Filipino weightlifter Albert delos Santos captured the men's 71kg gold medal at the IWF World Junior Championships in Ismailia, Egypt, on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. The 19-year-old from Zamboanga City lifted 175kg in the clean and jerk to secure the title and then added 12kg to break his own junior world record, finishing with a dominant 139-187-326 total — 17kg clear of the field.
Emotional tribute to late father
After the session, delos Santos ran off the platform to hug his mother, Diwa, who showed him a photo of her late husband, Alvin. Alvin, a former national player, died of liver cancer two months ago. Delos Santos kissed the photo and exclaimed, "I did it for him! I did it for him!"
Overcoming injury
"Last-minute clutch because a week before we left, I injured my lower back, so I had to stay focused in recovery and not lose hope," delos Santos said in an online interview. "The world record is for my papa," added the second-year financial management student from Universidad de Zamboanga.
Competition results
- Yash Khandagale of India earned silver in snatch (140kg), bronze in clean and jerk (169kg), and silver in total (309kg).
- Jimmy Lopez of Ecuador ranked third in total despite being eighth in snatch and fourth in clean and jerk, with 134-167-301.
Rising star
The 5-foot-8 delos Santos was the Youth champion in 2023 in the 61kg division and won the Junior title last year at 67kg. He now sets his sights on the Asian Games and the senior World Championships in Japan and China, respectively. He trains under Julius Naranjo, husband of Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz.
