Tokyo: 28 July 2021 (TDI)
The 30-year-old Air Force servicewoman, Hidilyn Diaz becomes the first athlete from the Philippines to win gold at the Olympics. She lifted with a weight of 224 kilograms in the women’s 55-kg category for weightlifting at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Following Liao Qiuyun of China who won the silver with 223 kg, and Zulfiya Chinshanlo of Kazakhstan who won bronze with 213 kg. Diaz will receive at least 33 million pesos – about $600,000 – from the country and was offered two homes.
In her early weightlifting years, Diaz achieved a bronze medal in the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand and achieved 10th place at the 2006 Asian Games in the 53-kg class. She also won two golds and one silver in the Asian Youth/Junior Weightlifting Championship held in Jeonju, South Korea. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, she also competed in the women’s 58-kg category as the youngest competitor. All this hard work pays off in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
In the 1924 Summer Olympics, the Philippines competed in the Summer Olympic Games for the first time in Paris, France. The country has also participated in the Summer Youth Olympic Games and in the Winter Youth Olympic Games.
Far from home, Diaz left the country inspired and proud of her historic accomplishment.
