“That’s why I’m still lifting”: Weightlifting icon Hidilyn Diaz on her mission to inspire Filipinos

Hidilyn Diaz has long stood as a symbol of excellence and perseverance in Philippine sports. The country’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist, Diaz etched her name in history during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a triumph that elevated her to national hero status and inspired a new generation of Filipino athletes to pursue greatness on the global stage.

Years after her historic achievement, Diaz continues to expand her impact beyond the competition platform. The 35-year-old has recently ventured into academia, officially joining the University of the Philippines Diliman as a faculty member under the College of Human Kinetics. In this new role, she brings her wealth of experience as a world-class athlete into the classroom, helping shape future coaches, trainers, and sports professionals.

While Diaz fell short of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the setback has not diminished her passion for the sport. Instead, it has reinforced her commitment to inspire others—particularly women—to take up weightlifting and pursue their athletic dreams.

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“That’s why I am still lifting, because I still want to inspire the Filipino athletes and Filipino female weightlifters. I am using my status as an Olympic champion to spread the sport in the Philippines. There’s a lot of women competing already. There are more women weightlifters competing in the SEA Games than men,” Diaz said in a media interaction.

After competing at four Olympic Games, Hidilyn Diaz reached her defining moment at Tokyo 2020.

The Philippines’ first Olympic gold medallist. 🇵🇭🥇 pic.twitter.com/7ZjoM95ajs

— Olympic Khel (@OlympicKhel) December 30, 2025

Beyond her personal achievements, Diaz has also taken an active role in grassroots development. Alongside her husband and coach, Julius Naranjo, she established the Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Academy in Jalajala, Rizal. The academy serves as a training hub for aspiring lifters, promoting discipline, proper technique, and a deeper understanding of the sport.

“I want to learn how to spread sports. You want a lot of people to understand how to execute weightlifting and the rules. I hope it’s more strength and conditioning; it’s not only teaching them, it’s also for me to learn how to multiply the sports in university,” she added.

Despite her iconic status, Diaz’s competitive drive remains as strong as ever. She has set her sights on returning to the international stage, with the 2027 Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics firmly on her radar. Competing in the 61kg category, Diaz acknowledges that the journey ahead will require not just physical strength but also smarter preparation and recovery as she continues to compete at an elite level.

“I will be in 61kg. I’m not sure it will keep changing depending on the competition I will be computing, but this is the challenge that I commit to. With age, it’s more on recovery. That’s the hard part. It is more about being smart, surrounded with people that will help you achieve your dream – and I have that.

“I feel like I’m a newbie athlete starting again. I’m so afraid of what people will say. I want to say to all the people, to myself, that I’m a human too. I cannot be forever here at the top. Sometimes I have to go down to go up again,” Diaz concluded.

As she balances her roles as an athlete, mentor, and educator, Diaz continues to redefine what it means to be a champion. Her journey is no longer just about medals, but about legacy—empowering others, growing the sport, and proving that true greatness lies not only in reaching the top, but in lifting others along the way.

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