Draft:Hidilyn Diaz

(an in-progress draft of Hidilyn Diaz)

Hidilyn "Hidi" Francisco Diaz-Naranjo (born February 20, 1991) is a Filipino weightlifter and airwoman, most known for being the first female Olympic medalist and the first ever Olympic gold medalist for the Philippines.

In her early weightlifting years, she was a bronze medalist at the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand and achieved 10th place at the 2006 Asian Games in the 53 kilogram class. While she was a student and representing Universidad de Zamboanga, she won two golds and one silver in the Asian Youth Junior Weightlifting Championship held in Jeonju, South Korea. The same year, she competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics as a wild card entry, where she was the youngest competitor in the women's 58 kg category.

Two Olympic Games later, at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Diaz won the silver medal in the women's 53 kg weight division, becoming the first Filipino to win a medal in a non-boxing event since 1936 and ending the Philippines' 20-year Olympic medal drought.

Then, during the 2020 Summer Olympics, Diaz won the first ever gold medal for the Philippines, becoming the first Filipino to ever win an Olympic gold medal for the country, setting two Olympic records in the clean and jerk and the total.

Early life and education
Hidilyn Francisco Diaz was born on February 20, 1991, in Zamboanga City, Philippines, and is the fifth of six children of Eduardo and Emelita Diaz. Her father was a tricycle driver before becoming a farmer and a fisherman. She grew up wanting to be a banker and tried different sports like basketball and volleyball. She was eventually taught by her cousin, Allen Jayfrus Diaz, the basics of weightlifting.

Diaz attended Zamboanga A.E. Colleges (later Universidad de Zamboanga; UZ) for her high school studies under a scholarship. In college, she pursued a bachelor's degree in computer science at the same school. She then stopped attending the university as a third-year irregular student, as she said she found her degree unsuitable for her and distracted her training. After her success in the 2016 Olympics, Diaz decided to continue her tertiary education and intended to pursue a degree related to sports in Manila.

In January 2017, Diaz received a scholarship to study business management at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

In 2019, Diaz took a leave of absence from her schooling while she focused on preparation for the Olympics after winning a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games. The following year, Diaz re-enrolled in online classes because the 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed to July 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In July 2023, Diaz graduated from Saint Benilde and earned her business management degree.

Early career
First learning weightlifting from her older cousins, Diaz trained at home using makeshift barbells made of ipil-ipil branches, jeepney mag wheels, or concrete. When training outside of her home, she had to do part-time jobs such as selling produce with her father and washing jeepneys to travel to a local gymnasium.

Prior to high school, Diaz joined the University of Zamboanga's extension program to train in weightlifting under her cousin Catalino Diaz, who was also her first coach. Elementary students not enrolled in the university were able to train under the program of Institute of Human Kinetics director and former national weightlifter Elbert Atilano. One of her early mentors was weightlifter Ramon Solis who competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

Diaz's first competition was the 2002 Batang Pinoy in Puerto Princesa, where she won the gold medal. She went on to compete in various local and national competitions and secured support from the local government. She then became part of the Philippine national weightlifting team at the age of thirteen.

2006–2008
Diaz's first international competition for the Philippines was the 2006 Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar, where she competed in the women's 53 kg category. She placed tenth. The following year, she competed at the 2007 SEA Games held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, where she competed at the women's 58 kg category moving up a weight class. She ended with a bronze medal finish, her first medal of any color in an international competition.

As a student, Diaz competed at the 2008 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Jeonju, South Korea, representing Universidad de Zamboanga. She won two golds and one silver in her weight category.

The same year, Diaz was selected as a wild card entry to the Beijing Olympics by the Philippine Weightlifting Association. This made her the first female weightlifter to compete for the Philippines at the Olympics, and the sixth weightlifter overall (the first being Rodrigo del Rosario who competed in the 1948 London Olympics). Competing in the women's 58 kg category, Diaz was the youngest of the competitors, aged 17 years old. She lifted 85 kg in the snatch and 107 kg in the clean and jerk for a 192 kg total. She placed 10th after the disqualification of another athlete.

