BEIJING – Hidilyn Diaz broke her own personal mark and vowed to beat the same field that relegated her to second-to-last among 12 competitors in the 58 kg category of women’s lifting competition yesterday in the Beijing Olympics.
The 17-year-old Diaz, the youngest in the fold, carried 85 kilos in the snatch and 100 in the clean and jerk for a 192kg total, which improved her Philippine record of 180 to finish 11th among 12 competitors.
The event was won as usual by Olympic and Asian Games champion Chen Yanqing of China who had a 106-138 for a record 244 kg total. Her mark in the clean and jerk broke her Athens Olympic mark of 132.
Russian Marina Shainova took the silver at 227 (92-129) while O Jong Ae won the bronze with 226 (95-131).
Only Diaz and Wendy Hale of the Solomon Islands (173) lifted below 200 kilos.
“My performance is okay but I am sad because I did not reach my target – 110 in the clean and jerk – which could have improved my score to 200,” said the fifth of six children of a tricycle driver from Zamboanga.
“They’re so strong but I’ll beat all of them someday,” she said.
Weightlifting president and chef de mission Monico Puentevella said he’s proud of the Olympic achievement of Diaz, the first Filipina to compete in the Olympics and the first Filipino Olympic weightlifter since Ramnon Solis in 1988.
“I’m proud of her for breaking the record. I believe she is good for another three Olympics – huwag lang siyang mag-asawa kaagad,” Puentevella said.
“She is the future of weightlifting. She did not win a medal but she deserves to be in the Olympics,” he added.