MANILA – Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, the Philippines’ undisputed weightlifting icon, is gearing up for a triumphant comeback at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, promising to deliver her “best performance ever” as she shakes off the weight of a two-year hiatus and rediscovers the joy that fueled her historic Paris triumph. In an exclusive interview with the Inquirer, the 34-year-old “Pocket Rocket” from Zamboanga City opened up about her journey back to the platform, blending steely resolve with heartfelt gratitude for the second chance to inspire a nation that crowned her its first female Olympic champion.
Diaz’s return to the SEA Games – her first major multi-sport event since the 2023 Hanoi edition where she clinched gold in the women’s 55kg category – feels like poetic closure to a chapter marked by peaks and valleys. After securing the Philippines’ first-ever Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020 (delayed to 2021) with a stunning 224kg total lift, Diaz defended her crown in Paris this July, edging out China’s Li Wenwen for bronze in the 59kg class amid a fiercely competitive field. Yet, the victory came at a cost: A nagging back injury that sidelined her from the Asian Championships and sparked whispers of retirement. “I was ready to hang up my singlet,” Diaz admitted, her voice softening as she recalled the pain that nearly ended her career. “But God gave me this body for a reason – to lift not just weights, but the hopes of every Filipino.”
What reignited her fire? A blend of family, faith, and a fierce coaching duo. Diaz credits her husband, fellow lifter Ernest John Obiena – the pole vaulter sensation – for being her rock during rehab, while her coaches, including the legendary Tony Holly and Filipino mentor Ramon Solis, fine-tuned her form for a pain-free comeback. “Ernest pushed me during those dark days; he’d say, ‘Babe, the SEA Games needs you – the kids in Zamboanga need to see it’s okay to fall and rise,'” she shared, eyes glistening. Now competing in the 59kg class, Diaz has shed the extra kilos from her Olympic prep, honing a leaner, meaner edge with a focus on snatch and clean & jerk precision. “I’m not just aiming for gold; I want to show them how to lift with heart,” she vowed, targeting a total of 230kg or more – a personal best that would shatter SEA records.
The SEA Games, slated for December 9-20 in Bangkok, holds extra weight for Diaz: It’s a homecoming of sorts, where she first tasted international glory in 2005 as a teenage sensation snagging silver in the 48kg. Thailand’s humid arenas and raucous crowds – a far cry from Tokyo’s sanitized silence – will test her mettle, but Diaz thrives on the chaos. “The noise, the pressure – that’s my fuel. I’ll hear the cheers for Hidilyn, but I’ll lift for every Pinoy kid dreaming big in a small town.” Her return isn’t solo; it’s a beacon for the next gen, with Diaz mentoring young lifters through her Hidilyn Diaz-National Training Center program, which has already produced two SEA medalists since 2023.
As she eyes the podium, Diaz’s story transcends sport – it’s a testament to unbreakable spirit, from Zamboanga’s streets to Olympic immortality. “I’ve fallen, but I’m rising stronger. Watch me lift the Philippines higher.” With the Games days away, the weightlifting queen isn’t just competing; she’s crowning a legacy, one rep at a time.