Team HD had been keeping a secret throughout their build-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It was so under wraps that even Hidilyn Diaz’s Chinese coach Gao Kaiwen did not disclose it to his own country.
During the 2020 Asian Weightlifting Championships last April — the last competition Diaz joined before the Games — Diaz finished with a 94kg lift in the snatch and a 118 lift in the clean and jerk. She eventually settled for fourth.
Many said that Diaz was starting to lose strength at the age of 30. But apparently, it was all part of the plan.
“Siguro pero ang tingin nila sa akin… Kasi for how many competition na, ang total ko lang is 214 lang, 215, 212. Hindi nila nakita ‘yung best ko,” Diaz told ANC’s Headstart.
“Nung naglaro na, nabigla sila na malakas na ko.”
During her almost year-long training in Malaysia, Diaz had already been building strength. With her during that time were Gao, and strength and conditioning coach Julius Naranjo. From time to time, sports psychologist Dr. Karen Trinidad and coach Jeaneth Aro would be there as well.
Only they knew how strong Diaz was heading into the competition.
During the event itself last Monday, Diaz would snatch a 97 to put her into medal contention.
If the snatch was the opening salvo, the clean and jerk was the finale.
Diaz carried a 119 in her first attempt, while Zulfiya Chinshanlo lifted a 123. China’s Liao Qiuyun had 118.
Round two saw Chinshanlo settle for a 123, while Liao also carried the same with ease. Diaz pushed the pedal with a 124.
Then in the final round, it ended up being a heads-up match between Diaz and Liao as the Kazakh failed to carry a 125. Liao successfully lifted a 126 and did so with a smirk.
Of course, she was confident that that would be enough. But Diaz was ready to unveil their secret.
Diaz went on to carry a 127 — not just to win the competition but also set an Olympic record.
“Hindi makapaniwala ‘yung China na ganito na ‘ko kalakas.
“Even si Coach din, hindi niya shinare sa China. Medyo nagalit din ‘yung China sa kanya kasi hindi niya na-share kung ganu na ko kalakas. Sabi ko nga, bakit mo i-sheshare?” recalled Diaz.
Afterward, China felt betrayed by Gao for not telling them how strong Diaz was already. Gao was also the head coach of 2008 gold medalist Chen Xiexia and 2012 gold medalist Zhou Lulu.
But why would Gao do such a thing?
“Nandito kasi siya to work for me at palakasin ako. Mixed feeling ‘yun sa atin kasi political din siya. Tsaka ‘yung China powerhouse talaga eh,” she beamed.
“Buti naisungkit ko ‘yung isa, at Olympic record pa ‘yung isa.”
Still, Gao plans to return to China in a few weeks’ time as he really misses his family.
