Out of the gym that Hidilyn built, a champion shows off his potential

Oscar Hipolito —JUNE NAVARRO

Another medal prospect just came out of the Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo factory of champions.

Oscar Hipolito was a cut above the rest in his weight class at the Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine National Games on Friday, displaying the form that could bring him places through weightlifting.

“Of course, I want to be like ate Hidilyn. She’s one of the reasons why I keep on training hard every day,’’ Hipolito told the Inquirer in Filipino.

The 19-year-old has been working his butt off daily at Mampang Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Gym in Zamboanga City with Hidilyn’s cousin, national coach Allen Diaz monitoring his progress since 2018.

Hipolito lifted a personal best of 100 kilograms in the snatch and 126 in the clean and jerk, walking away with the gold medal in the men’s 73 kg contest inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex covered court in Manila.

“It’s his first time to win a gold in a tournament, a result of his perseverance and will to improve,’’ said Diaz, who handles at least 40 kids in the program back home.

Hipolito, who was raised by a single mom because his dad passed away, totaled a runaway lift of 226 with Ifugao’s Markzen Limmong (95-120-215) a far silver and Gian Carlo Mercado of Olongapo City taking the bronze (94-116-210) at the conclusion of the Games backed by Pagcor, PBA, Milo, Pocari Sweat and Chooks To Go.

“I want to be in the national team, so I could go places like ate Hidilyn,’’ said Hipolito after recovering from a silver finish in the national championships some months back in Bacolod City.

Impetus

His lack of any international experience so far has become the impetus for Hipolito to strive harder.

“I’m always aiming for my personal best each time I step on the mat,’’ added Hipolito, whose previous bests were 125 in the clean and jerk and 90 in the snatch.

According to Diaz, there’s hardly no respite for his kids at the gym in Barangay Mampang, where Diaz-Naranjo started off her young career before morphing into a weightlifting icon for the nation following a silver (2016 Rio de Janeiro) and a breakthrough gold (2020 Tokyo) in the Olympics.

There’s no calendar of activities for 2024 yet, but Diaz assured these children will be trooping to the gym on a daily basis even during the holidays.

“I want my life to change. I want to help my family and I see this as a way out,’’ said Hipolito, a Grade 10 student at the Arena Blanco National High School.

Other winners in weightlifting at the end of the weeklong meet featuring the finest up-and-coming athletes in the land were Kristene Joy Hernani (women’s 64 kg), Shandea Matidios (women’s 71 kg) and Hillary Diaz (women’s 59 kg), Hidilyn’s niece.

Over at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, Southeast Asian Games kata queen Sakura Alforte pulled off a close shave to rule her pet event opposite former national champion Rebecca Reyes, while world championships quarterfinalist Jeremy Nopre topped the men’s side.

Adding a third gold to her collection was Woman International Master Kylen Mordido of Dasmariñas City, who snatched the blitz women’s plum over Woman Fide Master Cherry Ann Mejia via the tiebreak after both wound up with six points each.

Meanwhile, Baguio City pulled away in its bid to retain the overall title in the PSC-Batang Pinoy Games by compiling 32 gold, 25 silver and 40 bronze medals after five days. Pasig City placed second (25-27-33) and Cebu City claimed third (20-15-21).