Hidilyn Diaz successfully inaugurated her newly built weightlifting academy on the anniversary of her Olympic gold medal win on Friday, July 26. 

The weightlifter became the first Filipino to lift the Philippines' first gold medal in the Tokyo Games in 2021. 

Carrying the hopes and dreams of a whole nation, Diaz lifted a total of 224 kilograms in the final of the event to secure the championship. 

Though missing the ongoing Summer Games in Paris this year, Diaz is throwing her full support to the 22 brave Filipino delegates competing across nine competitions in the grandest sporting showpiece. 

To commemorate some of the best days of her life including winning the Olympics and celebrating her wedding anniversary with her longtime partner Julius Naranjo, the four-time Olympian inaugurated her first-ever weightlifting academy in Jala-Jala, Rizal. 

“[It’s] the inauguration and blessing of @hdweightliftingacademy together with my husband @imjulius [and I] celebrating our [third] year [together as well as] winning a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics. [We are also celebrating the second] anniversary of our wedding,” she posted on Instagram. 

“The one who administered our wedding is [also the one] who administered the blessing of the academy.”

Diaz may have missed the chance to return to the Olympics for the fifth straight edition, but she is seizing every opportunity to make the sport she found success in more accessible.