Diaz reigns supreme, wins 2nd SEA Games gold

HANOI — Hidilyn Diaz successfully defended her throne in the women’s weightlifting 55kg at the 31st Southeast Asian Games with a gold medal finish in the meet at the Hanoi Training Center on Friday.

Diaz, who won gold in the Tokyo Olympics last year, needed only her first attempt in the clean and jerk to ensure her of the top mint.

After trailing behind Thailand’s Sanikun Tanasan at the end of the snatch competition, the Zamboanga native dominated in the clean and jerk.

She only needed one attempt for a good lift on 114kg to leapfrog the competition for the gold.

Sanikun also attempted 114kg in her last try for the clean and jerk but failed, assuring Diaz of the gold.

She was already at a total of 206kg, while runner up Sanikun had ended up with 203kg.

Still, Diaz tried to go for the SEA Games record in clean and jerk and total as she attempted 118kg, but failed twice.

Diaz thus added her second gold SEA Games gold medal to her collection. This is also the first gold for the Philippine weightlifters here in the meet.

Coming in third in the competition was Indonesia’s Natasya Beteyob with 188kg total.