VANESSA Sarno apologized to the Filipino nation for her dismal performance in the 2024 Paris Olympics, even as she revealed that her training in the lead-up to the Games was far from ideal.
The 20-year-old admitted she was not mentally prepared for her first major senior competition due to the training conditions that she went through after they left from Manila for the Olympics.
Sarno shockingly suffered an early exit when she failed to lift 100 kilograms in the snatch in all her three attempts. Just last year, Sarno lifted 105 kilograms in the snatch to set a new Southeast Asian Games record.
“Hindi naman po siya sa pressure. Parang frustration po sa lahat ng mga tao na nasa paligid namin kasi sobrang toxic ng environment. Ang pangit po ng environment while preparing for Olympics kasi aminado po ako na naging mahina po ‘yung mentality ko pagdating sa mga tao na nasa paligid ko na sobrang toxic,” said Sarno in an interview with Filipino reporters in Paris.
Sarno revealed she requested the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas for Richard ‘Pep’ Agosto, her personal coach for two years, to accompany her during their training camp in Metz, France and in Germany in the final build-up for the Olympics, but it was rejected by the federation.
Agosto later joined Sarno after she elevated her request to the Philippine Olympic Committee, but only after they were already bound for Paris after the Germany camp.
“’Yung coach na kasama ako sa Metz na training, hindi po si coach Pep which is siya po ‘yung gumagabay po sa akin, naga-guide at nag-titiwala, nagpu-push na kaya ko mag-Olympics,” said Sarno.
Sarno said one of the coaches that was designated by the SWP for the Olympics was Nicolas Jaluag, someone she had a falling out with.
“Siya po dati ‘yung grassroots coach ko. Sa kanya po ako nanggaling. Kasi po sa dami nang nangyari, sa dami ng injuries, pag nagkaka-injury ako, pag wala ako, hindi ako nagpo-podium, parang wala rin ako sa kanila. Nung all throughout ng qualifying journey ko, doon lang sila nangugulo uli nung sure na nakapag-qualify ako,” Sarno claimed.
John Ceniza’s personal coach Christopher Bureros and national coach Tony Agustin trained her instead during the final build-up but the absence of Agosto proved to be crucial.
“Nung nawala na po ako sa Manila, sobrang hirap po talaga kasi mahina ‘yung mentality ko. Gustong gusto ko na po sumuko kasi sa sobrang toxic ng environment na nandoon. Hindi ko na po kinaya ‘yung mga tao.
“Ramdam ko na ayaw nila na nandoon ako, na gusto nila ma-down ako. Sobrang hirap kapag ganun po ‘yung nasa paligid. Kailangan po talaga na malakas ‘yung mentality,” said Sarno.
Sarno said she is disappointed with her early exit since she knows that she can easily lift 100 kilograms.
“Kayang kaya ko po ‘yun kahit sa Manila. Nanghihinayang lang po ako. Nanghihingi po ako ng patawad sa lahat ng na-disappoint ko na mga tao dahil nagpadala ako sa mga tao na nagdodown sa akin. Nagpadala ako sa mga tao na minemental ako,” said Sarno.
She also vowed to bounce back, eyeing a return to the quadrennial games in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
“Sana patuloy niyo pa rin ako suportahan at abangan niyo po ako sa susunod na Olympics."
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