Categories: Culture

30-year-old sergeant battles odds to win first ever Olympic gold for Philippines

<p>
<strong>Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz's historic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games has sent the Filipino community all over the world into a frenzy. The 30-year-old, a sergeant in the Philippine Air Force, conquered the women's 55 kilogram weightlifting competition in Tokyo, setting an Olympic record with a total weight of 224 kilograms.<br />
</strong><br />
The mammoth effort gave the Philippines its first-ever gold since it joined the Olympics in 1924 and Diaz, who had also clinched a silver at the last edition of the Games in Rio, her second Olympic medal.    </p>
<p>
Until Monday evening, Diaz's silver at Rio 2016, the silver medals won by boxers Anthony Villanueva (Tokyo 1964) and Mansueto Velasco (Atlanta 1996) along with seven bronze, remained the biggest moments in the country's 97-year-old Olympic history.<br />
<br />
It has all changed since judges at the Tokyo International Forum, the venue for Olympic weightlifting competitions, cleared Diaz's last attempt as a good lift.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
Take a look at the hands that lifted the Philippines atop the podium.<br />
<br />
Diaz said there are more wounds that we don’t see.<br />
<br />
Salamat, <a href="https://twitter.com/diaz_hidilyn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@diaz_hidilyn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PHI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PHI</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Weightlifting?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Weightlifting</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SeeUsStronger?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SeeUsStronger</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/OneSportsPHL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OneSportsPHL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CignalTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CignalTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/I3OtTsC7BU">pic.twitter.com/I3OtTsC7BU</a></p>
— Paolo del Rosario (@paodelrosario) <a href="https://twitter.com/paodelrosario/status/1419842319730180096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
Much before she arrives home on Wednesday and goes straight into a seven-day hotel quarantine, Diaz is being hailed as the greatest Olympian Philippines has ever produced.</p>
<p>
On Tuesday, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) labeled her as an 'ASEAN pride' while Philippine Airlines gave 'Miss Diaz' 80,000 free miles per year for life.</p>
<p>
Another carrier, AirAsia, also <a href="https://newsroom.airasia.com/news/2021/7/27/airasia-philippines-honors-1st-filipino-olympic-gold-medalist-hidilyn-diaz-with-unlimited-flights">announced </a>'lifetime free flights' to the Olympic gold medalist "in recognition of her hard work, passion, and sportsmanship" best exemplified during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The airline had also awarded Diaz with a five-year unlimited flights within its route network after she had won the silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
Kudos to <a href="https://twitter.com/diaz_hidilyn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@diaz_hidilyn</a> from the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Philippines?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Philippines</a> for making us all in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ASEAN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ASEAN</a> proud with a GOLD 🥇for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Weightlifting?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Weightlifting</a> Women's 55kg category in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a>.<br />
<br />
Congrats to our athletes for the amazing achievements! Let's continue to cheer for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ASEANPride?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ASEANPride</a><a href="https://twitter.com/HidilynDiazFP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HidilynDiazFP</a> <a href="https://t.co/cTWRzgZ8kg">pic.twitter.com/cTWRzgZ8kg</a></p>
— ASEAN (@ASEAN) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASEAN/status/1419915557445406729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
Megaworld, one of the biggest real-estate companies in the Philippines, also <a href="https://www.megaworldcorp.com/news-and-updates/megaworld-gifts-olympic-gold-medalist-hidilyn-diaz-14-m-condo-unit-eastwood-city">announced </a>on Tuesday that it will be giving a residential condominium unit to the 'most decorated' Filipino Olympian.</p>
<p>
People also recalled how the weightlifter had devised new methods of training, including lifting big mineral water bottles with a bamboo pole, after staying indoors in Malaysia for months due to the Covid-19 lockdown.</p>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CIM5kktl63i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% – 2px); width:calc(100% – 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">
 </div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">
 </div>
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">
 </div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;">
 </div>
