Hidilyn to add muscle mass for Paris
It will be a challenging road to navigate for Hidilyn Diaz to clinch a 2024 Paris Olympic ticket as she moves up to the 59 kg category after bagging a silver at 53 kg in the 2016 Rio Games and a gold at 55 kg in the 2021 Tokyo edition. Diaz, 31, is now training at the Power and Grace Performance facility in Suwanee, Georgia with husband/strength and conditioning coach Julius Naranjo until they leave for the World Weightlifting Championships in Bogota, Colombia, on Dec. 5 to 16.
The Georgia gym was established in 2014 by Spencer Arnold who coached three Olympians in Tokyo, including 71 kg silver medalist Kate Vibert. Diaz is working alongside Vibert and two-time Pan American gold medalist and 49 kg Tokyo Olympian Jourdan de la Cruz. Manila-based nutritionist Jeaneth Aro will join Diaz in Georgia next week. PSC chairman Noli Eala said the government agency has received a proposal for Diaz’ budget until the 2024 Olympics and will support her step by step, initially for Bogota.
When Diaz made her Olympic debut in Beijing in 2008, she finished 10th of 13, lifting a total of 192 kg in snatch and clean and jerk in the 58 kg class. In the 2012 London Games, she failed to finish in the 58 kg division, hoisting 97 kg in snatch but unable to carry 118 kg thrice. In 2016, Diaz slid to 53 kg and garnered a silver with 200 kg, 88 in snatch and 112 in clean and jerk. In Tokyo, she brought home the gold with 224 kg, 97 in snatch and 127 in clean and jerk. The winning mark of 236 kg in the 59 kg division was registered by Chinese-Taipei’s Kuo Hsing Chun. To match Kuo’s lift, Diaz has to add 12 more kg or 26.5 pounds from her total in 55 kg.
In Paris, there will be only five women’s weightlifting categories with 55 kg deleted. The qualifying competitions are a series of seven starting with Bogota and moving to the 2023 Asian Championships, two 2023 Grand Prix, 2023 World Championships, 2024 World Cup and 2024 Asian Championships. Diaz will compete in the 55 kg division in Bogota even as she’s aiming to qualify for 59 kg in Paris. Her ranking and points will carry over to the reckoning for the Paris Olympics.
Aro said Diaz’ weight is now about 2.5 kg above 55 kg. “Ang plano ay aakyat ng 59 pero we still have to finalize plans,” she said. “Malaki ang weight increase, that’s why we need to embark on a new level of preparations as she has to gain a significant amount of muscle mass. Ang aim is additional muscle mass plus skills, conditioning and mental training leading to that. Essentially, yung additional muscle should produce more strength. Si Hidi, pag naka-focus, kaya niya.”