SILVER MEDALIST. Filipino John Febuar Ceniza (third from left) joins the other medalists on the podium during the awarding ceremony of the men's 61kg category at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Grand Prix II in Doha, Qatar on Thursday (Dec. 7, 2023). Ceniza tallied 298kgs. (Screenshot from YouTube video)
MANILA – The Philippines secured another silver medal courtesy of John Febuar Ceniza in the men's 61kg category of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Grand Prix II in Doha, Qatar on Thursday.
Despite finishing fourth in snatch (133kgs) and fifth in the clean and jerk (165kgs), the 25-year-old Cebuano registered the second-best total of 298kgs.
South Korean Pak Myong Jin ruled the clean and jerk (171kgs) and total (305kgs), while Chinese Li Fabian topped the snatch (137kgs).
Malaysian Mohamad Aniq bin Kasdan and American Hampton Miller Morris won the silver and bronze medals, respectively in the clean and jerk. Kasdan also bagged the bronze medal in total.
Ceniza, a two-time silver medalist at the SEA Games, set the national record of 134kgs in snatch during the Hangzhou Asian Games last October.
The 2020 World Cup bronze medalist also holds the national records in clean and jerk (170kgs) and total (300kgs), set both at the Philippine Open in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental in July this year.
Meanwhile, the IWF World Grand Prix 2 takes a break and will resume on Friday with the women's 59kg category where Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz and 2023 Cambodia SEA Games gold medalist Elreen Ann Ando will compete.
Scheduled to see action in the women's 71kg category on Sunday are SEA Games gold medalists Vanessa Sarno (2021 and 2023) and Kristel Macrohon (2019).
The Philippines now has four silver medals, including three from Rose Jean Ramos in the women's 45kg category last Tuesday. (PNA)
