VINH PHUC, Vietnam. – Although she’s the odds-on pick to lift the gold in her division, Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz refused to look past the opposition in the 31st Southeast Asian Games weightlifting battle on May 19-22 at the Hanoi Sports Training and Competition Center.
It’s not for lack of training or desire. She just acknowledged the fact that on any given day, someone might just spring a surprise.
“Everyone of us can win a gold medal and I can’t cite names because all of us are doing our best to perform at the highest level,” said Diaz, refusing to make any prediction in the regional multi-sporting competition.
“I can’t make any prediction since all the athletes are capable of winning a gold medal,” added the 2021 Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Year who ended the country’s quest for a golden win in the Tokyo Olympics.
A day after arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, the 31-year-old Zamboangueña plunged into training at the Steel Saigon gym to prepare for her gold medal bid in the women’s 55kg category on May 20. She reigned supreme in her division in the 2019 Philippine SEA Games.
“I’ll train for one week here in Ho Chi Minh City to prepare myself,” said Diaz, one of several stars on the national team, the others being gymnast Carlos Yulo, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, teen tennis star Alex Eala, the boxers who won medals in the Tokyo Games, and the Gilas Pilipinas squad.
Helping Diaz reach topnotch form on competition day are members of the HD team who arrived with her last Tuesday in Ho Chi Minh City — head trainer Julius Naranjo, nutritionist Jeaneth Aro and sports psychologist Dr. Karen Trinidad.
