KUALA LUMPUR − The true measure of a champion is not rooted in the quality of their training or the nurturing of their talent. It comes from exuding a fiery spirit and an unflinching determination to achieve the impossible, especially during an ongoing pandemic.
Such was the case with Filipino weightlifter, Hidilyn Diaz, who made history in the recent Tokyo Olympics when she became the first athlete from the Phillipines to win an Olympic gold medal.
The 30-year-old, who hails from the Southern city of Zamboanga, fulfilled her dream of becoming an Olympic champion in the women’s 55kg class, shattering her personal best to see off the world record holder, Liao Qiuyun, of China.
Before she made her way into the history books, the budding champion underwent an unexpected turn of events. Due to lockdown measures that were initiated following the coronavirus pandemic, Diaz was unable to return to her home country and prepare for the forthcoming Olympics. Instead, the spirited athlete spent a year and a half undergoing training at a house in Jasin, Malacca under the constraint of Covid-19 restrictions.
As a result of her temporary residence in Malaysia during that time, many claimed to have contributed to Diaz’s success in Tokyo, including Minister of Health, Datuk Seri Adham Baba, who fast tracked her Covid-19 vaccination to meet eligibility requirements at the Tokyo Olympics.
In truth, the only person who can attest to such a feat and is directly responsible for Diaz’s gold medal win was the athlete herself, who displayed uncanny resilience and unwavering perseverance to overcome any and all challenges that stood in the way of realising her dream.
Malaysian Weightlifting Federation vice-president, Ahmad Janius Abdullah, told The Vibes that the catalyst for her successful Olympic campaign was a strategy she implemented during a competition in Uzbekistan − an Olympic qualifier – earlier this year.
“I had a chat with her before she made her trip to Uzbekistan. I told her to only put in 95% effort, just enough to qualify for the Olympics.
“She finished fourth in her category and qualified for the Tokyo Games. Although the strategy was a gamble, it worked because China only focused on usurping the top three athletes, who in their minds were the strongest competitors.
“This simple ploy gave Diaz the advantage, since nobody expected her to be a threat at the Tokyo Olympics. When the time came, China was caught off-guard,” said Janius, who offered his own home for Diaz to train during her time in Jasin.
Janius also added that his family home was the perfect place for her to prepare for the Olympics because there were no distractions, either from the press or from fellow athletes.
“Athletes should never be distracted when training for a big competition because it disrupts their focus, and that made Jasin the best place for Diaz to train for the Olympics.
“And trained she did; her routine was the same for the more than a year. She was so hardworking that she would wake up early and do the same thing every day − train for hours, have her meals and train again. She conditioned herself, both physically and mentally, and that was all her; she did not have her coach or a therapist to help her out.
“She was determined to succeed at the Olympics, and it had to be only one colour that she wanted − gold. She did not want to settle for any other medal. She made a lot of sacrifices to win that Olympic gold medal, such as not being home with her family and her loved ones,” said Janius.
When asked about Malaysian athletes, Janius said that there are two young girls who have the potential, and their training will be monitored by Diaz.
“Diaz has agreed to monitor my training programme for the Malaysian athletes, and we have identified a few talents. This is the way Diaz would like to show her appreciation to Malaysia for helping her achieve her dream.
“Those weightlifters, who want to succeed, need to follow in her footsteps. In fact, our local athletes can learn a lot from Diaz.
He said that in Malaysia, athletes don’t accomplish as much because they are easily distracted – they think they’re stars even before they make it big − and should change this mindset.
“Despite being a silver medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics and gold medallist at the 2018 Asian Games, Diaz stayed humble and aimed to achieve better. As a reward, she delivered her country’s first gold medal, which is a monumental achievement.
“An athlete should always be reaching for greater heights, not be satisfied and heavy-headed, especially when your biggest achievement is winning the SEA Games,” said Janius. – The Vibes, August 12, 2021
