The country’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo will wear a different hat as she tries to spread the word on weightlifting in UP Diliman.
Olympic champion weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo is hoping to inspire the next generation of athletes and coaches with a new avenue, as she takes on the role of educator at the UP Diliman College of Human Kinetics in the upcoming academic year.
Diaz-Naranjo, who last competed in the 2025 SEA Games where she missed out on the podium, has been working for months as well to prepare becoming an instructor in UP where she will handle two PE 2 sections in weightlifting.
In an interview with UP, Diaz-Naranjo spoke about her motivations to become an instructor.
“I want to educate more people para mas maraming makaintindi ng weightlifting. Kasi ang weightlifting ay regular event na sa Palarong Pambansa,” Diaz-Naranjo told the UP Diliman Information Office.
Last year, Diaz-Naranjo served as the technical director for the sport in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa — a move that culminated years of advocating for the regular inclusion of the sport to grow the grassroots program of the discipline across the Philippines.
But only a beginner in the teaching space, Diaz-Naranjo did need more training to get herself ready for her upcoming challenge.
Earlier this month, she attended a course in UP Diliman to aid her in her new role in the country’s premier State University.
For Diaz-Naranjo, it was a big help for her to get additional “training” and support from her fellow instructors and professors to take on the new chapter in her lengthy weightlifting career.
“Good thing na naka-attend ako nitong [Teaching Effectiveness Course]. Nagkaroon ako ng idea kung paano iyong magiging approach ko sa pag-handle ng class,” said Diaz-Naranjo.
“I’m also thankful for my CHK colleagues’ support, they were there to cheer and help me,” she added.
Diaz-Naranjo has yet to announce any looming retirement plans, but her new role as teacher in UP Diliman will surely keep her legacy alive in weightlifting, whether or not she does decide to continue competing or not in the near future.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.