Hidilyn Diaz trains sights on Paris 2024
Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz became the first person from the Philippines to win Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, but her Olympic journey isn't over yet after her New Year's Day announcement on social media.
'Paris 2024 - God Willing' reads the social media post on Hidilyn Diaz' Instagram from New Year's day.
On the day of resolutions, Diaz revealed her goals, posting a photo of herself with a hand on a model of the Eiffel Tower, using the hashtag #Paris2024 with the caption "New Beginning, New Goal."
The Filipina weightlifter inspired a nation at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by winning the Philippines' first ever gold medal and she isn't done yet, her new goal set on the Paris 2024 Olympics just a couple of short years away.
"New Year, new goals, and new challenges," opens the other post she shared on 1 January 2022, written by her coach and fiance Julius Naranjo.
"...The first Gold medal for the Philippines is not enough for our advocacy and what we are trying to do for weightlifting and sports in the Philippines. But TeamHD is committed and we will continue to do our best for the Philippines.
"(Hidilyn Diaz') journey is inspiring for many, but we know our job isn’t finished yet. Onto our next goals for 2022, up until 2024."
A dramatic final lift gave Diaz, and her nation, a first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo in the 55kg category, and wild celebrations followed both in Japan and back home.
That gold medal victory followed her silver medal at Rio 2016, and now Filipinos can look forward to another white-knuckle ride in Paris.
At 30 years of age Diaz is out to deepen her legacy as one of her country's greatest ever athletes, inspiring a nation as she goes.
Watch out Paris.