Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz will return to Malaysia for training as she will ramp up her bid for a maiden world championships gold.

According to Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) president Monico Puentevella, Diaz and head coach Julius Naranjo will leave for Malaysia on September 20.

“She’s going back to Malaysia on September 20, training for the world championships in Peru. Gusto magchampion ni Hidy (Hidy wants to be a champion),” said Puentevella.

On her road to the Tokyo Olympics, Diaz spent 18 months training in Malaysia when the country was put on lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the quadrennial meet will be delayed to July 2021.

Podcast

[PODCAST] Targeting Tokyo: Hidilyn Diaz

Despite the challenges, Diaz still felt that training in Malaysia helped her stay focused on her training and nutrition for her Olympic gold medal bid.

In the Tokyo Olympics, the 30-year-old weightlifter from Zamboanga edged out world record holder Liao Qiuyun of China for the Philippines’ first ever Olympic gold.

Despite achieving her lifetime goal, Diaz decided to shift her focus to the world championships on November 1 to 7.

But the country’s weightlifting queen will not be able to join the national open, which is planned to be staged in October in Bacolod.

SWP is still sorting out the details of the national competition with the government’s coronavirus task force in accordance with the COVID-19 situation in the next two months. – Rappler.com