Hidilyn lifts Phl to 1st Asiad gold

Olympic medalist Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines competes in the women’s 53kg weightlifting event during the Asian Games in Jakarta yesterday. Diaz won the gold medal, the country’s first in the Asiad.

“I’d loved to be in the finals but I’m happy with my finish. I had strong mental training (for the games), I was really eyeing a medal of whatever color,” said Lopez, who turned 22 just four days ago.

Two other Phl jins failed to deliver as Kristopher Robert Uy also bowed to a Chinese rival in Sun Hongyi, 7-9 in Round of 16 of +80kg men while Kirstie Elaine Alora dropped a close 7-8 defeat to Kazakhstan’s Cansel Deniz, 7-8, in the opening round in women’s +67 kg.

Many other Filipino athletes set out for battle and returned to their quarters with a sad tale to tell.

In Palembang, Ariana Thea Patrice Dormitorio was among the pacesetters when she crashed in Lap 2 of the five-lap Women’s Cross Country in Mountain Bike and failed to finish.

“I was disappointed. Luck was not with me today,” said Dormitorio whose No. 100 ranking in the UCI made her the favorite in the race.

She was first out of the start line but was gobbled up by Chinese riders and eventual 1-2 finishers Yao Bianwa and Li Hongfeng as they wound up Lap 1.

Then came the crash that could well be the signal of her last stint with the Phl national team.

Donjie Dormitorio, father of Ariana, issued a statement moment after the race, saying he wanted his daughter out of the team, ruing their lack of support from the national cycling federation. He said they would make their resignation formal upon their return to Manila.