By JONAS TERRADO
The man who provided a place for Hidilyn Diaz to continue her training for the Tokyo Olympics while in Malaysia is beaming with pride after the weightlifter became the first Filipino to win a gold in the world’s biggest sporting stage.
Ahmad Janius, who serves as deputy president of the Malaysian Weightlifting Federation, is proud that Diaz’s hardwork paid off after spending more than a year training at his house in Kampung Kesang Tua which is located in Jasin, Malaysia.
Janius said in an interview with Malaysian media that he was impressed by how Diaz trained.
“Hidi is very fastidious and will ensure that every training equipment and the facility is in proper condition and arranged accordingly, including the smallest details,” Janius said in a story of Bernama, a Malaysian news agency.
“She always says that she wants to win the Olympic gold medal and she diligently undergoes her training routine from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily, apart from focusing on her studies at night,” added Janius
Diaz and coaches Gao Kaiwen and Julius Naranjo had to stay in Malaysia when the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020 and had to move from one condominium to another in the months that followed.
The team eventually found a permanent home before heading to Tokyo when Janius turned his home into a training camp for Diaz.
Diaz expressed her gratitude to Janius and others who helped her in Malaysia following her triumph in the women’s 55-kg category.
“Thank you very much sir for giving us (a) house, (a) home, (and) for giving us family in Malaysia,” Diaz said in a video.
