Hidilyn Diaz meets with PSC after post asking for financial help

FILE: “Accompanied by AFP Special Services Chief Col. Taharudin Ampatuan, Rio Olympics Silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz met with Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez this afternoon and discussed issues that may have prompted her to post her plea for help on social media the other day.” (Photo: PSC (Philippine Sports Commission)/Facebook)

Twenty-eight-year-old Hidilyn Diaz, a Filipina weightlifter who broke the country’s 20-year drought after scoring a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics for the 53-kg weightlifting in the women’s division, has met up with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) last Thursday, June 6 after her controversial social media posts asking for financial support for her bid in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Being one of the first people to respond to the athlete’s Instagram story where she shared  that she is “having a hard time,” PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez reassured, “The government will continue to support [Diaz]. We have pledged our support before, and we will continue to do so because we are focused on that Olympic gold as much as Hidilyn is,” adding that they have granted two more of her requests when it comes to assistance with training in China.

On the other hand, the Zamboanga native, who was accompanied by AFP Special Services Chief Col. Taharudin Ampatuan, promised that she will “never quit” from achieving her goal of bringing home a gold from the international competition next year. Ampatuan declared, “Let’s journey together towards the gold.”

Ramirez and Diaz are set to have another meeting to iron out their agreements pertaining to training and preparation requirements in the coming weeks.

Besides scoring a silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Hidilyn also participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics where she was the youngest competitor in her division. Her list of medals include: a bronze in the 2015 and 2017 World Championships, a gold in the 2018 Asian Games, a gold, a silver, and a bronze in the 2015, 2019, and 2016 Asian Championships, a silver in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, and two silvers and one bronze in the 2013, 2011, and 2007 Southeast Asian Games.