Province launches search for new weightlifting stars

Hidilyn Diaz and her Rio Olympics silver medal.

The search is on for the next Hidilyn Diaz.

Inspired by the historic silver medal win of the Zamboanga lifter in the ongoing Rio Olympics in Brazil, the Cebu Provincial Sports Commission is planning to implement a solid grassroots program for weightlifting.

The 25-year-old Diaz ended the country’s 20-year Olympic medal drought by finishing second in the women’s -53kg division. She is the country’s first female medal winner in the Olympic and is set to receive a cash incentive of P5 million from the government and a brand-new house and lot from a private donor.

The Cebu Provincial Sports Commission said that starting next year, weightlifting will be included in their sports clinics and programs.

“We already anticipated that after Diaz won a silver medal, interest in the sport will be heightened,” said Commissioner Nimrod Quiñones. “However, DepEd removed weightlifting from the Palarong Pambansa due to safety concerns,” he added.

Weightlifting was to make a big splash in the province’s sports thrust after the commission approved the setting up of a fitness gym with weightlifting equipment in the legislative building in 2013. The plan though, was put off after the November 2013 earthquake damaged the building.

Quiñones said that they are now looking for an ideal space in the Capitol compound for the weightlifting gym where athletes can train for free under the supervision of trained and veteran coaches. But to do so, they need to purchase equipment which costs around P200, 000.

“Diaz proved that with hard work, anyone can win an Olympic medal. But we also need to consider the risks of the sport that’s why we will hire coaches and trainers who are experts in this sport,” said Cebu Provincial Sports Commission executive director Atty. Ramil Abing.

The commission is also planning to provide equipment to the different districts to help them boost their sports programs. Currently, it has 13 priority sports.

The Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC), on the other hand, has an existing monthly “Bakbakan sa Sugbu” and the annual Summer Grassroots Training Program where weightlifting is one of the sports included in the free clinic.