MANILA, Philippines: Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz was the Philippines top bet to break its Olympic gold medal drought at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Despite the immense pressure and the lofty expectations, Diaz, all 4-foot-11 of her, rose to the occasion and won the Philippines its first gold medal in Tokyo.Now, gunning for a Philippine record of fifth straight Olympic appearance at the Paris Games this July, Diaz said the pressure and the weight of expectations placed upon her just got heavier.It's the price she has to pay for seizing the gold in Tokyo and for being an athlete in general.
'Qualifying for the Olympics is hard because it comes with the pressure and expectations around you. I can't just exert the same effort I did in Tokyo 2020, I need to surpass it, I need to be stronger because the competition is tougher but despite the difficulty, I'm pushing forward. I will do my best for the country. I'm here for a purpose.'Diaz, also a Rio Olympics silver medalist, is on pace to qualify for the Paris Games.
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