WITH the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur now out of her plans, Olympic silver medallist Hidilyn Diaz will focus her preparations on two other top tier events this year.
Diaz is set to join the weightlifting meet in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan this September and the World Championship this Novembers in Anaheim, California.
It will be Diaz’s first in the multi-event Asian meet and her third time to join the tournament organized by the International Weightlifting Federation in the United States.
Participating in the SEA Games is already out of the question since organizers have deleted many women’s events from the calendar.
“I’ve moved on from SEA Games which will not have women’s events,” said Diaz as she talked of her plans during yesterday’s weekly PSA Forum at the Golden Phoenix Hotel in Pasay City.
Diaz said she is now training again with coach Tony Agustin. Dondon Aldanete took over to help train her for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
“I will participate in competition while I’m also studying,” said the 25-year old Diaz, who has been busy not only with her training, but with her studies since the start of the year.
Hidilyn is back to school, taking up business management after she accepted a scholarship offer from the College of St. Benilde.
The help came from another Olympian, La Salle alumnus Stephen Fernandez, who is the school’s athletic director.
“Time management is my problem now. I have the strength and stamina for this,” said Diaz.
Going back to school, according to Diaz, will help get a clear view of how she will chart her life in the next four years, and on her journey to compete again in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Born February 20, 1991 Diaz competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics as the youngest competitor in the women’s 58-kg category. She won a bronze medal in the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand. She reached 10th place at the 2006 Asian Games in the 53-kilogram class.
She ended 20 years of Olympic medal drought in the 2016 Summer Olympics when she won the silver medal in the women’s 53-kg weight division.