Weightlifting now a demo Palaro sport in Laoag

Four years after Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo gave the Philippines its first Olympic gold medal, the heroine from Zamboanga is about to see the realization of another dream.

“I have long hoped for my sport to once again be part of the biggest national sporting event for student-athletes in the country. It’s finally happening,’’ said Diaz-Naranjo as weightlifting has finally been included in this year’s Palarong Pambansa.

Diaz-Naranjo has openly campaigned for this and is now giving thanks to the Department of Education (DepEd) for adding weightlifting as a demonstration sport to the event scheduled for May 24 to 31 in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

Pole vault also in

No less than Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced the welcome development at the opening rites of the 2025 Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association Sports Meet on Sunday.

Also included by DepEd in the 2025 Palaro program are pole vault for secondary girls and pencak silat.

“In the upcoming Palarong Pambansa, we will have weightlifting for the first time, with no less than Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz as our resource person,” Angara said.

Diaz-Naranjo, who started her own training camp in Jalajala, Rizal, that caters mostly to kids from their neighborhood, admits turning this dream into reality isn’t easy.

“This has become my priority. It’s difficult because you have to go to all the regions in the country. But then again, I love to do this. This is why I’m here, this is why I won the gold,’’ said Diaz-Naranjo, who won the breakthrough gold in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. INQ