Hidilyn Diaz

In this Philippine name for married women, the birth middle name or maternal family name is Francisco, the birth surname or paternal family name is Diaz, and the marital name is Naranjo.

Hidilyn Francisco Diaz-Naranjo OLY^[2][3] (Tagalog: [haɪdiˈlin ˈdɪas naˈɾanho];^[4] born February 20, 1991^[5]) is a Filipino weightlifter and airwoman. She holds two Olympic records in weightlifting for her performance at the women's 55 kg category for weightlifting at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Hidilyn Diaz

OLY

Diaz in 2021
Personal information
Birth name	Hidilyn Francisco Diaz
Nickname	Hidi
Nationality	Filipino
Born	(1991-02-20) February 20, 1991 (age 32) Zamboanga City, Philippines
Alma mater	De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (BBA)
Height	1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)
Weight	58.65 kg (129 lb)
Spouse	Julius Naranjo ​ (m. 2022)​
Military career
Allegiance	Philippines
Service/branch	Philippine Air Force
Years of service	2013–present
Rank	Second Lieutenant
Unit	Air Force Special Service Group, PAF Personnel Management Center, 710th Special Operations Wing, Philippine Air Force Civil-Military Operations Group
Awards	Military Merit Medal Presidential Citation Unit Badge
Sport
Country	Philippines
Sport	Weightlifting
Event(s)	–59 kg, –55 kg
Club	Zamboanga
Coached by	Gao Kaiwen (Weightlifting Coach) Julius Naranjo (Weightlifting/Strength and Conditioning Coach) Catalino Diaz (First Coach) Antonio Agustin Jr. (Former Coach)
Achievements and titles
Personal bests	Snatch: 102 kg (2013, NR) Clean & Jerk: 127 kg (2021, OR) Total: 224 kg (2021, OR)^[1]
Medal record Representing the  Philippines Event 1st 2nd 3rd Summer Olympics 1 1 0 World Championships 1 0 3 Asian Games 1 0 0 Asian Championships 1 1 1 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 0 1 0 Southeast Asian Games 2 2 1 Total 6 5 5 Olympic Games 2020 Tokyo –55 kg 2016 Rio de Janeiro –53 kg World Championships 2022 Bogotá –55 kg 2015 Houston –53 kg 2017 Anaheim –53 kg 2019 Pattaya –55 kg Asian Games 2018 Jakarta–Palembang –53 kg Asian Championships 2015 Phuket –53 kg 2019 Ningbo –55 kg 2016 Tashkent –53 kg Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2017 Ashgabat –53 kg Southeast Asian Games 2019 Philippines –55 kg 2021 Vietnam –55 kg 2011 Jakarta-Palembang –58 kg 2013 Naypyidaw –58 kg 2007 Nakhon Ratchasima –58 kg

In her early weightlifting years, she was a bronze medalist in the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand and achieved 10th place at the 2006 Asian Games in the 53-kilogram class. While she was a student and representing Universidad de Zamboanga, she won two golds and one silver in the Asian Youth/Junior Weightlifting Championship held in Jeonju, South Korea.^[6][7][8] She competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, where she was the youngest competitor in the women's 58-kg category.^[9]

In the 2016 Summer Olympics, Diaz won the silver medal in the women's 53-kg weight division, the first Filipino to win a medal in a non-boxing event since 1936^[10] and ending the Philippines' 20-year Olympic medal drought.

On July 26, 2021, at the 2020 Summer Olympics for the women's 55 kg category for weightlifting, Diaz won the first ever gold medal for the Philippines, becoming the first Filipino to ever win an Olympic gold medal for the country.^[11] She also set Olympic records for the 55 kg division in the clean and jerk at 127 kg and in the total at 224 kg.^[12]

Early life and education

Hidilyn Francisco Diaz is the fifth of six children of Eduardo and Emelita Diaz. Her father was a tricycle driver before becoming a farmer and a fisherman. She grew up wanting to be a banker and trying several sports, like basketball and volleyball.^[13] Her cousin, Allen Jayfrus Diaz, taught her the basics of weightlifting.^[14]

Diaz attended the Zamboanga A.E. Colleges (later Universidad de Zamboanga; UZ) for her high school studies under a scholarship.^[15] In college, she pursued a bachelor's degree in computer science at the same school. She then stopped attending the university as a third year irregular student as she found her degree unsuitable for her. She also claimed that it distracted her training. After her success in the 2016 Olympics, Diaz decided to continue her tertiary education and intended to pursue a degree related to sports in Manila.^[16]

 

Diaz in Philippine Air Force uniform with her Olympic silver medal in 2016.

