Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz brought pride and awe to the nation two years ago when she bagged an Olympic silver medal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Halfway through her determined journey to win the gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she gave her countrymen a preview of how she will do it and how it feels to be No. 1, when she snatched the Philippines’ first top medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia in August.
COVER PHOTO FROM SUBJECT’S SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT. INSIDE PHOTOS BY ANDREA DELA CRUZ, DJ DIOSINA, AFP, PHILIPPINE COMMISSION FACEBOOK
Besides earning the distinction as the first Filipino weightlifter to win an Asiad gold, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) sergeant also stands to receive a whooping P8 million in cash bonuses from the government and various private sectors for her spectacular feat.
“It’s a dream-come-true for me,” the petite figure of strength told The Sunday Times Magazine a day after winning the gold in an exclusive online interview.
Hidilyn Diaz displays her prowess during the weightlifting competition of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia; upon her return, she is touched by a grand welcome and promotion at the Philippine Air Force where she has served since 2013.
“Eto yung lahat ng resulta na pinagpaguran ko sa training, lahat ng sinakripisyo ko. Masaya ako, lahat ng doubts ko, lahat ng pressure nalampasan ko at naging maganda ang kinalabasan kaya nagpapasalamat ako kay God,” she expressed.
(“All this is the result of my hard work in training and all my sacrifices. I’m happy I got over my doubts and all the pressure, which is why I’m very thankful to God for this win.”)
Proud parents meet their gold medalist daughter with hugs and kisses on arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Jakarta, Indonesia.
Golden journey
For the Asiad, the 27-year-old Zamboangueña lifted a leading 207 kilograms in the women’s 53-kg event to beat Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova (206 kg) and Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao (201 kg) at the Jakarta International Expo Hall.
But her journey from winning a silver medal in the Olympics to snagging the Asian Games top prize did not come easy.
Sergeant Diaz flexes her muscles in front of a roaring crowd during the ‘Hero’s Welcome to the Philippine Air Force Athletes’ held at the Villamor Air Base.
After her Olympic stint, Diaz was expected to deliver a bigger win for the Philippines at the 2017 World Championships in Anaheim, California in December, but only managed a bronze. Prior to that in September, she maintained her silver win at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Short of delivering glory amid well wishes and immense pressure, Diaz took everything in stride all the same, never considering her bronze finish a setback. Instead, she focused her sights on her most compelling motivation, that is, the reality that she is not just competing for herself but more importantly for country.
The Weightlifting Women’s 53-kg 2018 Asian Games champion (center) with silver medalist Kristina Shermetova of Turkmenistan (left) and bronze medalist Surodchana Khambao of Thailand (right).
“Gaano kahirap? Mahirap. Sobrang hirap parang iniisip ko na kung tama ba itong ginagawa ko at parang ayoko na (It’s been a very difficult experience, so much so that sometimes I felt like giving up),” admitted Diaz, who made her athletic debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a wild card entry at 17. She mostly trained at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Vito Cruz, Manila despite its outdated sports facilities.
Four years after her Olympic debut, she made it to the 2012 London Olympics too and was flag bearer of the country’s lean contingent. Although her first two Olympic stints were hardly impressive, Diaz was never daunted, pushing herself to the limit through intense discipline.
With fellow gold medalist for the Asian Games Women’s Street Skateboarding category Margielyn Didal(left) at their Senate courtesy call.
“Two months before the Asian Games, the pressure was already unbearable. I could hardly sleep, planning how to execute my lifts. It’s the pressure that’s the most difficult to deal with—it’s difficult to have the whole nation’s hope on your shoulders. But with God’s help, I was able to do it,” she finally said of her recent win to The Sunday Times Magazine.
Achiever
The fifth of Eduardo and Emelita (nee Francisco) Diaz’s six children, the gold medalist learned the basics of weightlifting from her cousin, Allen Jayfrus Diaz.
