Hidilyn Diaz included in SWP's roster for the SEA Games

September 7 ------ HIDILYN Diaz-Naranjo isn’t retiring just yet despite her schedule as a coach and helping propagating weightlifting in the country. Diaz has been included by the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas in its roster for the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, and it is likely that she will be competing again.

The Philippines' first Olympic gold medalist said she continues to train despite her busy schedule that included coaching potential weightlifters in the Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Academy in Jala-Jala, Rizal, and her involvement in the Palarong Pambansa where the sport was a demonstration event in Ilocos Norte last summer. Diaz will also be busy after she recently teamed-up with the Philippine Sports Commission and the Department Education for the establishment of the largest weightlifting academy in the country.

But the 34-year-old Diaz said her training has intensified with her inclusion in the Team Philippines’ line-up in the women’s 58kg category. “Ngayon po kasi, naka-lineup ako for SEA Games. Pero titignan natin kasi malaking responsibilidad itong binigay sa akin sa Palarong Pambansa pero nagte-training pa rin ako,” said Diaz at the sidelines of the Sports Stakeholders Forum by the Philippine Sports Commission last Tuesday at the Solaire Resort. “Nag-tetraining ako the whole year pero ‘yung seryoso, sumasakit na ‘yung katawan ko. Kinakabahan na ako. Posible (mag-compete sa SEA Games)," the two-time SEA Games gold medalist in 2019 in Manila and 2022 in Hanoi said.

Diaz’s last competition was last April 2024 during the IWF World Cup in Phuket, a Paris Olympic qualifier. She missed a return trip to the Olympics, with Elreen Ando securing that spot.

Source: spin.ph