Given the right support, the Philippine Weightlifting Association (PWA) believes its athletes can pull off a big surprise in the coming Guangzhou Asian Games this November.

That’s why the association is praying that its request for its two athletes – Olympian Hidilyn Diaz (58kgs) and Nestor Colomia (56kgs) – to train in China will be granted by the Philippine Sports Commission.

“We hope that our request will be tackled in next Tuesday’s board meeting of the PSC,” said PWA secretary-general Roger Dullano. “We already submitted our request to the NSA (national sports association) Affairs, which will furnish a copy to the POC.”

Actually, the association already submitted its request to the past PSC administration but was advised to wait for the new leadership to take over.

The association followed it up when Richie Garcia took over the reins in July, and was recommended to trim the training days from 90 days to 45.

“Malaking bagay yung China training because we’ve been sending our athletes there almost every year simula pa nung panahon ni (then PSC chairman) Butch Ramirez,” Dullano said.

Diaz, 18, and Colomia, 17, are eyed to train at a camp in Guangxi, China – the same camp Diaz trained when she took part in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.