Over the past decade, Philippine weightlifting has lifted itself from relative obscurity to the forefront of global sport -- a growth powered not just by iron and sweat, but by heart, resilience and a nation united behind its champions.

For much of its history, Philippine weightlifting lived in the shadows, far from the sport’s grand spotlight. Yet Filipino lifters steadily sought to make their mark in international and regional competitions. Among them were Salvador Del Rosario, a three-time Olympian who won gold at the 1970 World Championships and the 1971 Asian Championships, Ramon Solis, who brought pride to the Philippine flag with 11 Southeast Asian Games gold medals before turning to coaching, and the late Jaime Sebastian, once hailed as Southeast Asia’s strongest man, who claimed an astonishing 21 SEAG gold medals between 1977 and 1989.

But nothing compares to the “Hidilyn Diaz effect.”

Competing in her fourth straight Olympics, Diaz captured the nation’s heart when she won the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games -- the country’s first-ever Olympic gold. The victory made her an icon, inspiring a new generation, particularly young girls, to take up the sport. It also thrust the sport into the Philippine spotlight, strengthening not only grassroots development but also support at the elite level.

Achieving this milestone took more than a decade of perseverance and hard work, not just from the athletes, but from sports officials who believed in the power of the sport.

“We failed so many times. World Championships, Asian Championships, etc… We joined all international tournament over for many years,” said Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas President Monico Puentevella.

“Nobody heard of us before. Even if I was the chairman of the Philippine Olympic Committee for several years back then, we didn’t make too much noise back then… until we showed them how,” he added.

It was a leap of faith -- trusting and believing in the talent of their young lifters. Among them was a then-teenager from Zamboanga City, first discovered at the Philippine Youth Games when she was just 11. At 16, Diaz was selected as a wildcard entry for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She finished sixth overall, but the association continued to invest in her growth -- a commitment that ultimately paid off with a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“I didn’t care whether she would make waves there or not. Just to experience the pressure and compete against the best in the world, just to inspire her in continuing the struggle -- win or lose,” Puentevella said.

Still hungry for that elusive Olympic gold, the association found ways to get support for Diaz’s training -- from the government to the private sector -- and the rest was history.

But Diaz’s story was just the beginning.

Her 2020 Olympic triumph broke barriers, inspired the nation and pushed for strengthened grassroots development in the sport. Just last year, weightlifting was added as a demonstration sport in the Palarong Pambansa, where it is set to become a regular, fully integrated sport in this year’s edition, aiming to bring the sport to all 18 regions of the country.

The Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Education (DepEd) are also joining forces with Diaz in launching the country’s biggest weightlifting academy, aimed to strengthen school-based sports.

Diaz has also launched her own weightlifting academy, and is also starting a new role as a lecturer at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Human Kinetics to share her expertise and promote weightlifting.

The hunt for more Olympic gold medals also did not stop, as the association is relying on a new generation of talents that include two-time Olympian Elreen Ando, Albert Delos Santos, Jhodie Peralta and Rosegie Ramos, to name a few. In fact, junior and youth athletes have been delivering medals in the regional championships the past years, and the national team has recently won one gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the 33rd SEAG in Thailand last December.

More than her achievements, Diaz’s journey has also inspired her family, with her nieces and nephew now following in her footsteps.

Alexsandra Ann Diaz, a product of her aunt’s weightlifting program in Zamboanga, showed promise by delivering two of the five gold medals the Philippines captured in the 2025 IWF Youth and Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru. She and her cousin, Princess Jay Ann Diaz, also captured three of the four bronze medals won by the Philippine weightlifting team at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain also in 2025.

Matthew Diaz, 15, is also seeking to make a name for himself when he clinched his first gold medal at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, even as Reynadine Jimenez, another niece of Diaz, ruled in her division at the 2024 Batang Pinoy Championships.

“I could see my future here,” said Jimenez, then 13, upon winning the elusive gold medal.

As the country looks forward to future global events like the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, there’s a strong sense that this is only the beginning. The bar has been set high, not just in kilograms lifted, but in the aspirations of young Filipinos dreaming of standing where Diaz once stood.