Last July, I had the opportunity to participate in the 2015 Asian Powerlifting Championships as part of the Philippine national team. It was a 3-day event that was held in Hong Kong, China. I competed for the -63kg Junior category along with my coach, Betina Bordeos, who competed for the -72kg Open category.
July 20, 2015
Upon arriving HK, we headed to the Hong Kong Olympic House for the courtesy call / registration.
HK Olympic House
It was kind of a tiring day and we had to unload our stuff. And then, we had grilled chicken and laksa for dinner!
It was panini grilled and crispy!!!
And the laksa was yummy <3
July 21, 2015
We had the opening ceremony the next day at the same venue.
Nicole, Preetiz, Me, and Bets
Then we had our last training session in the Wan Chai Sports Center (I think) where the HK Weightlifting and Powerlifting Teams train
SO MUCH ELEIKO PLATES!!!
Me and the coach!
Raymond doing his last set of bench
We had beef brisket post-workout
Yuuummmmm
and Keung Kee for dinner
White chickeeeeeen!
I was a little bit over my weight class so coach helped me waterload by challenging me into a drinking (water) game!
And then we realized it wasn't distilled LOL
We transferred it to smaller bottles for easier drinking hahahaha
And we finished it (LOL)
My brother flew to Hong Kong on July 22 just to be our utusan (jk) - he was the one who helped us with everything. If he wasn't there, we'd be in crisis!
My sad breakfast at the hotel :------(
Lunch was roasted rosemary chicken with black truffle mashed potatoes and fresh mushrooms <3
I had Cadia peanut butter (Ya I brought it to HK lol) and some other non-carby food that I had in the hotel for early dinner. Rested most of the day and drank myself to sleep (with water..)
I miraculously got to sleep by 7pm. Woaaaah
July 23, 2015
IT'S GAME DAY
I woke up at 5am and prepared for the comp. I didn't know what I felt like- scared, excited, pumped, hungry. Soooo much emotions! Thankfully, I had about 10 hours of sleep the night before and I watched coach and Archie eat their breakfast :(
Me having my breakfast with coach after the weigh in. F I N A L L Y ! I weighed in at a new all-time low of 61.12kg hahahaha. I pigged out too fast. Oops.
Warm up time came and it was hard to break a sweat because the stadium was tooooo cold!!!
Warm up time came and it was hard to break a sweat because the stadium was tooooo cold!!!
Here's my best lifts!
I loved my squat event but I experienced problems during my bench- I couldn't lock out well during my first and second attempts. I felt bad, like really really bad and discouraged that I would get my last lift right. By a miracle, I was given another chance at lifting because during my second lift, the command was toooooo long. It somehow took off some pressure because I still had 2 chances, but nevertheless, I was still scared af. Coach reminded me about keeping everything tight, and thankfully I got my 3rd and 4th attempts in. :)
(The pata team)
I was back in the game for the deadlift event. First and second lifts were great, but by the third, my body gave up hahahahhaa tooooooo friggin tired!!!
After my last lift, I was approached by 2 ladies asking if I was Dianne Kathleen. When I said yes, they said that I was subjected to take the anti-doping test (drug test). Coach was excited for me, she jumped up and down whahahahaha. I found out that her 1st international comp was also held in Hong Kong in the exact same venue (Queen Elizabeth Stadium) Thus, it was where she had her first anti-doping test too!
It was a funny experience because the form said something like "state all medications taken including herbal etcetc." and I thought, Pei Pa Koa was a herbal something so I asked coach and the lady if I should write it down and they both looked at me weirdly and laughed out loud :( Heeeeyyyy
After the comp, we ate at a nearby Japanese restaurant.
(I could finally eat anything without holding back!) I got katsu heheh
Archie and I headed out to go around. We dropped off coach in the hotel because she needed to rest. The next day would be her big day!
First stop:
I needed my macaron fix!
or 7 more...
We ate at Ebeneezers for late dinner
I LAMB IT
And when in Hong Cone... SOFTEE!!!
We headed home a little past midnight already. I was tired. Tired but fulfilled!
July 24, 2015
It's the 3rd and final competition day - It's coach's big day!
....or is it Archie's???
You see, if my brother wasn't there, our squats could be in danger... hahaha love you brobro thank you! (Sorry too lazy to rotate)
Water Machine
Betina with Ekaterina from Kazakhstan
Team
Pre-awarding team celebration hahaha
Some meat combo
Roast duck
Aaand the awarding!
The PH Powerlifting Team hauled 34 gold, 44 silvers, and 3 bronze medals in the 2015 Powerlifting Championships, thus achieved 7 new Asian records and 1 new World record.
I bagged 2 golds and 2 silvers alongside Donna Velasco from UP-Zest who got 2 golds and 2 silvers as well!
Squat
Bench & DL
Overall
And playing of the Phil anthem hahahaha
Ofcourse I couldn't have done any of this without my coach.
