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Diaz smashes weightlifting records, cops three golds in national games
DUMAGUETE CITY – Hidilyn Diaz broke her three previous marks in weightlifting in the 58-kilogram division to keep her hopeful for another stint in the Olympic Games.
The 21-year old Zamboanga City native set new highs in snatch and clean and jerk of her division to cop three gold medals here in the 2nd POC-PSC National Games at the Lamberto Macias Sports Complex lobby.
Diaz, a wildcard entry in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China, lifted 96 kilograms in snatch and 123 kilograms in clean and jerk for a total of 219 kilograms, which were all new national records.
Her previous record was 95kg in snatch and 122kg in clean and jerk for a 217kg total which she registered in the Asian Championship for a fourth overall spot.
Now, Diaz will go back to Zamboanga and thinking of returning to school as her Olympic stint in London remains uncertain.
“Siyempre, lahat ng training at pagod, yung Olympics ang pinaka-reward kaya sana makapunta ulit sa Olympics,” said Diaz, who had to stop for two years at Universidad de Zamboanga to focus on weightlifting.
“Kung hindi man, baka mag-aral na lang ulit ako,” she added.
Diaz could still qualify for the London Games this July if her record qualifies for the Summer Games.
Lea Joy Pesanting, also from Zamboanga, was the only other entry in Diaz’s category and took the silver with 50-55-105 mark.
Other gold medalists in weightlifting were Maybelyn Pablo of Zamboanga (75kg division), Cebu City’s Angelica Lado (+75kg), Cebu’s Kelle Kay Rojas (48kg) and Zamboanga’s Lynn Pineda (53kg).
In billiards 9-ball singles, PHL team member Luis Saberdo beat Benny Loui Dayrit of Angeles, 11-4, in the finals while Zemonette Oryan escaped against national team teammate Mary Ann Basas, 9-8, for the gold medal.
Elbert Anasta won over Davis Cup teammate Johnny Arcilla in the men’s single tennis finals after the latter retired due to an ankle sprain. Marinel Rudas won the gold in the women’s singles with a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Cebu City’s Sallydine Siso in the finals.
Dumaguete’s Marie Crizabelle Merto won the gold in the recurve women in the archery competition while NCR’s Earl Benjamin Yap ruled the compound men.