2009–2010
On November 2009, Diaz competed in the women's 58 kg category at the 2009 National Open held in Tagbilaran, Bohol, where she snatched 88 kilograms and clean and jerked 108 kilograms for a 196 kilogram total, setting new junior national records in the snatch and total. The following month, she competed at the 2009 Asian Junior Championships held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the same category. She lifted 88 kilograms in the snatch for gold, 100 kilograms in the clean and jerk for fifth, and achieved a total of 188 kilograms for a bronze medal overall.

In April 2010, she competed at the 2010 Asian Junior Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. She snatched 84 kilograms, clean and jerked 111 kilograms, and earned a total of 195 kilograms. Her clean and jerk of 111 kilograms set a new junior national record, and her lifts earned her three silver medals. On November 15, she competed at the 2010 Asian Games held in Guangzhou, China, her second Asian Games. She competed in the women's 58 kg category, where she placed first in the B session and sixth overall. Her lifts of 94 kilograms in the snatch, 115 kilograms in the clean and jerk, and 209 kilograms in the total, set new senior and junior national records.

2011
In January 2011, Diaz was invited as the lone Filipino weightlifter to compete at the China IWF Grand Prix in Fujian on January 17, 2011. She lifted 85 kilograms in the snatch, 110 kilograms in the clean and jerk, and 195 kilograms in the total. She placed second overall behind home bet junior world record holder and Youth Olympic champion Deng Wei who lifted a total of 210 kilograms. She then competed at the 2011 Philippine National Games held in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, in May 2011. She lifted 95 kilograms in the snatch, 120 kilograms in the clean and jerk, and 215 kilograms in the total for the gold. All of her lifts set new senior and junior national records in the women's 58 kg category.

On July 6, 2011, she competed at her first Junior World Championships at the 2011 edition held in Penang, Malaysia. She lifted 93 kilograms in the snatch, 120 kilograms in the clean and jerk, and 213 kilograms for the total. Her lift of 93 kilograms in the snatch earned her a bronze medal, though she placed fourth overall behind Deng Wei, Jo Pok-hyang, and Rattikan Gulnoi. She then competed at the 2011 Asian Junior Championships held in Pattaya, Thailand, in the women's 58 kg category. She snatched 95 kilograms, clean and jerking 120 kilograms, and 215 kilograms for the total, equaling her national record. Her total of 215 kilograms earned her the gold medal

Diaz then competed at her first World Championships at the 2011 World Championships held in Paris, France in the women's 58 kg category on November. She snatched 95 kilograms for ninth, clean and jerked 119 kilograms for seventh, and 214 kilograms in the total for seventh overall. A few days later, she went to Jakarta, Indonesia, to compete at the 2011 SEA Games in the women's 58 kg category. She snatched 95 kilograms, clean and jerked 120 kilograms, and 215 kilograms for the total for second place overall. Her silver medal finish and total was enough to secure a spot at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.

2012 Summer Olympics
Diaz became the first Filipina weightlifter to compete in two consecutive Olympics, by qualifying in the women's weightlifting under 58 kg through the Continental and World Qualifying Tournaments. She was ranked ninth in her event heading to the Olympics. During the 2012 London Olympics, Diaz was chosen to be the flagbearer during the Opening Ceremony.

She was coached by Tony Agustin, and they projected a 225 kg lift, above her personal best of 219 kg. She successfully lifted a personal best of 97 kg in the snatch, 12th best among the 19 competitors. However her 118 kg clean and jerk was unsuccessful after three attempts. She was one of two competitors (along with Lina Rivas of Colombia) to end with an official result of "Did not finish" (DNF) in the event.

