‘I want to educate more people’: Hidilyn Diaz now a PE teacher at UP Diliman

Posted by ReyFort Media

Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz is one step closer to her dream of teaching weightlifting.

The University of the Philippines Diliman reported on Monday, January 19, that the weightlifting icon attended a four-day Teaching Effectiveness Course (TEC) on campus in preparation for her teaching stint.

Hidilyn previously joined the UP College of Human Kinetics (CHK) as a faculty member, where she is set to teach two Physical Education weightlifting sections in the second semester of Academic Year 2025–2026.

UP said the TEC, conducted by the UP Diliman Office for the Advancement of Teaching, aims to help new faculty members and teaching assistants enhance their teaching skills.

The university added that Hidilyn expressed both nervousness and excitement about her upcoming teaching experience.”

“Good thing na naka-attend ako nitong TEC. Nagkaroon ako ng idea kung paano iyong magiging approach ko sa pag-handle ng class. I am also thankful for my CHK colleagues’ support, they were there to cheer and help me,” she was quoted as saying.

Hidilyn also hopes to integrate weightlifting into a broader Philippine sports education and is keen on fostering creativity and efficiency in her new learning environment.

“I want to educate more people para mas maraming makaintindi ng weightlifting, kasi ang weightlifting ay regular event na sa Palarong Pambansa,” she shared.

In October 2025, Hidilyn said that “designing a curriculum to promote and spread weightlifting has always been a dream.”

“I love weightlifting, and I’ll keep doing my best to grow and share the sport I love,” she previously said.

The athlete also said she ventured into teaching because she “wanted to keep learning.”

Hidilyn made history in Philippine sports as the first Filipino and the first Filipina to win an Olympic gold medal, achieving the feat at the 2020 Tokyo Games. (J. Malasig/Interaksyon)