Diaz-Naranjo apologizes to POC head for not qualifying for Paris Olympics
Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, the Philippines' first Olympic gold medallist, apologized to Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino when she failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
''You are still our champion. You deserve all the honor and respect for giving our country its first gold medal,'' said Tolentino in a press statement on Friday.
On Wednesday, Diaz-Naranjo, who was competing in a weight division four kilos heavier than the 55 kilogram category where she won in Tokyo 2021, finished 11th in the International Weightlifting Federation World Cup in Bangkok.
Elreen Ando, who is competing below the 64kg division, got the ticket to Paris.
Diaz-Naranjo, 33, said retirement is not on the horizon yet.
''I love the sport. I don't want to stop. But what I have to do now is to take a good rest and think about the priorities in my life,'' Diaz said in the website of the International Weightlifting Federation. DMS
