Albert Delos Santos powers through grief towards record-breaking finish at the IWF World Junior Championships

Grief weighed heavily on Albert Delos Santos, but it didn’t stop the 19-year-old weightlifter from delivering the performance of his young career.

Competing at the 2026 IWF World Junior Championships in Egypt on Monday, Delos Santos turned personal loss into motivation as he powered through the field to produce a record-breaking finish and capture his third world title.

Delos Santos, who turns 20 in August, lifted a total of 326kg after hoisting 139kg in the snatch and 187kg in the clean and jerk, setting a new junior world record and allowing him to capture the gold medal in the men's 71kg division.

Delos Santos won by a wide margin after finishing well clear of the field. His closest challenger, Yash Vinod Khandagale of India, secured the silver medal with a combined total of 309kg while Ecuador’s Jimmy Lopez claimed bronze after posting a 301kg finish.

The victory carried far more weight for Delos Santos.

The youthful weightlifter lost his father two months ago to liver cancer and struggled mentally and physically during his preparations for the tournament.

“I deviated from my coach’s percentages in training and wanted to do every lift for my dad. It was my way of trying to get over the pain,” Delos Santos said in an interview with the IWF.

“I wore myself out, and two Saturdays ago I injured by back."

But he transformed that grief into glory, adding another trophy to his growing collection at just 19 years old.

The latest victory marked Delos Santos' third world title, following his win in the same event last year. He also reigned supreme at the 2023 IWF World Youth Championships and the 2023 Asian Youth Championships.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News