Hidilyn eyes heavier weight class in Tokyo

JAKARTA — Next to her Olympic silver medal in Rio, the gold she won Tuesday night in the Asian Games will occupy a special place in Hidilyn Diaz’s heart.

Diaz, who gave the Philippines its first gold medal here, admitted that delivering the right color was of paramount importance since just about everyone expected her to win the 53 kg event in style.

“I couldn’t (get the right amount of) sleep the last two months because I was really feeling the pressure,” Diaz, 27, said after her landmark victory.

“It was stressful and I was restless all the time.”

Diaz edged Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova to bag the gold, a medal that will look as glamorous as the silver that she brought home from Brazil two years ago. “This was the medal that we Filipinos all aspired for and I am so happy that I did it,” said Diaz, who stands to collect a cool R6 million from mixed government and private sector funding. Under the law, an Asian Games gold medal is worth R2 million while a pledge form the Philippine Olympic Committee also dangles the same hefty amount plus R1 million each from the Siklab Atleta of Davao tycoon Dennis Uy and Philippine ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hoong.

What made her recent conquest extra-special was the realization that Diaz’s ultimate dream — winning an Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2020 — remains a possibility.

“Winning an Olympic gold is possible,” said Diaz, who took time off from her personal affairs and studies at St. Benilde in Manila where she is taking up Business Management to focus on training.

Next up for Diaz will be a stint in the world championships in Turkmenistan from Nov. 1-10, an event that will serve as qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.

Instead of campaigning in her pet 53 kg., Diaz will try her luck in the 55 kg. a division she feels will be perfect for her.

“I will be competing in a heaver weight class but I feel that my chances of winning is bigger because at this weight, I will be comfortable,” she said.