At A Glance
- Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo sees much improvement in the sport she has championed since she was a young athlete in Zamboanga City.
(Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo's FB post)
Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo sees much improvement in the sport she has championed since she was a young athlete in Zamboanga City.
And from her historic win in the Tokyo Olympics four years ago, Diaz has come a long way from being a national athlete to her new mission of mentoring aspiring weightlifters.
Diaz, the country’s first-ever Summer Games gold medalist, is balancing her time of preparing for future tournaments and her calling of teaching youngsters along with her husband Julius Naranjo.
With the help of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the decorated athlete is giving away equipment for weightlifters in 300 public schools across the country.
“I’m very happy na nangyayari ‘tong mga development na ‘to, napaka-importante ito para masolusyunan ‘yong pangangailangan ng mga schools pagdating sa mga equipment,” said Diaz after Sports Stakeholders Forum in Parañaque City Tuesday evening, Sept. 2.
“Maraming mga bata ‘yong gustong matuto nitong sport, and next nalang ‘yong i-educate ‘yong technical officials, coaches, para safety ng laro, and maturo ‘yong basic sa kanila,” she added.
It is in perfect timing as weightlifting was recently reinserted in this year’s Palarong Pambansa in Laoag City as a demo sport.
Hidilyn in SEA Games?
A two-time gold winner in the Southeast Asian Games, Diaz is weighing if she will go for her mint in Thailand this December.
“‘Di ako nangangako [na makukuha ko ‘yong ginto], pero nangangako ako na gagawin ko ‘yong best ko sa training and sa competition,” Diaz continued.
A book to inspire
Diaz also announced the of launch of her first-ever book “Lift” in the Frankfurt Book Fair (FBM) in Germany this October.
The 34-year-old sport icon shared the news about her book which featured her journey from the very beginning -- her success, the setbacks, and her transition as a coach.
“Mai-inspire sila, makikita nila ‘yong perspective ng na-inspire, kwento ng storya ko, kung anong klaseng tao ako. Abangan nyo!”