2015 to 2016 season
Diaz weighed around 56.28 kg during her first Olympic campaign, making her the lightest among competitors. Come the 2012 Olympics, she had increased her weight to 57.70 kg but still struggled making it to the top half of the competition. Trying to improve her chances of landing a podium finish at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Diaz decided to drop weight from under 58 kg to under 53 kg. This proved to be effective as she won the gold medal in the 1st Southeast Asian Weightlifting Championship in Bangkok. In that competition, she managed to lift a 98 kg snatch and a 115 kg clean and jerk for a 213 kg total. The same mark was also good for 4th place later on in the 2012 London Olympics.

In the Asian Weightlifting Championships, Diaz won both a gold medal in 2015 and a bronze medal in 2016. She also earned three bronze medals for the clean, jerk and snatch events in the 53 kg division of the IWF World Weightlifting Championship held in Houston, Texas, on November 22, 2015, to claim a spot in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

In March 2016, Diaz dominated the women's 58 kg event of the 2015-16 Philippine National Games National Finals held at Lingayen Town Plaza, Lingayen, Pangasinan, with a 92 kg snatch and 120 kg clean and jerk (new personal best) combined into 212 kg.

2016 Summer Olympics
In the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Diaz competed in her 3rd consecutive Olympics in the women's 53kg weightlifting category with the intention of at least winning a bronze medal. Diaz surpassed her own personal target and won the silver medal at the event, after successfully clinching a lift of 88 kg in her second attempt in snatch event (placed 6th) and 111 kg and 112 kg in the first and second attempts in the clean and jerk event (placed 2nd). This was the first medal for the Philippines in the Summer Olympics after 20 years. This was also the first non-boxing medal for the nation since 1936. Aside from being the first Filipina weightlifter to compete in three consecutive Olympics, she also became the first Filipino woman and the second person from Zamboanga and Mindanao to win an Olympic medal (after Simeon Toribio, bronze medal winner of men's high jump in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games).

On August 8, 2016, she returned to her hometown, Zamboanga City and was welcomed as a hero of the city. From receiving numerous incentives from the Philippine president, Philippine Sports Commission and her local city, she was able to buy land for her sibling and for her gym.

2018 Asian Games
Diaz participated in the women's 53 kg event in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Two months prior to the Asian Games, she recruited Gao Kaowen who was previously coach of the Chinese national women's army team. In the women's 53 kg in the 2018 Asian Games, Diaz had a total lift of 207 kg, beating Turkmenistan's Kristina Shermetova (206 kg) and Thailand's Surodchana Khambao (201 kg) to deliver the Philippines' first gold in the 2018 games, as well as being the first Filipino weightlifter of any gender to win a gold medal in the Asian Games.

2019–20 season
After winning a bronze in the 2017 World Championships, Diaz again won a bronze in the 2019 edition of the same event. She also won a silver in the 2019 Asian Championship, and another gold in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Manila. In January 2020, Diaz won the gold medal in the women's 55 kg event at the Roma 2020 World Cup in Rome, Italy.

2020 Summer Olympics
On July 26, 2021, Diaz won a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. This was the first ever gold medal won by a Filipino athlete since the country's first appearance in the Olympics in 1924. She set new Olympic weightlifting records by lifting 127 kg in the clean and jerk and lifting a total weight of 224 kg.

Diaz's achievements at the 2020 Summer Olympics were impressive, as she was previously stranded in Malaysia from February 2020 until July 2021, due to travel restrictions imposed by governments to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on guidance by her coach, Gao Kaiwen, Diaz initially went to train in Malaysia in February 2020 because Gao thought it would be better for her as she focused on qualifying for Tokyo. However, once Malaysia implemented its Movement Control Order in April 2020, which closed gyms within the capital region of Kuala Lumpur (Klang Valley), she improvised by using bamboo sticks and large water bottles as makeshift weightlifting equipment. In October 2020, she relocated to the southern coastal state of Malacca where they had been living in a house owned by a Malaysian weightlifting official in Jasin. The Malaysian government then implemented periodic restrictions on gyms and sporting activities within 2021 (to reduce social interaction and contain the spread of the coronavirus), forcing her to work out in the house's sweltering open-air carport in the immediate months prior to the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Diaz also struggled with her mental health during this ordeal, especially with the postponement of the 2020 Olympics, and credited her team, including sports psychologist Dr. Karen Katrina Trinidad and Project: Steady with trauma therapist Gang Badoy Capati for her well-being. She also kept busy during her training overseas during COVID-19 lockdown by cooking, attending meetings, and studying.

