Hidilyn Diaz opted to withdraw from the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships which kicks off next month in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Multiple local reports disclosed the development as confirmed by Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) president Monico Puentevella.
Diaz's preparation was actually cut short as other reports cited the lack of training ahead of the world championships as one of the reasons why she decided not to participate.
The Manila Bulletin tried to reach Diaz for a comment but has not replied as of posting time.
Despite the decision, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist already began training in Malaysia in early November with coach and fiance Julius Naranjo.
Diaz's Chinese mentor Gao Kaiwen has yet to reunite with Team HD after going back to China to spend time with his family post-Olympics.
It has been more than three months since the 30-year-old Zamboanga native weightlifter raised the Philippine banner and captured the country's historic and first Olympic gold medal in the Tokyo Games last July.
Sans Diaz, the national team will send a couple of young weightlifters in Tokyo Olympian Elreen Ando, 2020 Asian Championships gold medalist Vanessa Sarno, 2019 Southeast Asian Games winner Kristel Macrohon, and Mary Grace Diaz.
Diaz, who also captured silver in the 2016 Rio Games, instead has now shifted her focus in the 2022 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam and the 2022 Asian Games in China.