Hidilyn Diaz wins first PHL gold in Asian Games

Hidilyn Diaz in action in the women's 53-kg. weightlifting competition. Asian Games 2018 Philippine Media Pool

Hidilyn Diaz is bringing home even more hardware after winning the gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

Diaz won gold with a calculated move at the Jakarta International Expo Hall as the only lifter she and coach Tony Diaz watched out for — Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova, the same woman who denied the Filipina the gold in last year’s world championships — fell prey to their trap.

“The plan was to keep an eye on Shermatova, because the clean and jerk is Hidilyn’s strength,” Agustin said.

Shermatova lifted 113 kgs in her second attempt, but Diaz surprised her by hoisting her submitted lift of 115.

“Hidilyn has been lifting 115 in practice, so we were confident she would pull this one off," Agustin added.

Down one kilo, Shermatova tried 116 kgs but failed for a bad lift. Diaz didn’t bother to lift a submitted lift of 117 kgs to stroll toward the top of the podium.

“I learned I won the gold when she had a bad lift in her third attempt and my coaches started to jump for joy,” Diaz said.

Diaz lifted 92 kgs in the snatch and that 115 in the clean and jerk for a total of 207, enough to shove Shermetova (206) to the silver medal. Thailand’s Khambao Surodchana completed the podium with 201 kgs.

Olympic dream

“I am grateful to God that I won the gold medal that all of us Filipinos dream of,” Diaz said. “This proves the Olympic gold medal is possible.”

Diaz, the 2016 Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Year, stands to receive a cash windfall of P6 million — P2 million from the Philippine Olympic Committee, P2 million from the government through Republic Act 10699, which expands the coverage of incentives granted to national athletes and coaches, and P1 million each from the Siklab Foundation and the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hoong.

“In the Olympics, no one expected me to win a medal. Here at the Asian Games, everyone expected me to win,” she said. “For two to three months, I was on the edge. I hardly got enough sleep. But I just kept on training and gave my fate to God.”

“I am grateful to God that He granted what all of us Filipinos have wished for,” she said. “It can be done — an Olympic gold can be won.”

PHL tally

With Diaz's victory, the Philippines improved its tally to a gold and four bronze medals so far.

Earlier in the day, Pauline Louise Lopez settled for the women’s 57-kg. bronze medal in taekwondo after yielding a controversial match to a taller Chinese Zongshi Luo, 11-4.

The 22-year-old Psychology student at Ateneo de Manila University could not hide her frustration and cried after the match.

“I had the chance but the plan didn’t work according to what it should be. I was going for it, I did my part but it’s just it was not there for me,” a disappointed Lopez said.

Lopez joined the men's and women's taekwondo poomsae teams in the medal harvest for the Philippines. Wushu artist Agatha Wong medaled for the Philippines in the women's taijiquan event. —JST, GMA News with reports from the Asian Games 2018 Philippine Media Pool