Diaz out to improve lift mark for Rio Olympics

MANILA, Philippines - After her strong showing in international play last year, Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz vowed to continue working to improve as she gears up for tougher challenges ahead in 2016 topped off by a likely third stint in the Olympics.

Diaz, the reigning Asian titlist in the women’s 53 kg category, boosted her bid for the Rio Olympiad with her bronze-winning lifts in the world championships last November in Houston. She is expected to get a spot in the Olympics roster the International Weightlifting Federation is set to finalize and release in June.

“Hindi ko pa muna iniisip na qualified na ako kasi mahirap na kung makuntento ako. Dapat kasi hindi ka makuntento kasi iyung kalaban mo, hindi naman sila nagre-relax (I shouldn’t be contented with my performance and present standing, knowing my opponent won’t stop improving),” said the pride of Zamboanga.

“Titingnan ko kung ano ang naging mali ko nung world championships gaya ng body weight management, ia-address ko rin yung technique ko, magkukunsulta rin ako sa strength and conditioning. Alam ko marami pa akong room for improvement (I’ll review what I did wrong in the last world championships, do a better job at weight management, address my technique, and consult strength and conditioning experts. I still have a lot of room for improvement),” she added.

Diaz came through with lifts of 96-117-213 to land three podium finishes in the Houston world meet. In the process, she climbed to fourth spot in the IWF’s 2016 Olympic Qualification Ranking List for the women’s 53-kg division as of end of 2015.

Per qualification guideline, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) can achieve qualification places according to their position in the joint team classification. Likewise, NOCs may get individual qualification places based on Olympic Qualification Ranking at the end of the qualifying period in June or via the Tripartite Commission.

Phl coach Alfonsito Aldanete said they were already informally informed by the IWF that the Philippines had already earned one qualifying place in Rio.

“We’re waiting for confirmation pero (but) verbally, meron na raw tayong (they said we have already) qualified for Olympics,” said Aldanete.

This will likely be Diaz’s third consecutive appearance in the quadrennial Games.  She made her debut at the Beijing Games as a 17-year-old wild card entry and returned to the succeeding London joust as a qualifier, getting the job as Team Phl flag-bearer but faring badly in competition.

The 24-year-old strongwoman slid to 53kg in weight class from her old 58-kg division in 2015 and vowed to rebound. She swept the mints in the Asian tilt with golden lifts of 96 (snatch), 118 (clean and jerk) and 214 (total). Her total lift was the fourth best in the world in the weight category in 2015, next only to the 221 posted by Chinese Li Ya Jun,Taiwanese Hsu Shu Ching, and Chinese Chen Xiaoting.

Diaz’compatriot, Nestor Colonia, is seeking to join her in Rio. Colonia, who won a bronze in the men’s 56-kg clean and jerk in the worlds and ranked No. 4 in the IWF list, will try to earn a berth in the last Olympic qualifiers – the Asian championships – in Uzbekistan in April.