Far from home: Weightlifter's quest for first Philippines Olympic gold

Olympic weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines writing notes during a training session in Jasin in the Malaysian city of Malacca. Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who took silver at Rio 2016, has been stuck in Malaysia since February last year because of the coronavirus pandemic but has been determined to realise her dream of becoming the first Olympic gold medal winner from Philippines. - AFP

JASIN (Malaysia), May 27 (AFP): Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz grunts with the effort of hoisting a barbell over her head in an outdoor makeshift gym ringed by banana and rambutan trees as trucks thunder past -- an unlikely training base for a shot at Olympic gold in Tokyo.

Diaz, 30, who took silver at Rio 2016, has been stuck in Malaysia since February last year because of the coronavirus pandemic but has remained determined to realise her dream of becoming the first Olympic gold medal winner from the Philippines.