Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 15) – The country’s top powerlifter is appealing for more financial support as she gears up for the biggest competition of her career next month.
In an interview with CNN Philippines, Joyce Reboton said she is seeking help from private donors to fulfill her dream of representing the country in the 2022 World Games in July at Alabama, USA.
The World Games is the biggest international competition held every four years for sports that are not included in the Olympics.
“Now is the right time. Uutang kami para makaalis lang ng bansa (We will borrow money to leave the country) to represent our fellow Filipinos,” Reboton said on Monday.
Reboton is one of the nine Filipino athletes who earned a berth in the 11th edition of the World Games.
The powerlifting pride of Mabalacat, Pampanga qualified in the World Games after she bagged four gold medals in the 2021 Asian Classic-Equipped Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships held at Istanbul, Turkey last December.
Reboton shared she has not been receiving any allowances and tournament funding from the government. This prompted her to resort to selling shirts and bottled coffee and even using her life savings to finance her trips in her last competitions and upgrade her training equipment at home.
The 30-year-old powerlifting sensation also set up an online fundraising platform (https://gogetfunding.com/never-lose-hope-and-never-give-up-for-joyce-and-willords-powerlifting-dream) to garner more financial support for her World Games debut. As of Wednesday afternoon, 31% of the required funds for her upcoming competition has been raised.
“We had many sacrifices from the start of the competition,” said Reboton. “We’re hoping the government can support us. We’ll make sure that the support we will receive will go to our athletic needs to raise the bar of powerlifting in the Philippines.”
Reboton also took home a bronze medal in the 2021 World Women’s Classic Championships held last September at Halmstad, Sweden.
The Filipina powerlifting bet also competed in the IPF World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships earlier this month in South Africa, where she finished sixth in the -76kg division. Despite failing to land a podium finish, Reboton broke the national and Asian records for bench press, deadlift, and total in that category and was the top ranked Asian powerlifter in her division.
“What’s driving me to pursue my World Games stint is the people who believe in me that I can excel in the world stage. No other athlete right now can do it since I’m the top powerlifter,” Reboton said.
