It is a privilege given by God to represent my beloved country, Philippines in a prestigious competition at the IWF World Championship 2019. Thank you @PSC for the support given to the whole Philippine Weightlifting team.#LabanPilipinas #LabanHidilyn #tokyo2020 #TEAMHD pic.twitter.com/owSS2cCdfg
— Hidilyn Diaz OLY (@diaz_hidilyn) September 20, 2019
MANILA, Philippines–Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz captured two bronze medals in the 2019 International Weightlifting Federation World Championships Friday night in Pattaya, Thailand.
Diaz, who broke the Philippines’ 20-year medal drought in the 2016 Rio Games, lifted 121 kilograms in clean and jerk for the bronze and finished third overall with a total lift of 214 kg in the women’s 55g division.
She finished eighth in snatch after a lift of 93 kg, dooming her chances for gold.
“That was all your, Lord. I was having a mental block, I thought 93 kgs gone over but you guided me. Thank you for what you did, Lord. I’m so blessed,” said Diaz in a tweet in Filipino.
Liao Quiyun of China took home the overall gold medal with a combined lift of 227kg and the top prize in snatch while compatriot Zhang Wanqiong settled for silver despite a golden lift in clean and jerk.
The tournament serves a qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics, where the Zamboanga native is looking to qualify for her fourth straight stint in the Summer Games.
In the 2017 weightlifting worlds held in California, Diaz finished with a bronze and a silver medal (clean and jerk) in the 53kg event.