In recognition of winning the first gold medal for the Philippines at any Olympic Games, she was awarded PHP 35.5 million (approximately US$660,000) along with a house and a lot. The financial and asset awards, were jointly given by both the national government and tycoons from the private sector. Under Philippine law, the Philippine Sports Commission guarantees a 10 million-peso incentive for every Olympic gold medal per Republic Act 10699.

2022
On May 20, 2022, Diaz won her second gold medal win during the 31st Southeast Asian Games. In December of that year, she won the gold medal in the women's 55kg event at the World Weightlifting Championships held in Bogotá, Colombia. In that same month, she was also elected as member of the IWF Athletes' Commission.

2023
Diaz made her competitive debut in the 59kg division at the 2023 Asian Weightlifting Championships in South Korea. She placed 4th by lifting a total of 221 kg.

Military career
Diaz was recruited into the Philippine Air Force (PAF) through the military arm's Direct Enlistment Program in 2013. She was initially assigned to the Air Force Special Service Group. She was also given an Air Force Specialty Code skill in recreation in weightlifting. In 2014, she was given a promotion from the rank of Airwoman to Airwoman Second Class. Diaz was also a recipient of a Military Merit Medal for organizing PAF events and a Presidential Citation Unit Badge. When Diaz was training for her stint at the 2016 Summer Olympics, she was assigned to PAF Personnel Management Center on a temporary basis. For her achievement at the Olympics, she was given a promotion by the PAF. The extent of the promotion was initially not disclosed but it was later reported that Diaz was promoted to the rank of Airwoman First Class. Diaz was consecutively promoted to the rank of Sergeant after the 2018 Asian Games. On July 27, 2021, following Diaz's success in competing for the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes, the Philippine Air Force's commanding general, approved Diaz's promotion from Sergeant, to Staff Sergeant.

Personal life
Diaz is a devout Catholic and credits her faith with inspiring her athletic achievements. She wore a Miraculous Medal at the 2020 Olympic medaling ceremony, which she said is "a sign of our prayers and faith in Mama Mary and Jesus Christ."

Diaz is married to Julius Naranjo, a former weightlifter who competed for Guam in international competitions and a professional weightlifting coach, a strength and conditioning coach, and filmmaker at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. Naranjo had become her coach, and they were wed in Baguio, on July 26, 2022.

Inclusion in alleged ouster plot matrix
In April 2019, Diaz was listed among those allegedly involved in an ouster plot against president Rodrigo Duterte, as presented by Salvador Panelo who was Presidential Spokesperson at the time. She initially found the allegation laughable, and numerous government officials came to her defense, saying the inclusion of her name and that of fellow athlete Gretchen Ho was ridiculous, but Diaz eventually came to the realization that the inclusion of her name was a threat to her safety and that of her family. Panelo later backtracked on the inclusion of Diaz and Ho's names, saying they were not part of the alleged conspiracy.

In popular media
Diaz's life leading to her silver medal win in the 2016 Summer Olympics was dramatized in an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya, a drama anthology series, aired on September 24, 2016. She was portrayed by Jane Oineza.

Awards and recognitions
On February 14, 2017, Diaz was awarded as the Athlete of the Year of the Philippine Sportswriters Association. She is also the recipient of two honors from the Philippine House of Representatives; the Congressional Medals of Distinction (CMD) in 2016 and the Congressional Medal of Excellence (CME) in 2021. The CME, intended for Filipino Olympic gold medalists, was instituted by the Congress' lower house after Diaz won the first ever gold medal for the country in the 2020 Summer Olympics.