TRAINING is underway for two weightlifter scholars of the Alsons Power Group, Mindanao’s first and most experienced independent power producer, as they eye to qualify in the Youth Olympics Games in October at Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Rosegie Ramos, 13, and Jane Linete Hipolito, 16, will fly to Uzbekistan for the YOG qualifiers in weightlifting by April 2018 for a chance to represent the Philippines.
The YOG gathers athletes aged 15-18 from all over the world to compete in more than 20 sports that include weightlifting.
Ramos and Hipolito, who are both from Zamboanga City, are beneficiaries of the Alsons Power-Hidilyn Diaz scholarship program spearheaded by the power company and 2016 Rio Olympics weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz.
Ramos earned two gold medals, one silver and one bronze at the Filipino youth competition Batang Pinoy from 2014-2015. In 2016, she bagged a gold medal from the National Batang Pinoy competition held at Davao del Norte and a bronze medal at Weightlifting Competition 2016 held in Tokyo, Japan. Last year, Ramos took home a silver from HDWOC (Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Open Championships) and a gold medal from the Zamboanga Hermosa Weightlifting Championship.
Hipolito, on the other hand, won two golds and one silver when she competed at Batang Pinoy 2014 and 2015. She took home a bronze medal from the Weightlifting Competition 2016 held in Tokyo, Japan and another gold medal from the National Batang Pinoy competition. Last year, she earned a silver medal at HDWOC and Zamboanga Hermosa Weightlifting Championship, respectively.
The other scholars of the program are also slated to see action at Batang Pinoy 2018 in Zamboanga City this February. Together with Ramos and Hipolito, the scholars are part of the current pool of young weightlifters training under the Philippine Weightlifting Association.
The scholarship program is part of Alsons Power’s commitment to help provide more educational opportunities for the young people in Zamboanga City, where Alsons Power is the primary supplier of electricity thru its 100-megawatt WMPC diesel power plant in barangay Sangali in the eastern portion of the city. The partnership between Alsons and Diaz aims to produce world-class Filipino weightlifters and support the country’s efforts in eventually winning gold in the Olympics and excelling in other international sports competitions.