4 years after Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo gave the Philippines its first Olympic gold medal, the heroine from Zamboanga is about to see the conclusion of one other dream.
“I’ve lengthy hoped for my sport to as soon as once more be a part of the largest nationwide sporting occasion for student-athletes within the nation. It’s lastly taking place,’’ mentioned Diaz-Naranjo as weightlifting has lastly been included on this 12 months’s Palarong Pambansa.
Diaz-Naranjo has brazenly campaigned for this and is now giving because of the Division of Schooling (DepEd) for including weightlifting as an indication sport to the occasion scheduled for Might 24 to 31 in Laoag Metropolis, Ilocos Norte.
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Pole vault additionally in
At least Schooling Secretary Sonny Angara introduced the welcome growth on the opening rites of the 2025 Cordillera Administrative Area Athletic Affiliation Sports activities Meet on Sunday.
Additionally included by DepEd within the 2025 Palaro program are pole vault for secondary ladies and pencak silat.
“Within the upcoming Palarong Pambansa, we may have weightlifting for the primary time, with at least Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz as our useful resource individual,” Angara mentioned.
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Diaz-Naranjo, who began her personal coaching camp in Jalajala, Rizal, that caters principally to youngsters from their neighborhood, admits turning this dream into actuality isn’t simple.
“This has change into my precedence. It’s troublesome as a result of you must go to all of the areas within the nation. However then once more, I like to do that. For this reason I’m right here, this is the reason I gained the gold,’’ mentioned Diaz-Naranjo, who gained the breakthrough gold within the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. INQ
