BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – “I am ready to go anytime.”
Former Lone District Cong. Monico Puentevella sounded sentimental as he talked about being inducted into the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame, becoming the first Filipino to join the prestigious list of champions and officials of the sport who have “significantly assisted” weightlifting.
“I feel ecstatic, overjoyed,” Puentevella tells DNX as he readies to leave for the weekend awarding in Tirana, Albania, where that country’s weightlifting federation is based.
Then his tone turns serious, “I am ready to go anytime,” he said and added: We have already won a gold in the Olympics (for weightlifting), Kalaw (his son) has become a councilor and Albee has won as mayor.
Puentevella, a colorful political and sports figure here, said after more than 20 years in weightlifting, during which he became the first Filipino to head the Asian Weightlifting Federation, his contribution was recognized.
Under his watch as Philippine weightlifting president, the country won its first Olympic gold through weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in Thailand.
