Diaz upbeat about making 58-kg class

Tokyo Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting isn’t worried about losing weight as she gears up for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand from 9 to 20 December.

Diaz said she needs to be consistent with her training and nutrition as she competes in the women’s 58-kilogram category.

The 34-year-old weightlifter will be aiming for her third SEA Games gold medal.

“I need to commit myself because I got bigger. I need to go on a diet and train with a higher intensity,” Diaz said.

“Dropping my weight isn’t that big of a deal since I grew up with the weight.”

Diaz started her international career competing in the 58kg category, competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Summer Games.

She still holds the national record in the weight category, lifting 102kgs in the snatch, 123kgs in the clean-and-jerk and a total lift of 224kgs.

Diaz said she is also balancing her training with her duties as a coach in the HD Weightlifting Academy as they prepare for the Batang Pinoy in General Santos City from 25 to 30 October.

“I started my training before coaching them because it’s hard to do both at the same time,” Diaz said.

“We are training 45 athletes, so it’s good that I don’t train and coach simultaneously. We are there to support them.”