JULIUS Naranjo is grooming a former national team mainstay and 2018 Asian Games veteran as his assistant and the training partner of Tokyo Olympic Games gold medalist Hidiylin Diaz.
“With Chinese coach Gao Kaiwen no longer available to us, I need someone who can be my assistant so we are grooming Dessa delos Santos to be that as well as Hidy’s (Diaz’s nickname) training partner,” said Naranjo of his prospective deputy.
From being the athlete’s fitness and conditioning mentor, Naranjo has assumed the role as Diaz’s head coach full-time with the departure of the Chinese mentor after successfully steering her to the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics last year.
The Guamanian coach said in a recent interview that he has been looking for someone who could serve as his assistant, especially in international meets.
“I will be in charge of the strategy during competition and I need someone who can inform and update me what the other weightlifters are performing while I look after Hidy,” Naranjo explained.
Delos Santos, 22, who finished eighth overall in the women’s 53-kilogram division ruled by Diaz in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, said she is willing and hopeful to fill the bill after a two-year absence from the sport.
“Super grateful ako for the opportunity to be coach Julius’s assistant as well as Hidy’s training partner. She is a really a great mentor for us athletes,” said the former national athlete, adding she was inspired to return to the sport after her fellow Zamboanguena’s historic Olympic breakthrough victory.
Delos Santos said a chance meeting with Naranjo and Diaz in Manila led to the invitation for her to join the weightlifter’s coaching staff.
“I quit weightlifting because at that time I felt I was alone and did not have any support.
But iba mag-train si coach Julius. He really listens to what I really need as an athlete,” said the former Batang Pinoy and Philippine National Games standout, who finished runner-up to Diaz in the women’s 55-kilogram division of the last PNG edition in 2018 in Cebu City.
Zamboanga City Councilor Elbert Atilano, who discovered Diaz in his role as a former Universidad de Zamboanga athletic director, said Delos Santos is also his former protégé and the daughter of national coach Alvin delos Santos.
“Dessa has potential but she did not like the way she was being coached then so she quit the national team. But with coach Julius and Hidy taking her under their wings, she just might be on the right track once again,” said Atilano.
