MANILA: As she sets her eyes on the next Olympics in Tokyo on 2020, Rio Olympics silver medalist weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz is also trying hard to attain higher education and building a training facility for fellow weightlifters.
“My aim is to get four-year degree course and then take a masteral course. I will continue also my training for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. I’m planning to compete in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games and 2018 Asian Games but it depends on the category. Let’s see,” Manila Times quoted Diaz as saying.
Diaz reportedly said that she is considering enroling at the De La Salle University or College of Saint Benilde.
Diaz received a P5 million incentive from the government through the Philippine Sports Commission for winning a silver medal in the Rio Games. She also received cash rewards from politicians and companies for her feat of ending the Philippines’ 20-year medal drought in the quadrennial meet, the report said.
Diaz was quoted as saying that what she wants now is quality training for her fellow Pinoy weightlifters. “I’m coaching them already but I want to have a concrete plan for them. Coaching is my passion but I still want to learn more in life.”
The 25-year-old Philippine Air Force weightlifter also used her personal money to put up a gym where she can train aspiring Filipino weightlifters.
“Before competing in the Rio Olympics, my plan was to build a gym in Mampang, Zamboanga City. I already purchased the land for the gym,” Diaz was quoted as saying. “I’m now asking for the city government to help me in designing the gym.”
After her silver medal finish in Rio, the 2015 Asian Championship gold medalist Diaz said that the next step is to win the gold.
“I’m now targeting to win the gold in Tokyo four years from now. The moment I won in Rio, I told myself I could be victorious in 2020, if I will train hard and perform well. I’m very determined,” Manila Times quoted Diaz as saying.
“There are more things that will happen in the next four years. But for me, I will train until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The association also gave me two years to prepare for 2020.”
