Who is Hidilyn Diaz?
Olympic medals are the highest honor bestowed upon any athlete or country. Since its participation in 1924, the Philippines had not won a gold medal.
The Philippines and Filipinos had a memorable Olympic experience in 2020. It was when, after 96 years, they received their first gold medal.
Hidilyn Diaz, a weightlifter, was the Philippines’ first gold Olympic medalist.
Diaz first competed in the Olympics in 2008. Diaz won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics after going two years without winning a medal.
This was the Philippines’ first Olympic medal in 20 years. She was also the first female Olympic medalist.
In this article, we will discuss Hidilyn Diaz’s Olympic journey from lifting water jars to dumbbells.
Relationship Details, Hidilyn Diaz is Married?
Hidilyn Diaz is engaged to Julius Naranjo, her coach. They had been dating for a long time. Julius proposed to Hidilyn with the dumbbell-inspired gold ring, and she said yes!
Their love story began in 2017 at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. Both were present at the time.
Julius was born in Guam and is half Filipino and half Japanese. Julius competed in the 62 kg weight class for his native Guam.
It was love at first sight for both of them. Julius had developed feelings for her. However, he had no idea how famous she was in the Philippines.
Julius was drawn to her determination and refusal to give up. Diaz, on the other hand, was uninterested in him.
In the competition, the two fellow Filipinos gradually bonded. They eventually fell in love and began dating.
Hidilyn Diaz and her boyfriend Julius Naranjo Hidilyn Diaz and her boyfriend Julius Naranjo
Julius met the love of his life but lost his job. Julius assumed he had severe back pain after the competition.
A crack in his backbone was discovered by the doctor. As a result, he advised him to discontinue his weightlifting.
Julius required a doctor’s approval to continue his weight lifting career. As a result, his career had come to an end.
He could no longer compete as a weightlifter, so he became a coach. He then relocated to the Philippines to become Hidilyn Diaz’s coach.
Finally, Julius was appointed as Hidilyn’s Olympic Core team coach. The couple is likely to be remembered as one of the iconic couples who brought the Philippines their first gold medal.
The couples triumphed in both their love and their weightlifting, and they are looking forward to their marriage.
Quick facts about Hidilyn Diaz
| Name | Hidilyn Diaz |
| Full name | Hidilyn Francisco Diaz |
| Nickname | Heidy |
| Age | 31 years old |
| Birth Date | February 20, 1991 |
| Birthplace | Zamboanga City, Philippines |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Mother | Emelita Diaz |
| Father | Eduardo Diaz |
Hidilyn Diaz: Early Life, Age, Wiki, Parents, Ethnicity
Hidilyn Diaz was born on February 20, 1991, in the Philippines’ small town of Zamboanga City. Eduardo Diaz, her father, and Emeliata Diaz, her mother, had six children.
Hidilyn was the family’s youngest child. Her family had to deal with financial difficulties.
To feed the large family, his father changed jobs in search of better opportunities. His father worked as a tricycle driver before becoming a fisherman.
Diaz used to assist his father in selling fish at the market. She aspired to be a banker to lift her family out of poverty.
Education, Schooling, University
There isn’t much information available about Hidilyn Diaz’s primary and secondary school education. She did, however, enroll at the Universidad de Zamboanga for a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
Diaz, on the other hand, dropped out of university in her third year. She didn’t want to pursue that profession.
She began to prioritize her Olympic training over obtaining a university degree. Despite this, Diaz decided to continue her education after receiving a scholarship in 2016.
Diaz received a scholarship to De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde to study business management. She began attending classes in January 2017.
Diaz, on the other hand, took a leave of absence from school in 2019 to focus on Olympic preparation.
Diaz returned to online classes in 2020 after the Summer Olympics were rescheduled for July 2021.
Professional Career, (Weightlifter)
Diaz initially aspired to be a banker. But it wasn’t until her cousin introduced her to sports that she discovered her true calling.
