By Waylon Galvez
Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz said Thursday she’s skipping an online tournament this month after competing last week that earned her a first ever win in an e-tournament.
Diaz won in the 59kg division of the Eleiko Email International Lifters Tournament held July 24 and 25.
The 29-year-old Diaz, however, begged off this time due to the lack of preparation since it normally takes two to three months to get ready for any tournament – even if it is an online meet.
“Yes may laro sana this month, kaka-message lang kahapon sakin ni Sir Monico,” Diaz said, referring to Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) president, former Bacolod City congressman Monico Puentevella.
“Kaso hindi kakayanin sa preparation,” added Diaz, who is in a training camp in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Diaz ruled the 59kg of the Eleiko meet with a total lift of 216kgs after submitting 95kgs in snatch and 121kgs in clean and jerk.
She bested Australia’s Fatima Yakubu, who had a lift of 183kgs, and South Africa’s Johanni Taljaard, who finished with 188kgs in the division participated by 47 other weightlifters.
The coronavirus pandemic cancelled almost all the events in international weightlifting, including the Asian Championships where Diaz was set to join her final Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Diaz is currently No. 5 in the 55kg women’s category in world ranking with 3,717.0982 points behind four Chinese weightlifters in Jiang Huihua (4,667.8878), Liao Qiuyun (4,288.9622), Zhang Wangqiong (4,212.6639) and Li Yajun (4,099.0223).
To qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, which has been pushed next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Diaz only needs to join her sixth and last OQT to book her second straight Olympic stint.
