Hidilyn Diaz stepped on the stage in Tashkent and officially claimed her fourth consecutive ticket to the Summer Olympics, Sunday evening.
By virtue of her entry into the 2020 Asian Weightlifting Championships here in Uzbekistan, the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist will be going to Tokyo in July this year for perhaps her last shot at the elusive gold for her and the country.
After competitions were hampered due to the prevailing situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, Diaz completed the requirements for her bid to the Summer Games. The qualification rules stipulate the need for at least six eligible events in the three qualification periods, and the Championships served as Diaz’s sixth tournament.
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games champion is fifth in the world rankings in the women’s 55 kg class as of the moment. She is also the second one not including the other four Chinese lifters. Each NOC is granted only one slot per weight class in the Games.
Diaz is the seventh Filipino who booked a place in the Tokyo Games joining pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio, and Carlo Paalam.
