Albert Ian delos Santos during the Junior men’s 67kg category in the IWF Youth and Junior World Championships. –IWF PHOTO
When Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo handed the country its first gold medal in the Olympics, she had to go through a Chinese star who was then the world record holder.
Four years later, in a tournament of much lesser scale, Albert Ian Delos Santos overcame the famed red lifters at the recent International Weightlifting Federation 2025 World Youth and Junior Championships in Peru.
“I had a back injury last year and it was difficult. But I knew I could do it,’’ said beaming Delos Santos after beating favorite Yang Jinwen of China in striking two gold medals in the men’s 67-kilogram junior category.
Beating China in the sport is uncommon, with Diaz-Naranjo accomplishing the trick in Tokyo during the 2021 Summer Games, when she cornered Liao Qiuyun in the women’s 55kg category.
“I really focused on winning as soon as I was given the opportunity to compete,” said Delos Santos.
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