Betina Bordeos got 1 gold, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze (she lifted 190kg during the deadlift event for the gooooold!!! :O) I couldn't find my camera's memory card so I'm not able to upload her videos huhuhu (I wasn't able to transfer it asap grrr) :((
And the girls of the 2015 PH PL team
Thank you to PAP and PSC for sponsoring our trip, making it possible for us to compete, to coach Bets for being the best coach ever!!! Archie for being there for us throughout the season rain or shine, and to my parents who allowed me to leave despite their wholeheartedly heartfelt objection. <3 It was truly a wonderful experience :)
Performance of the PH team in the 2015 Asian Powerlifting Championships:
(Taken from PAP facebook)
JOAN MASANGKAY, 43kg Women’s Sub-Junior
Squat 100kg (gold) Asian Sub-Junior record
Bench Press 50kg (silver)
Deadlift 105kg (gold) Asian Sub-Junior record
Total 255kg (gold) Asian Sub-Junior record
VERONICA OMPOD, 43kg Women’s Sub-Junior
Squat 90kg (silver)
Bench Press 50kg (gold)
Deadlift 97.5kg (silver)
Total 237.5kg (silver)
MARIELLE LIWANAG, 47kg Women’s Sub-Junior
Squat 90kg (silver)
Bench Press 50kg (gold)
Deadlift 105kg (silver)
Total 235kg (silver)
ROWELLA ABREA, 52kg Women’s Sub-Junior
Squat 125kg (gold)
Bench Press 57.5kg (silver)
Deadlift 120kg (silver)
Total 302.5kg (gold) Asian Sub-Junior Best lifter
JEREMY REIGN BAUTISTA, 52kg Women’s Sub-Junior
Squat 110kg (silver)
Bench Press 60kg (gold)
Deadlift 120kg (gold)
Total 295kg (silver) Asian Sub-Junior 2nd place for Best lifter
ANGELA ALFEREZ, 63kg Women’s Sub-Junior
Squat 100kg (silver)
Bench Press 55kg (gold)
Deadlift 120kg (silver)
Total 275kg (silver)
JASMINE MARTIN, 47kg Women’s Junior
Squat 127.5kg (gold)
Bench Press 55kg (gold)
Deadlift 145kg (gold)
Total 327.5kg (gold) Asian Junior 3rd place for Best lifter
DIANNE KATHLEEN CHIANG, 63kg Women’s Junior
Squat 147.5kg (gold)
Bench Press 65kg (silver)
Deadlift 132.5kg (silver)
Total 345kg (gold)
DONNA MARIE VELASCO, 63kg Women’s Junior
Squat 130kg (silver)
Bench Press 65kg (gold)
Deadlift 137.5kg (gold)
Total 327.5kg (silver)
MARGARETTE ANGULO, 72kg Women’s Junior
Squat 145kg (gold)
Bench Press 90kg (gold)
Deadlift 172.5kg (gold)
Total 407.5kg (gold)
ALEXIS NICOLE GO, 84kg Women’s Junior
Squat 135kg (bronze)
Bench Press 85kg (silver)
Deadlift 145kg (silver)
Total 365kg (silver)
LESLIE EVANGELISTA, 47kg Women’s Open
Bench Press 72.5kg (gold)
Deadlift 160kg (gold)
LETECIA MANGCAO, 47kg Women’s Open
Squat 140kg (gold)
Bench Press 62.5kg (silver)
Deadlift 145kg (silver)
Total 397.5kg (gold)
ANITA KOYKKA, 57kg Women’s Open
Squat 162.5kg (silver) World & Asian Master II record
Bench Press 90kg (silver) Asian Master II record
Deadlift 165kg (silver)
Total 417.5kg (silver) Asian Master II record
BETINA BORDEOS, 72kg Women’s Open
Squat 165kg (bronze)
Bench Press 107.5kg (silver)
Deadlift 190kg (gold)
Total 462.5kg (silver)
KENNETH JOHN BAIS, 66kg Men’s Sub-Junior
Squat 180kg (silver)
Bench Press 85kg (silver)
Deadlift 192.5kg (silver)
Total 457.5kg (silver)
SPENCER CO, 93kg Men’s Junior
Squat 255kg (silver)
Bench Press 155kg (silver)
Deadlift 252.5kg (silver)
Total 662.5kg (silver)
MARK ESPINO, 120kg Men’s Junior
Squat 260kg (silver)
Bench Press 142.5kg (silver)
Deadlift 247.5kg (silver)
Total 650kg (silver)
RAYMOND DEBUQUE, 120+kg Men’s Junior
Squat 252.5kg (gold)
Bench Press 222.5kg (gold) Asian Junior record
Deadlift 260kg (gold)
Total 735kg (gold)
REGIE RAMIREZ , 59kg Men’s Open
Squat 220kg (gold)
Bench Press 135kg (bronze)
Deadlift 220kg (gold)
Total 575kg (gold)
ROBERTO GAYANES, 93kg Men’s Master II
Squat 212.5kg (silver)
Deadlift 222.5kg (silver)
Total 535kg (silver)
TEAM AWARDS
Women’s Open -3rd
Women’s Sub-Junior – 2nd
Women’s Junior – 2nd
Men’s Junior – 2nd