Latest news with #LaoagCentralElementarySchool
GMA Network
26-05-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
Like his Tita Hidilyn, Matthew Diaz also aspires to reach Olympic stage
ILOCOS NORTE - Sharing the same genetics as the athlete who gifted the Philippines its first-ever Olympic gold medal, Matthew Diaz dreams of one day seeing himself representing the nation on the world's grandest sporting stage. And it may seem like a long shot for now, but the young weightlifter is already setting his sights on that goal. "Halos po lahat ng ka-pamilya ko nasa weightlifting kaya sinunod ko po 'yung hilig nila at gusto ko rin po maglaro sa Olympics parang siya (Hidilyn Diaz). Na-inspire niya po ako, gusto ko na rin po na maging Olympian po," the young Diaz told GMA News Online. "Gusto ko rin po ma-achieve. Pinu-push ko po 'yug sarili ko para makarating po ako sa rank na 'yun sa Olympics." [Almost all of my family is into weightlifting so I followed what they liked and I'd also like to compete in the Olympics like her. She inspired me, I also want to become an Olympian... I also want to achieve that. I push myself so that I can reach that rank in the Olympics.] Zaldy Mallari, Matthew's head coach for two years now, believes the youthful lifter has the potential to make it big one day, and not just because of his famous surname, but also because of his own raw talent. Matthew proved that on Monday when he ruled the secondary boys' 48kg division in the demonstration event of weightlifting in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa at the Laoag Central Elementary School in Ilocos Norte. Matthew lifted 73kg in snatch and 93 kg in clean and jerk to cap off his performance in front of no less than Hidilyn herself, who is currently serving as the tournament director. "Actually, talagang malakas 'yung bata. Siguro, it's because nakikita niya sa tita niya. At the same time, nando'n 'yung equipment so mahalaga kasi 'yun," Mallari told in a separate interview. "Sa bawat training namin kasama namin 'yung tita niya, kasabay namin, nando'n 'yung tita niya para suportahan at para sabihin kung ano 'yung tama o mali. Kaya ako, as a coach, hindi ako masyadong nahirapan because Olympian 'yung nagtuturo din sa kanya." [Actually, the kid is really strong. I guess it's because he sees what his aunt does. At the same time, there's the equipment and that's very important... In all of our training, his aunt is there with us, she's there to support and to tell him what's right or wrong. So for me as a coach, I don't have a hard time because it's an Olympian that teaches him also.] —JMB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
26-05-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
Matthew Diaz, Hidilyn's nephew, wins gold as weightlifting demo event kicks off in Palarong Pambansa
LAOAG - Matthew Diaz proved weightlifting is in his blood as he claimed the first gold in the demonstration event at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa on Monday at the Laoag Central Elementary School in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Diaz, nephew of the Philippines' first Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn, ruled the secondary boys' 48kg division after lifting 73kg in snatch and 93 kg in clean and jerk to cap off his solid showing. Diaz, who represents Region IV-A, is among the 70 athletes set to see action in the demonstration event pushed for by the older Diaz following her success in Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Generosmel Cortez of Region IX bagged the silver while National Capital Region (NCS) bet Rayney Joy Espina captured the bronze as the troike comprised the first set of podium finishers in the historic feat. In a previous interview, Hidilyn Diaz said the inclusion of weightlifting in Palarong Pambansa is a huge step in promoting the sport as the country looks to produce more Olympians in the future. —JMB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
25-05-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
Fueled by Hidilyn Diaz' success, this athlete from Rizal chases her own weightlifting dream
