DESERVING. Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas head Monico Puentevella (center) with Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) President Mohammed Yousef Al Mana of Qatar (right) and International Weightlifting Federation President Mohammed Jalood of Iraq during the AWF Electoral Congress in Doha, Qatar on Jan. 5, 2022. Puentevella received an award for his exemplary performance as honorary president of the AWF. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas President Monico Puentevella was chosen as one of the five vice presidents on the Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) Executive Board during the Electoral Congress in Doha, Qatar last Jan. 5.
Shakhrillo Makhmudov (Uzbekistan), Meng Bo (China), Choi Sung Yong (South Korea) and Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Aljarmal (Yemen) also won as vice presidents in the elections held on the sidelines of the 9th West Asian Men's Weightlifting Championships and 7th Qatar International Cup at the Radisson Blu Hotel Doha.
Qatar's Mohammed Yousef Al Mana won a third term as president while Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Ahmed Al-Harbi and Iraq's Mohammed Jalood (Iraq) were elected as secretary-general and first vice president, respectively.
Jalood is currently the president of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).
Elected as Board members were Ebrahem Alemyan (Jordan), Ahmad Mohyuddin (Bangladesh), Sajjad Anoushiravani (Iran), Partha Sarathi Sengupta (Nepal), Eshaq Eshaq (Bahrain), Junichi Okada (Japan), Chang Wen Hsin (Chinese Taipei), Omurzhan Moldodosov (Kyrgyzstan), Khodr Moukalled (Lebanon), Hasanin Al Chaikh (Syria), Hafiz Imran Butt (Pakistan), Niwat Limsuknirum (Thailand) and Olga Solovyeva (Kazakhstan).
Meanwhile, Puentevella received an award for his exemplary performance as honorary president of the AWF.
"The award goes to all our disciplined lifters, Hidilyn, their parents, coaches, sponsors, Philippine Sports Commission, MVP Sports Foundation, Hans Sy, my fellow Board members and supporters who all these years supported and prayed for our success. This award, aside from the IWF Hall of Fame comes after more than 20 years of enjoying this Olympic game. To God be the glory," said Puentevella in an interview on Monday.
Puentevella, who became SWP president in 2002, served as Philippine Olympic Committee chairman for four years and vice president for four years. He was Philippine Sports Commission commissioner for more than six years and was also responsible for the National Youth Games (Batang Pinoy), a grassroots development program for children 15 years old and below.
Last year, Puentevella was inducted into the IWF Hall of Fame for his lifetime achievements. Under his leadership, the Philippines captured its first Olympic gold medal through Hidilyn Diaz during the 2020 Tokyo Games. (PNA)
