Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) president Monico Puentevella wants Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz to settle down and enjoy the rewards of her hard work.

Puentevella said after serving the country through weightlifting for 17 years, the 34-year-old Diaz had already earned the right to relax and start a family with her husband and coach Julius Naranjo.

Puentevella, a former Philippines Sports commissioner and Philippine Olympic Committee chairman, said there are a lot of young weightlifters like Elreen Ando and Vanessa Sarno, who are more than ready to take up the challenge and claim Diaz’s throne.

“I was in Dumaguete City with the new kids. There are a lot of weightlifters who have what it takes to make it to the Olympics,” Puentevella said in an interview.

“I told her: ‘You’re already 34, going 35. Start a family because you have already paid your dues.’”

Diaz has already proven her pedigree as a weightlifter, winning the 2015 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Phuket, Thailand, the Asian Games in 2018 in Jakarta, the Southeast Asian Games champion in 2019 in Manila and 2022 in Hanoi, and the World Weightlifting Championships in Bogota in 2023.

The federation has a deep bench of talents with Ando, Sarno, John Ceniza, Rosegie Ramos, Prince Kiel delos Santos, and Albert Ian delos Santos being groomed to represent the country in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and 2032 Melbourne Games.

Puentevella said he wants to see the new weightlifting stars make it to the Olympic podium just like Diaz when she won the silver medal in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games and the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“I want these kids to get another medal for the Philippines because it was my dream,” Puentevella said.

“Now I'm still hoping again. Instead of retiring, I'm hoping we could get one more medal.”

“We beat China in the previous Junior and Youth World Championships. When you beat China, they know you will have an Olympian already for Los Angeles. That stops me from retiring.” IVAN SUING