As Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz sits out of the world championships, the Philippines pins its hopes on the country’s new breed of weightlifters.

Ten weightlifters will vie for gold medals in the 2021 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships that will be staged from December 7 to 17 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Tokyo 2020 Olympian Elreen Ando looks to bounce back from her seventh place finish in the quadrennial meet in the women’s 59kg event on Saturday, December 11.

Teen sensation Vanessa Sarno, who bagged the titles in the 2020 online World Youth Championships and the 2021 Asian Championships, will aim for her inaugural world title in the seniors in the women’s 71kg event on Monday, December 13.

But she will up against compatriot Kristel Macrohon, who won a 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold in the event.

Hidilyn Diaz’s cousin Mary Flor Diaz and Elien Rose Perez will open the women’s team campaign on Wednesday, December 8 in the women’s 45kg and 49kg events, respectively.

Margaret Colonia, the cousin of weightlifting star Nestor Colonia, will vie for her first podium finish since the 2019 SEA Games silver in the women’s 64kg event on Sunday, December 12.

On the men’s side, John Febuar Ceniza will headline the four-man team following his 2020 Roma World Cup bronze and 2019 SEA Games silver in the men’s 61kg event on December 9.

Fernando Agad will be the first to compete in the delegation in the men’s 55kg even on the opening day, December 7.

Dave Lloyd Pacaldo will be joining the men’s 67kg event on Friday, December 10, while John Dexter Tabique will cap off the country’s stint in the men’s 96kg event on Monday, December 13. – Rappler.com