By CARLO ANOLIN
Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz has shared a glimpse of her pre wedding photos with fiance Julius Naranjo.
Diaz took her excitement on social media and shared photo sets captured by Mayad Studios on some parts of Baguio and Benguet.
“Mag-iisang taon na pala ang pagpapanalo natin ng Gold medal sa Olympics , at ngayon July 26, 2022 magpapakasal na kame ni [Julius],” said the 31-year-old Diaz.
“‘Di naging madali ang pinagdaanan namin bilang magkasintahan, maraming naghusga, maraming nagduda, ang daming iyak, at ang daming sakripisyo pero nanaig ang pagmamahal sa isa’t-isa, pagmamahal sa ginagawa, pagmamahal sa bansa, at pagmamahal sa Diyos.”
It will be exactly one year since Diaz won the first-ever gold medal for the Philippines as she reigned supreme in the 55kg category.
July 26 now marks two significant dates for the Zamboanga native lifter — her golden Olympic feat in Tokyo and her upcoming wedding day at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio.
Naranjo was Diaz’s strength and conditioning coach before Chinese mentor Gao Kaiwen, her previous head coach, returned home after the Tokyo Olympics stint.
Diaz and Naranjo first met at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Game in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, where the latter represented Guam in the 62kg category.
Naranjo popped the ultimate question and Diaz answered with the sweet yes as the couple officially announced their engagement last October 2021.
