Around 300 athletes from different parts of the country are set to compete in the national weightlifting competition in General Santos City.

As of this writing, male and female athletes are training at the covered court at a school in Barangay Dadiangas North.

They will compete under the youth, junior, and senior divisions.

Organized by the Philippine Weightlifting Association, the competition will be held from June 8 to 12, 2026.

One of the athletes who will showcase her skills is 22-year-old Rosegie Ramos from Zamboanga City. She is a silver medalist at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in China.

“Consistent na training then disiplina. Grateful ta pidi kame gracias na mga suporta na Zamboanga City,” Ramos said.

Winners of the event will qualify for the upcoming 2026 Asian Games.

As host of the event, the local government of General Santos is focusing on providing billeting areas for athletes, which is a challenge since classes are opening next week.

However, the local government has coordinated with the Department of Education (DepEd) regarding the matter.

“Nagkataon lang gyud siya na opening sa klase , ang DepEd pud ay very strict , gina implement na nila ang trimester nga program so ang monitoring sa national is strict kaya medyo dili mapahulam ang ilang mga schools kasi naga ready pud sila sa monitoring sa DepEd nationals,” General Santos City Sports and Games Division Chief, Lady Manalo, said.