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HIDILYN DIAZ, the Philippines latest silver medalist in the Olympics, is giving back to the community.

She has allocated PHP 5 million for the construction of a weightlifting gymnasium in Zambo.
The groundbreaking of the project was held in Barangay Mampang, where Hidilyn hails. Allen Jayfrus Diaz, a weightlifting coach and a cousin of the Olympic medalist, said the construction of the gymnasium was expected to be completed in August this year.

She helps out the kids in learning the sport and makes some sort of a payback to the town that helped turn her life around.

“That’s my main goal – to help out the kids in our hometown and realize their dream in weightlifting. This sport could change their lives and hopefully, they could become just like me in the future. I want them to surpass what I have achieved, probably win our first ever Olympic gold,” said Diaz, who ended the country’s 20-year medal drought in her latest feat.

“Every time I go home in Zamboanga, I made it a point to teach the kids the fundamentals of weightlifting. Whenever I’m in Manila, we communicated thru group chat in Facebook the things they need to improve on,” added Diaz.

Hidilyn will go home in August to lead the inauguration of the gymnasium. She is currently preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Source: Philippine News Agency, BusinessWorld Online