Pinoy lifters bring home 2 gold, bronze in world bench press tilt

Lily Pecante led the Filipino lifters to another impressive showing in the 2010 World Masters Bench Press Championships held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Pecante led the Philippined two-gold and one-bronze medal haul as she successfully defended her 90-kilogram division title with no contest after her foreign rivals seemed to have evaded her.

But even without a challenger the 45-year-old Pecante, who is acknowledged as the best powerlifter the Philippines has produced so far, delivered her best and lifted 130kg to break her own Asian record of 127.5kg she established in the World Masters Powerlifting Championships two years ago. This is Pecante’s second gold medal in the event after dominating the 82.5kg class in 2009 held at Taupo, New Zealand. Rose Vasquez won for the Philippines the other gold medal. Vasquez, the 2009 Asian Open Bench Press champion, lifted 102.5kg to win the gold in the 60kg division beating American rivals Antoinette Kempers and Angela Simmons. The bronze medal came from Edgar Munar in the men’s 67.5 kg with his 167.5kg lift. A total of 26 countries featuring 180 lifters saw action in the five-day tournament. – GMANews.TV