Hidilyn Diaz opens new gym in hometown Zamboanga City

HIDILYN DIAZ, the country’s latest silver medalist in the Olympics, is giving back to the community.

The silver medalist in the weightlifting event in last year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics has just opened her own weightlifting gym in her hometown Mampang, Zamboanga City, to help out the kids in learning the sport and make some sort of a payback to the town that helped turn her life around.

“That’s my main goal — to help out the kids in our hometown and realize their dream in weightlifting. This sport could change their lives and hopefully, they could become just like me in the future. I want them to surpass what I have achieved, probably win our first ever Olympic gold,” said Ms. Diaz, who ended the country’s 20-year medal drought in her latest feat.

Ms. Diaz was named the Athlete of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association, the oldest journalism institution in the Philippines.

The gym, according to Ms. Diaz, was built nearby the area where her students reside.

“That’s ideal so they won’t spend for transportation,” she added.

Allen Jayfrus Diaz, Hidilyn’s cousin who also serves as a regional coach, will be the chief instructor in the gym.

“Every time I go home in Zamboanga, I made it a point to teach the kids the fundamentals of weightlifting. Whenever I’m in Manila, we communicated thru group chat in Facebook the things they need to improve on,” added Ms. Diaz.

A student of St. Benilde, Ms. Diaz is hoping to improve the facilities more and that’s the reason why she’s sorting for additional help in providing equipment such as rubber mats and barbells. Pioneer, Bosch and Bank of the Philippine Islands committed to help her.

For Ms. Diaz, budgeting her time through training and studying is difficult, but Ms. Diaz said that she maybe studying now through a scholarship grant and is also involved with her weightlifting gym, but she is still, first and foremost, an athlete.

“It’s difficult, but training is my priority, then school. The third one is the social media so I stay connected with the kids in Zamboanga,” said Ms. Diaz. —