After bagging three silver medals in the Asian Weightlifting Championships in South Korea, Boholana weightlifter Vanessa Sarno is set to fly to Cambodia to represent the country in the ongoing Southeast Asian Games.

Nick Jaluag, Sarno’s coach, said they are eyeing no less than a gold in the SEA Games in which Sarno previously clinched the top plum for the Philippines during the 2021 edition of the biennial meet in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Jaluag said the 19-year-old weightlifting sensation continued to undergo training in Jinju, South Korea for the SEA Games where she will be competing on May 15.

Sarno’s team will still head for the Philippines for final preparations before flying to Cambodia.

Jaluag assured that Sarno will be ready for the SEA Games, but expressed “slight” concern over the extreme temperature differences in South Korea and in Cambodia, which could affect her conditioning.

Last Tuesday, Sarno earned three silver medals in the women’s 71-kg category of the Asian Weightlifting Championships.

Sarno who hails from Tagbilaran City earned two silver medals for snatch (107kg) and clean and jerk (132kg).

This earned her another silver medal for her overall lift in which she tallied 239kg.

She trailed Chinese phenom Guifang Liao, who easily cruised to a golden finish setting world records for snatch at 120kg and overall lift at 268kg. Liao lifted 148kg in clean and jerk.

Sarno’s podium finish in the Asian weightlifting tilt bolstered her chances of qualifying in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

According to Jaluag, Sarno is set to compete in four more qualifying events for the Olympics.

“Hilanglan siya ma sud sa top 10 aning maong mga qualifying events apil na ang Asian Games didto sa China most likely mo qualify na siya sa Olympics,” said Jaluag.

Sarno’s performances in the previous SEA Games where she delivered a record-breaking performance and previous Asian Weightlifting Championships have earned her the unofficial title as heir apparent to Olympic weightlifting champion Hidilyn Diaz. (A. Doydora)