Nahahati ang kaisipan ni 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics women’s weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz sa pinaghahandaan niyang naurong na 32nd Summer Olympic Games 2020 dahil sa nakamamatay na sakit na COVID-19 pandemic.
Inihayag kahapon ng 29-anyos na dalagang tubong Zamboanga City sa kanyang Instagram ang pagkadismaya, pero pagkakuntento rin matapos ihayag nina International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach ng Germany at Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ng Japan kasama ang local organizers na iatras ang nakatakdang quadrennial sportsfest mula sa Hulyo 24-Agosto 9 tungo sa 2021 na.
“I can’t deny the fact I am disappointed with the postponement of Tokyo 2020 and I left everything on hold in preparation for the Olympics. This includes school, family, and friends but right now we are talking about the safety and health of all the athletes, their coaches, and their teams that will participate in the Olympics,” litanya ni Diaz.
Pero nasilip din niya ang kaligtasan at kapakanan ng iba partikular ang mga personahe na sa “forefront” ng labanan sa kalagitnaan ng global health crisis.
“I cannot be selfish thinking of all the sacrifices I have done in the preparation for Olympics without thinking of the frontliners risking their lives to save people who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic,’ hirit ng lifter.
“On the positive note, I’m kinda [relieved] not to worry that I can’t hold the barbell and do heavy weights for last couple of days because of quarantine and have one more year to prepare for Olympics,” panapos niyang sambit.
Na-stranded si Diaz at mga kasamahang nagnanais mag-qualify sa Tokyo Olympics sa Malaysia kung saan siya nagsasanay simula pa noong Pebrero.
Nakatakda sanang sumabak sina Diaz sa Colombia para sa ikaanim at huli niyang kailangang qualifying tournament para makatuntong sa kanyang ikaapat na sunod na Olympics.
Nakahanda na si Diaz at iba na magtungo sa Colombia bago na lang nagdeklara ang host country ng travel ban sa mga atletang manggagaling mula sa Asia at Europe dahil sa virus. (Lito Oredo)