Hidilyn Diaz competes in weightlifting in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, December 14, 2025 in Chonburi, Thailand. POC Media
CHONBURI (UPDATED) – Filipina Olympian Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo on Sunday missed out on the podium in the women's weightlifting 58kg event at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Chonburi, Thailand.
The Olympic gold medalist finished fourth among six competitors, earning a total of 200kg in snatch and clean and jerk.
In snatch, Diaz-Naranjo started off with consecutive good lifts at 88kg and 90 kg.
Her final attempt in snatch at 92 kg was deemed a no lift, putting her total at 90 kg.
Diaz-Naranjo was successful in her first clean and jerk attempt at 110kg.
However, her next two attempts at 115kg and 116kg were no lifts, resulting in a total of 200 kg.
READ: Hidilyn Diaz foresees close fight in bid for another SEA Games medal
Thailand's Suratwadee Yoosarn took home the gold with a total of 224kg.
Indonesia's Natasya Beteyob bagged silver with 218kg, while Vietnam's Thi Tam Quang clinched bronze with 215kg.
The last time Diaz-Naranjo missed out on the podium was in the 2005 SEA Games held in the Philippines.
She went on to make history for the Philippines several times over, winning an Olympic silver in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 before claiming a breakthrough gold in the pandemic-delayed Summer Games in Tokyo in 2021.
"First I wanted to say sorry. But I did my best. This is my best for now dahil may injury ako and nahihirapan ako mag-drop weight. And kasi lumaki ako. Pero yun nga it's not an excuse," she told Philippine Olympic Committee Media after the event.
"At the end of the day, hindi ako sumuko. Nag-prepare ako. And I'm happy to represent our country," Diaz-Naranjo said.
The Olympic gold medalist was referring to the right knee injury she sustained in 2023.
"After not qualifying sa Paris [Olympics], medyo nawalan ako ng motivation. This is my first international competition since 2024. I'm happy to be back again," she said.
"It's not the physical training, it's more on the mental training. So yun yung medyo nahirapan ako. So medyo one year, almost two years na akong hindi naglaro. Na-miss ko rin pala yung feeling na maglaro para sa Philippines and the podoum," the Olympian said.
During the competition, Diaz-Naranjo said she had to dig deep and block out the doubt clouding her mind.
"Kailangan kong buhatin, butahin yan. Before this may session ako sa sports psychologist ko. Kasi during the whole preparation, andun yung doubt, kung kaya ko pa ba. So yung instruction ng sports psychologist ko, buhatin mo yan Haids," she explained.
When asked what's next for her, Diaz said she is hopeful she will be at the qualifiers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"Hoping next year na sa Olympic qualifying ako for LA, pero nagbago na rin ang weight category. So, weight category ng weightlifting, it's keep changing. So third time na ito ngayon. So, titignan natin 61 kilos naman," she said.
"Hoping na mas marami pang atleta na mas makapaglaro sa weightlifting. Kasi, iba naman yung category, pero mas marami tayong ma-bubuild na atleta for weightlifting," Diaz-Naranjo added.
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