HIDILYN Diaz might not have been able to qualify for the Paris Olympics, but it's not the end of the road for the only Filipino Olympic gold medalist.
The 33-year-old Diaz will keep lifting after she missed the cut of the qualifiers from the women's 59kg class, ranking 11th following her 222kg total lift in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, on April 3.
"I love this sport; I don't want to stop. But what I have to do now is take a good rest and think about the priorities in my life. Today wasn't my day. Paris was not to be," said Diaz, the only Filipino athlete with the distinction of being an Olympic, World Championships, Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games champion, in an interview with IWF.
"But overall, I'm happy. I've given a lot to this sport, and it's given a lot to me," added Diaz, who was going to top her Philippine record four straight Olympic appearances.
Julius Naranjo, Diaz's coach and husband, echoed the sentiments of the Rio Olympics silver medalist and Tokyo Olympic gold winner.
"It's not the end of her weightlifting career, as we still do have competitions to look forward to. But seeing the kids get inspired and to be at the highest level, whilst sharing our experience, drives us towards our next journey," Naranjo wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday, highlighting the immense amount of effort Diaz exerted to make it to Paris.
"One may say it was a failure, but we cannot take away the incredible strength and perseverance it takes to come back from injury in Qatar and to have spent more than two decades in the sport, winning a silver in Rio 2016 and a gold in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021," said Naranjo.
Naranjo also shared a little bit of his experience in their buildup for Paris while stressing the importance of guiding the younger generation of weightlifters at the Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Academy.
"This journey was filled with many ups and just as many downs, but I am grateful [for] how much I've learned in the process. I've failed a lot, but I've learned so much about myself and how much I love this sport. I've learnt how important the next generation needs guidance, to be taught good values, and what it takes to become a champion," said Naranjo.
"Teaching good values to the grassroots and giving the kids an opportunity after their career is what the Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Academy looks to continue to pursue. We know we can't do it alone, and your support means the world to us."
Naranjo also vowed to be a better coach.
"I am grateful that this Olympic qualification journey is over; I'm looking forward to the next competitions for [H]aidie, our grassroots, and all the athletes I work with abroad. I will continue to work harder to be a better coach & leader for the academy. For the Love of Weightlifting."
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