In January 2017, Diaz received a scholarship to study business management at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.^[17]

In 2019, Diaz took a leave of absence from her schooling while she focused on preparation for the Olympics after winning the Asian Games.^[18][19] In 2020, Diaz re-enrolled into online classes because the 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed to July 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[20]

In July 2023, Diaz graduated from Saint Benilde and earned her business management degree.^[21]

Competitive career

First learning weightlifting from her older cousins, Diaz initially lifted using makeshift barbells made of mag wheels or concrete. Prior to high school, Diaz joined the University of Zamboanga's (UZ) extension program to train in weightlifting under her cousin Catalino Diaz who was also her first coach. Elementary students not enrolled in UZ were able to train under the program of Institute of Human Kinetics director Elbert Atilano. She had to do part-time work to fund her transportation to a local gymnasium. Her part-time jobs were selling vegetables and fish and washing jeepneys. Diaz's first competition was the 2002 Batang Pinoy in Puerto Princesa. She went on to compete in various local and national competitions and secured support from the local government. Diaz became part of the Philippine national weightlifting team at age 13.^[15]

2008 Summer Olympics

Diaz was selected as a wild card entry to the Beijing Olympics by the Philippine Weightlifting Association in early 2008.^[22] This made her the first female weightlifter to compete for the Philippines in the Olympics, and the sixth weightlifter overall (the first being Rodrigo del Rosario competing in 1948 London Olympics).^[23] Competing in the women's 58-kg class, 17-year-old Diaz lifted 85-kg in the snatch and 107-kg in the clean and jerk for a 192-kg total, breaking the Philippine record that she herself set at the 2007 Southeast Asian Games.^[24] Although she placed second to last in a field of 12 weightlifters, her performance was praised and considered promising for her age. Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez once commented that she competed there to gain valuable experience and predicted that she would be a strong contender in future competitions.^[25]

2012 Summer Olympics

Diaz became the first Filipina weightlifter to compete in two consecutive Olympics, by qualifying in the women's weightlifting under 58 kg through the Continental and World Qualifying Tournaments. She was ranked ninth in her event heading to the Olympics. During the 2012 London Olympics, Diaz was chosen to be the flagbearer during the Opening Ceremony.^[26][27][28]

She was coached by Tony Agustin, and they projected a 225 kg lift, above her personal best of 219 kg.^[29] She successfully lifted a personal best of 97 kg in the snatch, 12th best among the 19 competitors. However her 118 kg clean and jerk was unsuccessful after three attempts. She was one of two competitors (along with Lina Rivas of Colombia) to end with an official result of "Did not finish" (DNF) in the event.^[30]

2015 to 2016 season

 

Diaz on a 2021 stamp of the Philippines

 

Diaz (second from left) with Cecil Atilano, Beng Climaco and Nestor Colonia being recognized by Zamboanga City Mayor Mayor Beng Climaco for their performance in the 2015 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Phuket, Thailand

Diaz weighed around 56.28 kg during her first Olympic campaign, making her the lightest among competitors. Come the 2012 Olympics, she had increased her weight to 57.70 kg but still struggled making it to the top half of the competition. Trying to improve her chances of landing a podium finish at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Diaz decided to drop weight from under 58 kg to under 53 kg. This proved to be effective as she won the gold medal in the 1st Southeast Asian Weightlifting Championship in Bangkok.^[31] In that competition, she managed to lift a 98 kg snatch and a 115 kg clean and jerk for a 213 kg total. The same mark was also good for 4th place later on in the 2012 London Olympics.^{[citation needed]}

In the Asian Weightlifting Championships, Diaz won both a gold medal in 2015 and a bronze medal in 2016.^[13] She also earned three bronze medals for the clean, jerk and snatch events in the 53 kg division of the IWF World Weightlifting Championship held in Houston, Texas, on November 22, 2015, to claim a spot in the 2016 Rio Olympics.^[32][33][34]

In March 2016, Diaz dominated the women's 58 kg event of the 2015-16 Philippine National Games National Finals held at Lingayen Town Plaza, Lingayen, Pangasinan, with a 92 kg snatch and 120 kg clean and jerk (new personal best) combined into 212 kg.^[35]

2016 Summer Olympics

In the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Diaz competed in her 3rd consecutive Olympics in the women's 53kg weightlifting category with the intention of at least winning a bronze medal.^[36] Diaz surpassed her own personal target and won the silver medal at the event, after successfully clinching a lift of 88 kg in her second attempt in snatch event (placed 6th) and 111 kg and 112 kg in the first and second attempts in the clean and jerk event (placed 2nd).^[37] This was the first medal for the Philippines in the Summer Olympics after 20 years. This was also the first non-boxing medal for the nation since 1936. Aside from being the first Filipina weightlifter to compete in three consecutive Olympics, she also became the first Filipino woman and the second person from Zamboanga and Mindanao to win an Olympic medal (after Simeon Toribio, bronze medal winner of men's high jump in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games).

On August 8, 2016, she returned to her hometown, Zamboanga City and was welcomed as a hero of the city.^[38] From receiving numerous incentives from the Philippine president, Philippine Sports Commission and her local city,^[39] she was able to buy land for her sibling and for her gym.^[13]

2018 Asian Games

 

Diaz (third from left), with three other gold medalists (Loisa Kaye Go, Bianca Pagdanganan, and Yuka Saso) for the Philippines at the 2018 Asian Games.

Diaz participated in the women's 53 kg event in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.^[40] Two months prior to the Asian Games, she recruited Gao Kaowen who was previously coach of the Chinese national women's army team.^[41] In the women's 53 kg in the 2018 Asian Games, Diaz had a total lift of 207 kg, beating Turkmenistan's Kristina Shermetova (206 kg) and Thailand's Surodchana Khambao (201 kg) to deliver the Philippines' first gold in the 2018 games,^[40][42] as well as being the first Filipino weightlifter of any gender to win a gold medal in the Asian Games.^{[citation needed]}

2019–20 season

After winning a bronze in the 2017 World Championships, Diaz again won a bronze in the 2019 edition of the same event. She also won a silver in the 2019 Asian Championship, and another gold in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Manila.^[13] In January 2020, Diaz won the gold medal in the women's 55 kg event at the Roma 2020 World Cup in Rome, Italy.^[43][44]

2020 Summer Olympics

On July 26, 2021, Diaz won a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.^[45] This was the first ever gold medal won by a Filipino athlete since the country's first appearance in the Olympics in 1924.^[46] She set new Olympic weightlifting records by lifting 127 kg in the clean and jerk and lifting a total weight of 224 kg.^[12][47]

Diaz's achievements at the 2020 Summer Olympics were impressive, as she was previously stranded in Malaysia from February 2020 until July 2021, due to travel restrictions imposed by governments to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on guidance by her coach, Gao Kaiwen, Diaz initially went to train in Malaysia in February 2020 because Gao thought it would be better for her as she focused on qualifying for Tokyo. However, once Malaysia implemented its Movement Control Order in April 2020, which closed gyms within the capital region of Kuala Lumpur (Klang Valley), she improvised by using bamboo sticks and large water bottles as makeshift weightlifting equipment.^[48][49] In October 2020, she relocated to the southern coastal state of Malacca where they had been living in a house owned by a Malaysian weightlifting official in Jasin.^[50][51] The Malaysian government then implemented periodic restrictions on gyms and sporting activities within 2021 (to reduce social interaction and contain the spread of the coronavirus), forcing her to work out in the house's sweltering open-air carport in the immediate months prior to the 2020 Summer Olympics.^{[51][52][53][54][55]}

Diaz also struggled with her mental health during this ordeal, especially with the postponement of the 2020 Olympics, and credited her team, including sports psychologist Dr. Karen Katrina Trinidad and Project: Steady with trauma therapist Gang Badoy Capati for her well-being. She also kept busy during her training overseas during COVID-19 lockdown by cooking, attending meetings, and studying.^[18][56]

In recognition of winning the first gold medal for the Philippines at any Olympic Games, she was awarded PHP 35.5 million (approximately US$660,000) along with a house and a lot. The financial and asset awards, were jointly given by both the national government and tycoons from the private sector.^[57] Under Philippine law, the Philippine Sports Commission guarantees a 10 million-peso incentive for every Olympic gold medal per Republic Act 10699.^[58]

2022

On May 20, 2022, Diaz won her second gold medal win during the 31st Southeast Asian Games.^[59] In December of that year, she won the gold medal in the women's 55 kg event at the World Weightlifting Championships held in Bogotá, Colombia.^[60] In that same month, she was also elected as member of the IWF Athletes' Commission.^[61]

2023

Diaz made her competitive debut in the 59 kg division at the 2023 Asian Weightlifting Championships in South Korea. She placed 4th by lifting a total of 221 kg.^[62]

Major results

Year	Venue	Weight	Snatch (kg)				Clean & Jerk (kg)				Total	Rank
			1	2	3	Rank	1	2	3	Rank
Olympic Games
2008	Beijing, China	58 kg	80	85	90	11	102	102	107	11	192	11
2012	London, Great Britain	58 kg	92	97	97	13	118	118	118	—	—	—
2016	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	53 kg	88	88	91	5	111	112	117	2	200
2021	Tokyo, Japan	55 kg	94	97	99	2	119	124	127 OR	1	224 OR
World Championships
2011	Paris, France	58 kg	92	95	95	9	119	121	123	7	214	7
2015	Houston, United States	53 kg	94	96	100		115	117	121		213
2017	Anaheim, United States	53 kg	85	86	90	5	110	113	115		199
2018	Ashgabat, Turkmenistan	55 kg	88	91	93	6	110	115	115	13	203	9
2019	Pattaya, Thailand	55 kg	93	93	93	8	115	118	121		214
2022	Bogotá, Colombia	55 kg	90	93	96		114	117	121		207
2023	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	59 kg	95	95	97	11	121	125	127	6	224	7
Asian Games
2006	Doha, Qatar	53 kg	67	70	72	11	82	88	90	10	162	10
2010	Guangzhou, China	58 kg	90	94	97	6	111	115	115	8	209	6
2018	Jakarta, Indonesia	53 kg	88	90	92	2	110	115	117	1	207
2023	Hangzhou, China	59 kg	94	97	100	4	121	126	131	3	223	4
Asian Championships
2012	Pyeongtaek, South Korea	58 kg	90	95	98	4	118	122	122	4	217	4
2015	Phuket, Thailand	53 kg	93	93	96		112	116	118		214
2016	Tashkent, Uzbekistan	53 kg	90	90	95		112	115	118		208
2019	Ningbo, China	55 kg	90	94	96		110	115	119		209
2021	Tashkent, Uzbekistan	55 kg	90	90	94	4	118	121	122	4	212	4
2023	Jinju, South Korea	59 kg	93	97	99	4	118	122	125	5	221	4
IWF World Cup
2020	Rome, Italy	55 kg	90	93	95		113	119	122		212
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
2017	Ashgabat, Turkmenistan	53 kg	85	90	93	2	110	114	114	2	204
Junior World Championships
2011	Penang, Malaysia	58 kg	90	93	94		115	120	122	5	213	4
Asian Junior Championships
2009	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	58 kg	85	85	88		100	108	108	5	188
2010	Tashkent, Uzbekistan	58 kg	83	83	84		102	107	111		195
2011	Pattaya, Thailand	58 kg	90	93	95		115	120	120		215

Military career

Diaz was recruited into the Philippine Air Force (PAF) through the military arm's Direct Enlistment Program in 2013. She was initially assigned to the Air Force Special Service Group. She was also given an Air Force Specialty Code skill in recreation in weightlifting. In 2014, she was given a promotion from the rank of Airwoman to Airwoman Second Class. Diaz was also a recipient of a Military Merit Medal for organizing PAF events and a Presidential Citation Unit Badge. When Diaz was training for her stint at the 2016 Summer Olympics, she was assigned to PAF Personnel Management Center on a temporary basis. For her achievement at the Olympics, she was given a promotion by the PAF. The extent of the promotion was initially not disclosed^[63] but it was later reported that Diaz was promoted to the rank of Airwoman First Class.^[64] Diaz was consecutively promoted to the rank of Sergeant after the 2018 Asian Games.^[65] On July 27, 2021, following Diaz's success in competing for the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes, the Philippine Air Force's commanding general, approved Diaz's promotion from Sergeant, to Staff Sergeant.^[66]

Personal life

Diaz is a devout Catholic and credits her faith with inspiring her athletic achievements.^[67] She wore a Miraculous Medal at the 2020 Olympic medaling ceremony, which she said is "a sign of our prayers and faith in Mama Mary and Jesus Christ."^[68]

Diaz is married to Julius Naranjo, a former weightlifter who competed for Guam in international competitions^[69] and a professional weightlifting coach, a strength and conditioning coach, and filmmaker at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.^[70][71] Naranjo had become her coach^[when?], and they were wed in Baguio, on July 26, 2022.^{[72][73][74][75]}

Inclusion in alleged ouster plot matrix

In April 2019, Diaz was listed among those allegedly involved in an ouster plot against president Rodrigo Duterte,^[76] as presented by Salvador Panelo who was Presidential Spokesperson at the time.^[77][78] She initially found the allegation laughable, and numerous government officials came to her defense, saying the inclusion of her name and that of fellow athlete Gretchen Ho was ridiculous,^[79][80] but Diaz eventually came to the realization that the inclusion of her name was a threat to her safety and that of her family.^[77][78] Panelo later backtracked on the inclusion of Diaz and Ho's names, saying they were not part of the alleged conspiracy.^[81]

In popular media

Main article: Silver Medal (Maalaala Mo Kaya)

Diaz's life leading to her silver medal win in the 2016 Summer Olympics was dramatized in an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya, a drama anthology series, aired on September 24, 2016. She was portrayed by Jane Oineza.^[82]

Awards and recognitions

On February 14, 2017, Diaz was awarded as the Athlete of the Year of the Philippine Sportswriters Association.^[83] She is also the recipient of two honors from the Philippine House of Representatives; the Congressional Medals of Distinction (CMD) in 2016 and the Congressional Medal of Excellence (CME) in 2021.^[84][85] The CME, intended for Filipino Olympic gold medalists, was instituted by the Congress' lower house after Diaz won the first ever gold medal for the country in the 2020 Summer Olympics.^[85]

See also

• List of Olympic medalists for the Philippines
• List of Olympic records in weightlifting

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75. "#TheWeightIsOver: Hidilyn Diaz, Julius Naranjo get married on Olympic gold anniv". CNN Philippines. July 26, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
76. Mariano, Paolo (July 27, 2021). "SHINY VINDICATION | Diaz's historic gold medal should shut up haters once and for all". news.tv5.com.ph. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
77. "Olympian Hidilyn Diaz fears for life after inclusion in oust-Duterte matrix". cnn. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
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82. "Olympic heroine Hidilyn Diaz's life story featured on TV drama 'Maalaala Mo Kaya'". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. September 22, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
83. "Rio Olympic feat gives Hidilyn PSA top award". The Philippine Star. January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
84. "LOOK: Hidilyn Diaz receives Congressional medal, monetary award". Rappler. August 25, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
85. "House adopts reso conferring Congressional Medal of Excellence to Hidilyn Diaz". Manila Bulletin. August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hidilyn Diaz.

 

Wikiquote has quotations related to Hidilyn Diaz.

• Hidilyn Diaz at the International Weightlifting Federation  
• Hidilyn Diaz at Olympedia  
• Hidilyn Diaz at Olympics.com

Olympic Games
Preceded by Manny Pacquiao	Flagbearer for   Philippines London 2012	Succeeded by Michael Christian Martinez