Tokyo 2020 weightlifting gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz reflects on her career as she decides to explore a new path.
"Winning is not everything."
Tokyo 2020 weightlifting gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz looks back on the end of her Paris 2024 journey, as she decides to tread a new path.
Diaz, the Philippines' first-ever Olympic gold medalist, had failed her bid for a fifth-consecutive Olympic appearance. Elreen Ando beat her to the lone spot available in the women's 59kg division.
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It was, after this moment, that the four-time Olympian realized winning was not everything.
"It is being on the platform and taking on the challenges that give inspiration to other athletes. Thank you to the athletes who messaged me and said that I inspired them," Diaz wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.
"I served and will continue to serve my purpose in weightlifting, as I inspire many athletes to dream high, take the challenge, and work hard to achieve their dreams and never give up. Just LIFT! You can do it."
Diaz went through multiple challenges in her Olympic journey starting even before the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. Such obstacles included making do with improvised equipment after getting stuck in Malaysia during the pandemic, as well as being laughably included in a baseless matrix purportedly for a then-president's ouster.
Lifting a barbell could arguably be easier than pushing away the mental toll of it all.
"The Olympics and weightlifting are not my everything. I sacrificed a lot of my time to train and sometimes I forget to enjoy the process because I am caught with the high expectations and high pressure of being an elite athlete," she admitted.
With the road to Paris 2024 closed, it's time for Diaz to tread a new path.
"This moment is for me to learn new skills - join classes and workshops to learn to cook and bake. I have long wanted to take culinary courses since I was 22 years old, and now, I will not just imagine doing pasta, pizza, and kare-kare, I will bake and cook some for my friends and family," she shared.
It's family time too, as Diaz would finally be spending time with family and friends. She and coach-husband Julius Naranjo had postponed their honeymoon for the Olympic bid.
But it doesn't mean Hidilyn will be closing her doors to sports and weightlifting.
"I will also learn to do business and invest myself in education to be a better sports leader. I have a lot of things to learn in life," she said.
Diaz would also conduct fundraisers for grassroots programs and her own weightlifting academy.
There's still more for Hidi.
"I will continue to LIFT everything - all in God’s hands!!!"