JAKARTA — Hidilyn Diaz bared on Thursday that she is moving up in weight in the aftermath of her gold-medal performance in the 2018 Asian Games.
Diaz, 27, said she will be leaving the -53-kilogram weight class - where she won silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics and gold in these 18th Asian Games - in favor of the 55kg division where she is more comfortable.
“The -55 kgs is not actually a choice, but it’s my targeted weight for the gold in Tokyo [2020 Olympics]. It’s a new categorty in the IWF [International Weightlifting Federation],” the amible weightlifter from Zamboanga said.
“I feel more comfortable with -55 kgs, it’s less tiring,” she said. “My opponents in that class are strong, but I will stand my ground.”
Diaz lifted 207kgs in winning the gold on Tuesday night, beating Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova by a kilo and Thailand’s Khambao Surodchana by 6 kilos.
But Diaz admitted that she has grown tired with the rigors of trying to keeping her weight down.
“I’m 27 years old now and I have been a national athlete for 14 years. In other words, I am no longer young and I am now one of the veterans,” said Diaz.
“In these Asian Games, I was confident of the gold in the -53 kgs, and thank God I got my wish,” she added. “But I have gotten tired in the division.”
Diaz also hinted that Tokyo 2020 could probably be her swansong. And is she does retire by then, the star lifter hopes to help pave the way for other Filipina lifters.
“I can see young athletes who have the potential specially in weightlifting. Like myself, they need a program, a personal program like what I have undergone,” she said.
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