Uzbekistan Weightlifting Federation
MANILA – The wait is finally over for Filipino weightlifter Albert Ian Delos Santos.
The 19-year-old ruled the men's 70kg junior category at the 2026 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships on Tuesday in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Delos Santos won three gold medals for the Philippines, ranking first in the snatch (141kg), clean and jerk (180kg) and total (321 kg) in his weight class.
The victory marks the first gold of Delos Santos in snatch, a medal that has remained elusive for him until this competition.
READ: Weightlifter Delos Santos chases elusive snatch medal in Asian Youth and Junior Championships
The Zamboanga City native also set new junior records (world and Asian) in the men's 70kg category, after his successful lift of 180kg in clean and jerk
Last May, Delos Santos broke the world junior record in clean and jerk lifting 187kg at the 2026 IWF World Junior Weightlifting Championships in Ismalia, Egypt.
READ: How weightlifter Albert Ian Delos Santos turned grief into gold
Up next for Delos Santos is the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan next month.
The Philippines is taking home 16 gold, six silver and nine bronze from the 2026 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships.