By Peter Atencio
Weightlifting superstar Hidilyn Diaz can now call herself a world champion.
Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Hidilyn Diaz claimed her first-ever world titles after sweeping all three gold medals at stake in the women’s 550-kg category of the ongoing the 2022 World Weightlifting Championships in Bogota, Colombia.
Diaz first took the snatch gold with a lift of 93 kgs, beating Mexico’s Ana Gabriela Lopez and Colombia’s Rosalba Morales on her second attempt.
Then, Diaz ruled the clean and jerk with 114 kgs and a total lift of 207 kgs for her next two golds.
Colombia’s Rosalba Morales settled for the silver with a total lift of 199 kgs, while Mexico’s Ana Gabriela Lopez earned the bronze with a total of 198 kgs.
Lopez bagged ¥the silver after registering no lifts at 94 kgs on her last two attempts in the snatch.
The performance earned Diaz the needed qualifying points for her to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In past World Championship campaigns, Diaz could only muster bronze, thrice.
Diaz took the bronze in the women’s 53kg in 2015 and 2017 and in the women’s 55kg in 2021.
Diaz completed a sweep when she won for the Philippines its first-ever Olympic gold in the Tokyo Games last year.
A knee injury has been bothering the top-seeded Morales in her effort to bag gold on her home country as she finished third in the snatch with 89 kgs, before taking second in the clean and jerk with 110 kgs for a total lift of 199 kgs.
Lopez went on clinch the bronze with a total lift of 198 kgs after clearing 90 kgs in the snatch and 108 kgs in the clean and jerk.