LAOAG CITY—Hidilyn Diaz uplifted an entire nation when she brought home the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal after a lengthy 97-year wait. But far from the spotlight, somewhere in Jalajala, Rizal, one young aspirant was inspired by that historic success and is now trying to tread her own path in weightlifting. Stephanie Mandigma, a Grade 8 student at Jalajala National High School, was previously pursuing gymnastics after being invited by one of her classmates. She enjoyed her time there, but an injury forced her to leave the gymnastics mat. Eventually, she found a new love in weightlifting. What sparked it? Diaz' historic gold medal run at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. "Na-appreciate ko po ang weightlifting nu'ng nanalo po si Ma'am Hidilyn sa Tokyo po. Naisip ko po na ang saya siguro magbuhat din," Mandigma told GMA News Online in an exclusive interview on Sunday at the Laoag Central Elementary School. "Naisip ko po na what if maging katulad po ako ni Ma'am Hidilyn kaya na-appreciate ko po magbuhat." More than a year into weightlifting, Mandigma has now made a huge improvement in the sport as she is now part of the 70 athletes set to see action in the weightlifting demonstration of the 2025 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte. Mandigma had also participated in the 2024 Batang Pinoy where she hoisted 37kg in snatch and 50kg in clean and jerk on the way to bagging the bronze medal for her first major victory. With still a long way to go, Mandigma hopes she can also be like her idol Hidilyn, representing the Philippines in the biggest weightlifting stages. "[Ang pangarap ko po ay] maging katulad po ni ma'am Hidilyn at maging gold medalist po," she said. "Ang pinakamagandang mangyayari po ay mare-represent ko po 'yung Jalajala at 'yung school po namin tapos 'yung Philippines po, 'yun po ang goal ko." For now, though, Mandigma is savoring the privilege of being coached by Diaz at the latter's Weightlifting Academy in Jalajala. "Ang natutunan ko po sa kanya ay magtiwala lang po sa sarili and 'wag ilagay 'yung negative sa pagiisip and lahat po dapat pinaghihirapan," Mandigma shared. "Lagi niyang sinasabi sa amin na kung kaya namin, ibigay lang po namin 'yung makakaya namin." —JKC, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
25-05-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
Hidilyn Diaz says inclusion of weightlifting in Palaro a huge step for sport
LAOAG CITY — When Hidilyn Diaz lifted the Philippines' first-ever Olympic gold medal in 2021, one question followed: 'What's next?' It wasn't just for her alone, but for the weightlifting community as a whole. Four years since her historic breakthrough in Tokyo, the Filipina weightlifter is now seeing the sport grow as seen in its inaugural inclusion in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa currently held in Ilocos Norte. Although the sport remains a demonstration event, Diaz is still beaming with joy in seeing weightlifting making its much awaited debut in the premier national event for student-athletes in the grassroots level. "Dream come true [ito] kasi nga for how many years pinapangarap ko 'to, and hindi lang ako [pero] lahat ng nasa weightlifting community, na ma-include itong weightlifting," Diaz told several members of media on Sunday at the Laoag Central Elementary School. "Para sa akin kasi, I won the silver, I won the gold in the Olympics, pero ayun nga... what's next? It's good that I won the gold pero paano ko siya dadalhin sa next generation." Diaz knew what it's like to start from the ground up despite lacking the local platform to compete at such as the Palarong Pambansa. But even then, she persevered and slowly made her name starting with a maiden Olympic appearance in 2008 in Beijing, then in the 2012 London Games. Her first Olympic medal came in 2016 in Brazil before capturing the gold medal in Tokyo five years later. Diaz hopes the next generation of weightlifters will gain the proper exposure right from the local levels, adding that the Palarong Pambansa will help nurture the athletes early on. "Para sa akin, napakaimportante kasi 'yung mga bata na may nilu-look forward na sila kasi ang Palarong Pambansa, hindi lang siya national eh, may district pa, may provincial, may regional," Diaz added. "Kung pupunta ka sa each region, mas marami pang talented athletes na meron diyan and makikita natin na ang Palarong Pambansa ay giving them the opportunity to excel sa weightlifting." In the ongoing Palarong Pambansa, 70 athletes across nine regions will participate in the weightlifting demonstration event that will feature five weight categories each for the boys and girls' divisions. The inclusion marks a significant step in Diaz's bid to make weightlifting a regular sport in the Palaro, though she emphasized that it must still go through the proper process and meet established criteria before it can be officially added. "Yes may mga criteria, may proseso. Pero ang sabi is kailangan maging popular ang sports, kailangan maraming participants, at 'yung mga regionals ay interested to make it a regular sports. Hoping na sana next year [mangyari]." —JKC, GMA Integrated News