<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CIM5kktl63i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CIM5kktl63i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">
 </div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">
 </div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">
 </div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">
 </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">
 </div>
<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">
 </div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">
 </div>
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">
 </div>
<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">
 </div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">
 </div>
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">
 </div>
</div>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CIM5kktl63i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Hidilyn Diaz OLY (@hidilyndiaz)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>
Delfin Lorenzana, Secretary of the Philippine Department of National Defense, <a href="https://www.dnd.gov.ph/Postings/Post/Statement%20on%20the%20gold%20medal%20win%20of%20Hidilyn%20Diaz">said </a>that the country's defence team is proud of Sergeant Diaz and her success is a testament to the unwavering spirit of the Filipino to rise above all odds.</p>
<p>
However, it is the statement from presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, which would have brought a big smile on Diaz's face.  </p>
<p>
"The Palace congratulates Hidilyn Diaz for bringing pride and glory to the Philippines for winning the country's first-ever Olympic Gold medal (weightlifting women's 55kg). Congratulations, Hidilyn. The entire Filipino nation is proud of you. Laban, Pilipinas!" posted Roque on his Twitter page.<br />
 </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
"The Palace congratulates, Hidilyn Diaz for bringing pride and glory to the Philippines for winning the country's first-ever Olympic Gold medal (weightlifting women's 55kg).<br />
Congratulations, Hidilyn. The entire Filipino nation is proud of you. Laban, Pilipinas!"<br />
Sec. Harry Roque <a href="https://t.co/Ldkr6BUSLT">pic.twitter.com/Ldkr6BUSLT</a></p>
— Harry Roque (@attyharryroque) <a href="https://twitter.com/attyharryroque/status/1419676765971128328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
Back in 2019, Malacanang – the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines – was accused of including Diaz's name in the 'ouster plot matrix', an alleged conspiracy to unseat President Rodrigo Duterte.</p>
<p>
Preparing for the 2020 Olympics, Diaz had then laughed off at the allegations.<br />
<br />
"So that's it! I have many more goals in life and the Philippines to participate in such things. I was just shocked I was linked to that," she had <a href="https://twitter.com/diaz_hidilyn/status/1126061743338188801">tweeted </a>in May 2019.<br />
<br />
On Tuesday, after the statement from the presidential spokesperson, the Olympic champion hoped that other Filipino athletes will not experience her ordeal.<br />
<br />
"Whatever happens, sana hindi mangyari 'yun sa ibang atleta at sana lahat tayo matuto, (Whatever happens, I hope this will not happen to other athletes and all of us can learn from this)," Diaz <a href="https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/7/27/Hidilyn-Diaz-other-PH-athletes-tagged-ouster-plots.html">told </a>CNN Philippines' The Final Word on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
For the moment though, the controversies can take a backseat and Diaz, who hasn't met her family since last almost 18 months, be allowed to relax and bask in glory.</p>
<p>
<strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/culture-news/one-punch-away-from-an-olympic-medal-lovlina-raises-a-billion-hopes-104903.html">One punch away from an Olympic medal, Lovlina raises a billion hopes</a></strong></p>

Ateet Sharma

Ateet Sharma reads the pulse of the geopolitical contests in Eurasia, and India’s outreach in the region and beyond.

Recent Posts

Protests erupt across PoGB over Kurram attack, shia community seeks justice

Protest demonstrations broke out across different areas of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan after Friday prayers, with thousands…

2 days ago

UKPNP Slams Pakistan’s Unconstitutional Presidential Order in PoJK

Jamil Maqsood, the President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United Kashmir People's National…

2 days ago

Meeting of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement committee concludes in Delhi

The 6th meeting of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) Joint Committee concluded in…

2 days ago

US adds 29 Chinese firms to Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity list

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on behalf of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task…

2 days ago

Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile calls for UK’s action on China’s Abuses

A delegation from the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE), led by Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel and accompanied…

2 days ago

Indian Dornier 228 aircraft flypast on the sidelines of India-CARICOM Summit

On the sidelines of the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit, leaders of the member countries witnessed a…

2 days ago