Hidilyn Diaz, the pride of Philippine weightlifting, came full circle but fell just short of the podium at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.
The Zamboangeña finished fourth in the women’s -60 kg class on Sunday at the Chonburi Sports School, lifting a total of 200 kg against a field of younger rivals from Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
“First of all, I’m sorry, but I did my best, and this is my best … for now. May injury ako and nahihirapan akong mag-traning, and kasi nga lumaki ako,” said the multititled weightlifter.
“Pero ‘yun nga, it’s not an excuse. And at the end of the day, lumaban ako, hindi ako sumuko. Nag-prepare ako, and I’m happy to represent the country.”
Diaz first debuted in the biennial Games in 2007 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, winning bronze in the -58 kg category.
From that breakthrough, her career soared, culminating in the Philippines’ first-ever Olympic gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
(C) POC Media
Given the shifts in competition and recent changes to weight categories, targeting a top-four finish was a realistic mission — and for the 34-year-old legend, mission accomplished.
Thailand’s Yodsarn Suratwadee captured gold with a 224-kg total, followed by Indonesian Natasya Beteyob with 218 kg, and Vietnam’s Thi Tam Quang with 215 kg.
“For me, the biggest challenge was not the physical training, but more of the mental training. ‘Yun ‘yung medyo nahirapan ako. And then, for one year, or almost two years na ‘kong hindi naglaro, so na maglaro for the Philippines and ando’n sa podium,” Diaz added.
Diaz matched the earlier fourth-place finish of Dave Lloyd Pacaldo in the men’s -65 kg, while Fernando Agad also competed in the men’s -50 kg on Saturday.
The Philippine weightlifting squad will look to end the medal drought when Paris Olympian Elreen Ando, in the women’s -63 kg, and Kristel Macrohon, in the women’s -69 kg, take the platform on Monday.
