NAGOYA, Japan — Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo sees a potential Olympian in 20-year-old Albert Ian Delos Santos after the Filipino weightlifter won a record-setting bronze medal in his Asian Games debut Saturday.
Diaz-Naranjo, however, cautioned that Delos Santos still needs significant development before he can compete at the Olympic level.
“He’s the future of weightlifting. He’s a future Olympian, a potential gold medalist,” Diaz-Naranjo said. “But I was honest with him that realistically, he’s still far from the level of the Olympics.”
Diaz-Naranjo won the women’s 55-kilogram gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the Philippines’ first Olympic champion after a long wait for an individual gold medal.
She said Delos Santos has the strength, courage and competitive drive to pursue an Olympic career but must prepare for the increased demands of the senior division.
“This is the seniors division, and he needs to work doubly hard,” Diaz-Naranjo said. “The effort should be all out because the pressure is very high. I want to make him understand that the process in the Olympics is very hard.”
She added that Delos Santos could reach the Olympics if he remains committed to the process.
Record-setting Asian Games debut
Delos Santos entered the men’s 70-kilogram competition as the youngest lifter in the field.
He successfully lifted 138 kilograms and 141 kilograms in his first two snatch attempts before missing at 143 kilograms.
Delos Santos then lifted 178 kilograms, 181 kilograms and 183 kilograms in the clean and jerk. His final attempt gave him a 324-kilogram total and the bronze medal.
His 183-kilogram clean and jerk set a junior world record for the second time during the competition.
The medal also ended a 56-year wait for a Filipino male weightlifter to reach the Asian Games podium. Salvador del Rosario last won a medal for the Philippines in the men’s event with a flyweight silver at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok.
North Korea’s Ri Won Ju won the gold medal with 349 kilograms after setting a senior world record with a 198-kilogram clean and jerk.
Japan’s Masanori Miyamoto won silver with a 342-kilogram total.
Olympic potential
Diaz-Naranjo said Delos Santos reminds her of herself because of his determination to lift heavier weights and compete for victories.
“Ian is very different in a sense that he’s so strong and very brave,” she said.
“The only thing that I can compare myself to him when I was his age was my drive to win. I will try to lift the heaviest that I can lift, and I see that in Ian.”
Delos Santos also entered the Asian Games after a strong junior campaign.
He won the snatch, clean and jerk and total titles in the 70-kilogram division at the Asian Youth and Junior Championships in August.
His 180-kilogram clean and jerk and 321-kilogram total at that competition established junior world records.
He surpassed both marks in Nagoya.
Delos Santos now turns his attention toward the qualification process for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics with a Philippine team that includes Diaz-Naranjo’s husband and coach, Julius Naranjo.
Diaz-Naranjo said coaches can already see Delos Santos’ progress through his training numbers and work ethic.
For now, she advised the young lifter to enjoy his Asian Games achievement.
“Sometimes he’s overly aggressive and needs to calm down and relax,” Diaz-Naranjo said.