Diaz dabbled in basketball, volleyball, and badminton before discovering her true calling in weightlifting.
She began lifting weights at the age of 11 and practiced with a homemade concrete barbell and water jars.
Diaz gradually won weightlifting competitions at her school, and the rest is history.
Hidilyn Diaz was chosen for the Summer Olympics in 2008 and made her Olympic debut.
She is the Philippines’ first female Olympic weightlifter and the country’s sixth overall weightlifter.
However, she did not fare well in the competition. Diaz came in second last out of a field of 12 weightlifters. Her efforts, however, were lauded and regarded as promising for her age.
Diaz was also chosen to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She was the first Filipina weightlifter to compete in two consecutive Olympic Games.
Hidilyn, on the other hand, struggled in the Olympics. Diaz was one of the two competitors who did not finish the competition.
The first Olympic medal was awarded at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Diaz competed in her third Summer Olympics in a row in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Diaz reduced her weight from 58 kg to 53 kg to improve her chances of winning the medal. She competed in the women’s 53 kg weightlifting category.
She was hoping for at least a bronze medal. To everyone’s surprise, Diaz won the silver medal in the event, exceeding her personal goal.
This was the Philippines’ first Summer Olympics medal in 20 years. This was also the country’s first medal other than a boxing medal since 1936.
She became the first Filipina weightlifter to compete in three consecutive Olympics. In addition, she is the first Filipino woman to win an Olympic medal.
The first Asian Games gold medal in 2018
Diaz competed in the women’s 53 kg event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
She came in first place with a total lift of 207 kg. Diaz won her first gold medal in weightlifting as a result. It was also the first gold medal for the Philippines in that event.
The first Olympic gold medal will be awarded at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Diaz was competing in her fourth Olympics. She made history by bringing the Philippines their first gold medal.
Diaz’s achievements at the 2020 Summer Olympics were especially noteworthy. Because of Covid restrictions and lockdowns, she was unable to train properly.
Hidilyn Diaz wins the Philippines’ first gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Hidilyn also had a mental breakdown. She was unable to train as planned and had no idea whether she would be able to compete in the Olympics.
During the pandemic, there were no gyms open. Diaz began weight training with bamboo sticks and water jars.
Her determination and hard work were instrumental in her Olympic victory.
Hidilyn Diaz | Military Background
Hidilyn Diaz applied for the Philippine Air Force’s Direct Enlistment Program in 2013 and was accepted (PAF).
She was also given an Air Force Specialty Code for recreational weightlifting. She was promoted to Airwoman Second Class in 2014.
Diaz was also awarded a Presidential Citation Unit Badge and a Military Merit Medal for organizing PAF activities.
She was temporarily assigned to the PAF Personnel Management Center while preparing for her appearance at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
For her outstanding performance at the Olympics, she was promoted to Staff Sergeant by the PAF.
Net Worth, Salary, Assets
Diaz is the Philippines’ richest weightlifter. Her net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million.
It all stems from her Olympic victories, business, and endorsements.
Diaz received 33 million pesos ($650,103) after her historic Olympic victory. She received the money from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and Filipino businesspeople.
Furthermore, the Olympic gold medalist in the Philippines receives ten million pesos ($197,000).
They are granted by the government of the Philippines’ sports agency.
Diaz also makes a lot of money from the endorsement. In addition, she was named BDO Unibank’s brand ambassador.
Rumors and Controversy
Talking about her rumors and controversy, she has not been in any part of rumors as well as controversy to date.
What is the Height of Hidilyn Diaz? Weight, Full Body Status
| Height | 4’11” (1.50m) |
| Weight | 55 (121 lb) |
| Eye Color | Dark brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Marital Status | Engaged |
Social Media Accounts
Diaz is very active on Instagram. She posts about her rehearsals, couple of photos, and family events there.
She also communicates with her followers on Instagram. You can follow her on Instagram if you want a behind-the-scenes look at the Olympics.
268k followers on Instagram
Instagram: 268k followers
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