Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn does it again as she collected three gold medals in the women’s 55 kg snatch of the International Weightlifting Federation World Championships in Bogota, Colombia on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022.
The Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo who brought the Philippines its first Olympic gold in July last year will add another three gold medals to her growing collection that includes medals in the Asian Games, Asian Championships and Southeast Asian Games.
Residents in her hometown in Zamboanga City posted videos and photos of her winning lift on social media.
Diaz-Naranjo’s effort in Bogota was far from that in Tokyo where she booked a total of 224kg (97kg in snatch and a 127kg in clean and jerk). But it was enough to make her country proud once more.
Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) president Monico Puentevella in a statement “She’s an outstanding athlete and Filipina,” an ecstatic. “She’s got more chances now to go to Paris 2024. She really has the heart of a champion.”
Puentevella thanked the president and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for their support. He said that Diaz’s performance should inspire not just the nation of 108 million people but the rest of the Philippine contingent in Bogota, including Tokyo Olympian Elreen Ando and Asian and SEA Games titlist Vanessa Sarno.
PSC in a statement said that “Hidilyn has proven once again that the fire in her heart to be second to none in her field continues to burn and remains the benchmark by which every weightlifter and Filipino athlete must measure themselves against,”
“The PSC will forever be proud of Hidilyn as the epitome of a great champion and will always provide support in her continuing quest to bring honor to our country. Mabuhay!” it added.
The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president also took his hat off to Diaz-Naranjo.
“This recent breakthrough of Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz is proof that Filipinos are strong and talented individuals. We are truly grateful to Team HD for this is a result of hard work, a combination of determination, continuous training and confidence and she knows that there are people behind her who truly support her,” the POC president said.
“Greatness comes when special people congregate and unite for a common goal. With the help of the sports community and Hidilyn’s effort, truly her talent is uniquely a force to be reckoned with. We firmly believe that our preparation for the Paris Olympics is timely,” the POC president also said of Diaz-Naranjo’s win.
Her recent win earned Diaz-Naranjo precious qualifying points to the 2024 Paris Games where she will be gunning for a second gold in the quadrennial event, and cement her status as one of the titans of the sport.
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