Hidily Diaz to strut wares at National Open Championships

MANILA, Philippines – Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo will see action to the Smart-Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas National Open Championships set to start Thursday until Friday in Tagbilaran, Bohol where she will officially claim her spot to the national team.

The three-day Tagbilaran tilt, bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission, Smart and Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation, will be Naranjo’s first event since announcing she had set aside her family goals to focus at one final shot at Olympic glory in the 2024 Paris Games.

“Hidilyn will be performing on an exhibition basis,” said SWP president Monico Puentevella.

Naranjo’s presence should also inspire over a hundred young kids and aspirants coming from all over the country trying out for a spot to the national team seeing action in several international meets including 2023 Phnom Penh Southeast Asian and Games, 2023 Hangzou Asian Games.

The SWP is also hoping to discover fresh talents that may be included when the country competes in the Asian Senior Championships in Manama, Bahrain next month and World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in December this year.

Also competing are Tokyo Olympian Elreen Ando, Asian senior and junior champion Vanessa Sarno, Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Kristel Macrohon and talented sisters Rosegie and Rose Jean Ramos, both Asian junior gold winners.

Tagbilaran Mayor Jane Yap and Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado have been invited to grace the opening ceremony at 2 p.m.

There will also be a doping seminar sponsored by PSC under Dr. Alex Pineda before the start of competition.