Hidilyn Diaz on end of Paris Olympics journey: We did our best for our country

As her journey to the Paris Olympics ended last April 3, Filipino Olympian and weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz on Thursday spoke up about her failed bid to return to the Summer Games.

It was Elreen Ando who booked a ticket to the Olympics following a better showing in the women’s 59kg event of the 2024 IWF World Cup. 

“The result was not according to what I wanted and planned. But Thy will be done. It was not my day and #Paris2024 is not for me,” Diaz wrote on her social media post.

The Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist also congratulated those who qualified to the Paris Games.

“Congratulations to all the weightlifters around the world who qualified in #Paris2024, especially the Filipino Athletes, and to the athletes who did their best in the last Olympic Qualifying Competition,” she added.

“We did great, we fought hard, and we did our best for our country.”

Diaz also reiterated that she will still continue in weightlifting and in training other weightlifters.

“It’s the end of my #Paris2024 Olympic journey, I will still lift, continue to lift, and inspire young Filipino Athletes to become Olympic Champions.”

Diaz competed in every edition of the Olympics since 2008. She claimed the silver in 2016 in Rio and the gold in 2021.

After her Paris journey ended, Diaz and her husband Julius Naranjo took some ‘family time.’

—JKC, GMA Integrated News