Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz added another feather to her cap, this time earning a Project Management diploma.
"The platform made me strong, but knowledge makes me stronger. Proud to share that I graduated from Benilde SPACE Continuing Education with a diploma in Project Management! 🎓 " she posted on her Instagram page.
Hidilyn explained that she pursued the course to prepare herself for the new responsibilities she has taken on.
"I took this course to better understand the new environment I’m in, as an Athletes’ Representative in the IWF (International Weightlifting Federation), as someone who dreams of making weightlifting a sport in every region of the Philippines, and as a Technical Delegate in the Palarong Pambansa. My hope is that weightlifting will soon become a regular sport at Palaro," she said.
Reflecting on her experience, the weightlifting champion highlighted the valuable insights she gained from the program.
"I learned so much from my classmates from different fields and from our professor. From frameworks and terminologies, to risk management and the value of collaboration. But one of the most important lessons I’ve taken with me is that communication matters, before, during, and after every event," she shared.
Hidilyn earned her bachelor's degree in Business Administration Major in Business Management from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).
The Tokyo 2020 Olympian took to social media to pen an inspiring post following her graduation in 2023.
"Dreaming of graduating from college and earning a degree while preparing for the Olympics. Hindi ko akalain na magagawa ko, after sleepless nights and tiring days from training while attending school at De La Salle - College of St. Benilde. Posible pala," she wrote on her Facebook page.
She went on: "Kung nakaya ko, kaya ng mga student-athletes, at mga bata at sa lahat na gusto makapagtapos, age doesn’t matter, mahirap pero super worth it. I never imagined reaching this point. But here I stand 👩🎓🏋️♀️."
In July 2024, Hidilyn had the inauguration of her weightlifting academy in Rizal.