Weightlifting could be added in the calender of activities of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines in the future.
Studies are now being done on how the sport could someday prosper in the league.
Executive director Rene “Rebo” Saguisag talked about this during one of the UAAP’s regular podcasts recently.
“I think Olympic events should have a place in the UAAP. Kasi ang isang principle namin is to support a national sports program,” said Saguisag, who added the league is inspired by the achievements of the weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who bagged a silver medal in the Rio Olympics and a gold in the Tokyo Games.
And now that Diaz is now the country’s first Olympics gold medallist, the league is making a review of its calendar.
Boxing, according to Saguisag, is another sport that could make a return to the league’s program.
“Historically, boxing was part of the UAAP. These two sports are worth revisiting,” said Saguisag, noting the three Filipino boxers who bagged medals in the Tokyo Olympics—silver achievers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze mSaguisag said member schools will have to evaluate their capacity to open itself to new programs and add new varsity teams and scholarship programs involving the two sports activities.
So far, the league has 16 events, with 13 that are part of the Olympic program for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Talks of having weightlifting in the league’s program started when Saguisag met with Diaz sometime after she won a silver medal in the Rio Games.