President Rodrigo Duterte awards cash prizes to Diaz, Didal and gold medalist for Golf Yuka Saso (right) on September 12.
At her debut in the Beijing Summer Olympics, Diaz may have just placed second to the last among 12 weightlifters in the women’s 58-kg class. However, lifting 85 kilos in the Snatch and 107 kilos in the Clean and Jerk for a total of 192 kilos broke the national record that she herself set at the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Sports officials praised her performance and considered it promising for her age. Even then, she was seen to become a strong contender in future competitions.
At a young age, Diaz already looked up to Manny Pacquiao as her idol in sports.
Meanwhile, Diaz was recruited into the PAF in 2013 through the Direct Enlistment Program after her London Olympics stint. She was assigned to the Air Force Special Service Group and given a Specialty Code in Recreation in Weightlifting.
She was promoted to Airwoman Second Class in 2014, then assigned to the PAF Personnel Management Center while training for the Rio Olympics. She went up the ranks again as Airwoman First Class following her feat at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Enjoying a boodle fight with fellow athletes at Camp Aguinaldo.
Still very much aware of the value of a college education, Diaz did her best to pursue Bachelor of Science in Computer Science studies at the Universidad de Zamboanga amid all her commitements, but come third year, she had to stop schooling in order to concentrate on her training full-time.
As pride of the nation, she was overjoyed to receive a scholarship from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in Manila where she is now working toward a Business Management degree.
For her success in the international sports scene, not to mention her varied achievements, Diaz was awarded Athlete of the Year of the Philippine Sportswriters Association on February 13, 2017.
Even at a photoshoot, Diaz shows she has her eyes set on the gold at the next Olympics.
Lifting for the future
Literally strong and empowered, the Filipino ace athlete declared she is determined to get another gold at the Southeast Asian Games in 2019 when the country hosts the regional biennial meet. It will be the crowning jewel to her two silver medals from the 2011 and 2013 SEA Games editions.
And as the athlete who ended the country’s 20-year Olympic medal drought at the 2016 Rio Olympics, she is looking forward to bag the Philippines’ first ever Olympic gold medal in Japan two years from now.
“I have no gold from the SEA Games yet, but of course my main aim is for the gold at the 2020 Olympics. I’m really hoping and praying I get it. It needs careful planning and it’s very important to have a good mindset and as much support as I can get. The Olympics is no ordinary games—it’s on a very different level,” Diaz added.
Like any Mindanaoan, the ace athlete loves durian and marang, Enjoying a boodle fight with fellow athletes at Camp Aguinaldo. two of the island’s exotic fruits.
Buoyed by love
Diaz appeared before President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang on Wednesday to receive her P4 million cash bonus from the government along with other 2018 Asian Games medalists and sports officials, led by Philippine Olympic Committee Chairman Abraham Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez.
Looking back at the years before this golden win, Diaz mused, “There have been times I’ve asked myself why am I still here. I mean, can I still do [weightlifting]emotionally and physically? It’s the Olympics, of course… I was already there [in Rio]…” and just as her words started fading, she joked, “You know, I can stop weightlifting any time and pursue a normal life. I can just get a job at the Philippine Air Force!”
And then she quickly backtracked, saying, “I chose to stay here because it’s my dream and my goal to win in the Asian Games and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.”
Asked what keeps her going, she said it is simply her faith that keeps her dream alive.
“It also has to do with conditioning the mind. My goal is to get a gold in the 2020 Olympics because that will be historical. The World Championships, well, that’s fine but like I said Olympics is different—it’s pride. Mine is a long-term goal and that’s why I really need positive people around me who will support and understand me.”
The champion athlete further admitted to The Sunday Times Magazine that she is also inspired these days from being in a relationship. She refused to reveal the name of the lucky guy though.
“After the Rio Olympics, everything changed. I’m so lucky with to have a boyfriend who’s very understanding even if we hardly get to be together. To have him is a blessing because sometimes I really feel so hopeless and I really need someone like him to cheer me up.”
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