1st PSC-Philspada National Games at the Marikina Sports Park
Just because she had no opponent in powerlifting did not give Kiangan’s pride Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta undue advantage for the gold medal race in her weight category at the 1st PSC-Philspada National Games at the Marikina Sports Park in Marikina City.
“She has to match or surpass her personal record for her to earn the gold medal,” explained secretary-general Carlos Weber Jr. of the organizing Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled-National Paralympics Committee of the Philippines (Philspada-NPC Phils).
Sunday afternoon, the 38-year-old athlete with polio cleared 120 kgs. It was the same weight Ancheta lifted when she set the new ASEAN ParaGames record in the 82.5-kg weight category in Indonesia last December.
She had thought of breaking her own mark last Sunday but decided to save it when she competes on February 21 to 27 at the 4th Fazaa International Powerlifting Competition in Dubai, a qualifying event to the 2012 London Paralympic Games.
Ever since she first competed in the Paralympics when she won the bronze medal in 2000 in Sydney, Australia, Ancheta wanted to return to the games to finally give the country its first-ever gold medal. But giving birth to daughter Alyssa Mae in 2002 derailed her bid.