Dubai: The Philippines’ sports authorities must do more to ensure the country doesn’t have to wait another 20-years to win an Olympic medal, according to Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.
Diaz became the first Filipino to win an Olympic medal since 1996 when she clinched silver in the 53-kg category at Rio 2016 this summer.
She is also her country’s first non-boxing medallist since 1936 and the Philippines’ first female medallist.
Now the 25-year-old from Zamboanga in Mindanao, in the south west of the archipelago, is imploring the authorities there to use her success as a springboard to ensure the medals keep coming.
“I wish someday that Filipino athletes won’t feel as neglected as I was,” she told Gulf News. “I hope that they [the authorities] will have a concrete plan for each sport.
“I think they need to address what athletes really need in their training, competition and life.
“We athletes need a leader who will believe in us and not someone who will belittle us and then take the credit if we win.”
Asked if her success was more thanks to her own dedication than any strategic plan from the authorities, she replied: “It’s quite true, but this is where I’ve learnt more in life, and where I’ve pushed myself harder.”
Diaz lifted a combined 200-kg (snatch 88-kg, clean and jerk 112-kg) in Rio, 12kg short of gold medallist Hsu Shu-Ching of Chinese Taipei.
Despite this being short of her 224-kg personal best, and despite having won gold at last year’s Asian Championship in Phuket, Thailand, Diaz was only targeting bronze in Rio because of an earlier shoulder injury.
“Injury really affected my lift not only physically but mentally. I began to question if I could even make Rio, let alone win.
“I was struggling to meet my personal best of 98-kg in snatch. In Rio I was only lifting 88-kg, so I thank God that I was even able to compete.
“Targeting bronze was a safe bet and I would have been happy with that but winning silver has opened my eyes up to what more I can achieve and I know I can do more in Tokyo.
“I now want to take a degree course in sport and learn more about weightlifting and coaching in order to set up my own academy, as well as continuing to compete in order to qualify for Tokyo.
“I also want to continue being an inspiration to women to show them that they can be the best in any field,” added Diaz, who has not only competed at the last three Olympics since Beijing but is also a first class airwoman in the Philippines Air Force.
She hasn’t always been this successful, she almost quit the sport in 2014 after failing to qualify for the Asian Games, and dropped out of a computer science course in her third year when her weightlifting suffered.
“I decided I had to reduce weight in order to start winning again,” said Diaz, who previously competed in 56-kg and 58-kg categories. “I had to quit university because my personal best wasn’t increasing and that’s when I knew I had to choose between weightlifting, study and my love life, and I chose weightlifting.
“I think that was God’s plan for me, and after stumbling in life I have learnt to walk. When I have been open to possibilities and open to people’s advice, more opportunities have opened themselves to me.
“I accept that is part of being an athlete. I was not always a champion, but sometimes you have to struggle and stumble.”
Her early days in the sport were just as difficult, she recalled.
“It was really basic. I started weightlifting at the age of 11 and I just used to hold a piece of wood to familiarise myself with the technique, and then I used to pour cement into paint cans on either end of the wood to make the weights.”
Diaz’ life story and humble beginnings were documented on Filipino TV last month where she was played by actress Jane Oineza.
“My parents and I laughed and cried while watching it,” she said. “I’m thankful for all the things that have happened in my life.
“I don’t take the fame too seriously as I know it won’t last, so I just enjoy it.
“Being famous is a hard job and sometimes it creates more pressure, but not for me because I love weightlifting and I know that as long as I keep training and stay hungry I will get to Tokyo.
“It’s part of my life and will never leave me. It makes me feel like part of a family, makes me happy, excited and challenged when I’m training for a competition. Weightlifting is my home.”
With the Philippines’ previous biggest sports star Manny Pacquiao having moved into show business, politics and basketball after boxing, Diaz too, said she was open to diversifying.
“Why not, if they give me the opportunity to do those things, but I will have to learn how to do whatever it is because I will always want to do my best.”
Of the accolades that have come her way she added: “I just wanted to win that medal for myself, the Philippines, my family and to glorify God. I didn’t expect to get anything else, but I’m grateful for it.”
Philippines Olympic medals
1928, Teofilo Yldefonso, bronze in men’s 200-metre breaststroke, swimming
1932, Simeon Toribio, bronze in men’s high jump, athletics
1932, Jose Villanueva, bronze in men’s bantamweight, boxing
1932, Teofilo Yldefonso, bronze in men’s 200-metre breaststroke, swimming
1936, Miguel White, bronze in men’s 400-metre hurdles, athletics
1964, Anthony Villanueva, silver in men’s featherweight, boxing
1988, Leopoldo Serantes, bronze in men’s light flyweight, boxing
1992, Roel Velasco, bronze in men’s light flyweight, boxing
1996, Mansueto Velasco, silver in men’s light flyweight, boxing
2016, Hidilyn Diaz, silver in women’s 53-kg, weightlifting
Seven bronze, three silver, total 10.
