Weightlifting has been included in the Palarong Pambansa program, thanks to the efforts of Filipino icon Hidilyn Diaz

The sport of weightlifting in the Philippines received a major boost recently after being officially included in the Palarong Pambansa calendar and program. This milestone ensures that aspiring weightlifters will have more opportunities to represent the country in the future.

Central to weightlifting’s inclusion in the Palarong Pambansa was the tireless effort of Philippine weightlifting icon Hidilyn Diaz, who championed the cause alongside her husband and coach, Julius Naranjo.

“I dreamed of this for many years, and it finally came true. The entire weightlifting community has long wished to be included in the Palarong Pambansa,” Diaz said during a media interaction.

Olympian Hidilyn Diaz is one excited athlete after weightlifting’s reintroduction as a demonstration event in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte.

Coincidentally, her nephew, Matthew, is the first gold medalist of this year’s weightlifting event in the secondary boys… pic.twitter.com/XG9GZwZh2b

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) May 26, 2025

Diaz served as the tournament director for the first-ever weightlifting competition in the national games for elementary and high school students from the country’s 17 regions.

“I won silver and gold medals in the Olympics—so what’s next? How do I leverage this for the next generation? The Palarong Pambansa gives young athletes the opportunity to excel in weightlifting,” she added.

This year’s Palarong Pambansa is a week-long event, with over 70 high school weightlifters expected to participate, including eight athletes from the training school established by Diaz and Naranjo. For Diaz, the inclusion of weightlifting is a crucial step in building the future of the national team.

“It was really difficult because you have to convince all the regions. Education Secretary Sonny Angara paved the way for this dream to come true. Becoming part of the Palaro is important. It’s a great process because lifters from districts, cities, and regions can now be discovered,” Diaz concluded.

The opening ceremony of this year’s Palarong Pambansa was attended by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with the weightlifting tournament taking place this week.

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