Filipina Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz won two bronze medals in the 55kg category of the 2019 International Weightlifting Federation World Championships held in Pattaya, Thailand on Friday.
Diaz lifted a total of 214kg besting the fourth placer Zulfiya Chinshanlo by a kilogram.
Meanwhile, China’s representative in the said contest Liao Quiyun got the gold medal after lifting a total of 227kg while he silver medalist who’s also from the same country lifted 22kg.
The Filipina athlete is seeking for a gold medal in the 30th Southeast Asian Games in Manila in December 2019 and also in 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“Ikaw ‘yun Lord. Grabe. Noong na-mental block na ko, wala na ang 93kgs pero ginabayan mo ako Lord. Salamat sa ginawa mo Lord. Sobrang blessed ko sayo.” Diaz saiy.
Diaz gathered the attention of the netizens a few months ago after she complained about the lack of funding from the government despite receiving 4.5-M pesos from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
It is okay to ask sponsorship sa mga private companies towards Tokyo 2020? Hirap na hirap na ako, I need financial support.” Diaz said.
“Sa tingin niyo ba okay lang kaya nahihiya kasi ako pero try ko kapalan mukha ko para sa minimithi kong pangarap para sa atin bansa na maiuwi ang Gold Medal sa Olympics,” she added.
To solve the problem of the Filipina weightlifter, PSC vowed to help Hidilyn.
In August, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go helped Diaz to get a 2-M pesos sponsorship deal with Phoenix Petroleum to help her to prepare for the 2020 Olympics.
“Nagreklamo siya. Sabi naman ng PSC, hindi nila kayang sagutin lahat kasi may ibang requirements sa pagti-training, sa mga coaches niya, medyo mahal, so sabi ko hanap ako ng mga kaibigan na puwedeng tumulong,” Go told reporters.