Olympian Hidilyn Diaz asking for financial support for Tokyo 2020 quest

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 4) — Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz is asking for financial support as she gears up for her 2020 Tokyo Olympics bid.

In a post on her Instagram Stories Monday, the 28-year-old athlete bared the situation she is currently experiencing.

"Is it okay to ask sponsorship sa mga private companies towards Tokyo 2020? Hirap na hirap na ko, I need financial support," Diaz admitted.

The Zamboanga native said that, while this was not the way she would have wanted to get support, this is for her dream to bag the country's first gold medal in the Olympics.

"Nahihiya kasi ako, pero try ko kapalan mukha ko para sa minimithi kong pangarap para sa atin(g) bansa na maiuwi ang Gold Medal sa Olympics," she said.

(Translation: I'm shamelessly trying, to achieve my dream of bringing home the gold in the Olympics.)

For its part, the government said its doors are always open for Diaz if she has any issues.

“I do not think government was remiss of its support to Hidilyn. Despite what it seems, we at the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) choose to see her for what she is, a champion we will support on her dream to achieve more," PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez said.

"It would be good for Hidilyn to visit us so we could talk and clarify matters," he added.

It's important to note that Diaz received ₱3 million in total from the government incentives act, Republic Act 10699, for her silver and gold finishes in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, and the 2018 Asian Games, respectively.

Diaz has been busy competing in international tournaments in the last couple of years.

She ended the Philippines' two-decade medal drought in the Olympics when she won silver in Brazil in 2016. She was also triumphant in the 2018 Asian Games after bagging gold in Indonesia. Recently, she raked in three silver medals at the 2019 Asian Weightlifting Championships in China.