ASIAN Games gold prospect Vanessa Sarno hopes her injured elbow heals up in time for the weightlifting competition of the quadrennial meet in Hangzhou, China.
The 19-year-old Sarno had gotten back from Saudi Arabia where she competed in the IWF World Championship, a qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Vanessa Sarno injury update
But she brought home with her the injured elbow she suffered during the event and which kept her from completing her attempts in the clean and jerk.
She was with the mean, five-man weightlifting team that attended the sendoff for the 396-strong Philippine contingent on Monday at the PICC Plenary Hall, though she maintained she’s still nursing the injury on her left elbow.
“Masakit siya. Hindi ko pa siya maituwid,” admitted the Asian and world junior champion, one of the country’s top bets to win the gold in the Asiad that kicks off this weekend.
“Pero mas better na siya ngayon, kasi nung bago siya, hindi ko talaga mai-diretso.”
Action in weightlifting starts on Sept. 30.
Aside from the injury, Sarno also has to deal with competing at a higher weight class. Previously campaigning in the -71 kg class, where she won gold in both the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Championships, she will be seeing action in the -76 kg for the first time.
“Maglalaro ako sa mas mabigat na weight,” she said, adding organizers decided to scrap her previous weight class.
“First time ko sa -76 kg, so bago yung mga kalaban ko.”
Aside from Sarno, also part of the weightlifting team are Elreen Ann Ando, Rosegie Ramos, lone male bet John Febuar, and Olympic gold medal winner Hidilyn Diaz.
Like Sarno, Diaz will also go up in weight and compete in the women’s 59kg.
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