Mindanaoan Brings Home Philippine’s 2016 Summer Olympics Medal

The Philippines bags its first medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics after Hidilyn Diaz finished with a lift of 200kg at the women’s 53kg category in weightlifting. Diaz’ silver medal is the Philippines’ first Olympic medal since Onyok Velasco’s triumph at the 1996 games in Atlanta.

Diaz is expected to arrive August 12, 2016 afternoon. She met with President Duterte in Davao City on Thursday night and he personally congratulated her for the honor she brought to the Philippines when she bagged the first silver medal for a Filipina athlete in the Olympics and the first medal for the Philippines in the Olympics in 20 years.

“Ginawa ko yung best para sa country,” Diaz in an interview with CNN,  “Yun lang talaga yung goal, tapos mag medal. Bronze lang talaga yung aim namin ng coach ko.”

Hidilyn F. Diaz is a Filipino weightlifter and airwoman. She competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics and was also the youngest competitor in the women’s 58-kg category in that same Olympics. She was a bronze medalist in the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand and achieved 10th place at the 2006 Asian Games in the 53-kilogram class. A student of the Universidad de Zamboanga, she also won two golds and one silver in the Asian Youth/Junior Weightlifting Championship held in Jeonju, South Korea.

Hidilyn Diaz competed at 2016 Summer Olympics women’s 53-kg weight division and won the silver medal, ending the country’s two decade Olympic medal drought.

Source: CNN Philippines & Rappler