Chen (314kg) for bronze. The Filipino clinched the Philippine weightlifting team’s first medal in these Games after successfully lifting 181kg in his second clean and jerk attempt, while Ergashev failed to complete his second and third tries at 180kg and 181kg.
Won Ju Ri, Masanori Miyamoto Put on a Classic
While Delos Santos settled for bronze, it was a medal worth its weight in gold given the level of competition. North Korea’s Won Ju Ri and Japan’s Masanori Miyamoto were in a class of their own.
Ri and Miyamoto set the pace in the snatch, completing 151kg and 154kg, respectively. The next closest was Ergashev’s 142kg, followed by Delos Santos’s 141kg. The two continued to dominate in the clean and jerk, alternately setting and resetting the world record in their battle for gold.
Miyamoto reset the record first with 188kg, nudging ahead of Ri. The North Korean responded with 192kg to reclaim the lead. Miyamoto attempted 193kg but failed, leaving Ri with the gold. Ri then capped his performance by lifting 198kg on his third attempt, resetting the clean and jerk record a third time and cementing his dominance.
Albert Ian Delos Santos Held His Own
Despite Ri and Miyamoto’s brilliance, Albert Ian Delos Santos showed he belongs among Asia’s best. At just 20 years old, he was the youngest competitor in the field and the only junior. Yet he submitted the fourth‑best mark in snatch and the third‑best in clean and jerk to share the podium with two world record holders.
For context, Miyamoto is 29 and in his prime, while Ri is 24 and entering his peak years. Albert Ian Delos Santos, meanwhile, is only 20—with his best years still ahead. On Saturday, he gave Asia a glimpse of what he can become, and it is something the Philippines can certainly look forward to.
