Dubai: Four years ago tiny Hidilyn Diaz was looked upon as a national hero in her native Philippines when she carried the flag at the 2012 London Games.
On Sunday she claimed a legitimate place in sporting history when she became the country’s first ever Olympic medallist in weightlifting when winning the silver medal in a fiercely contested 54-kg class at a spirited Riocentre Pavilion.
Diaz, who was competing in her third straight Olympics, scored 88 in the snatch and 112 in the clean and jerk for a total of 200 to finished runner-up to Hsu Sch-ching of Chinese Taipei.
South Korean’s Yoon Jin Hee won the bronze with a total of 199 as the gold medal favourite Li Yaiun from China crashed out of the contest when she failed in all three attempts to lift 126kg in the clean and jerk.
The Presidential Palace led the praise for Diaz, who is the first Filipina in history to win an Olympic medal, with spokesperson Ernesto Abella saying in a statement: “The Philippines and the President [are] honoured and proud of Hidilyn Diaz’s silver medal win at the Rio Olympics.
“We extend our sincerest congratulations and celebrate the end of the medal drought. Truly chance has come.”
Vice-President Leni Robredo was effusive in her praise for Diaz saying she was an ‘inspiration to every Filipino and a reminder that no challenge is too heavy for a Filipina woman to overcome.”
Diaz, just 5ft 1/2 inch, was jumping with joy after her silver medal victory and rushed to console a tearful Yaiuyn.
“I was hoping to win the bronze going into this competition,” said Diaz. “But to win the silver is a big shock.”
Diaz will be in for another shock when she absorbs the cash windfall that she will receive as part of the government’s incentive programme for medallists in the Olympics. Delegation officials said that she stood to pocket at least 5 million Pesos (Dh391,635) in bonuses for her achievement.
Diaz’s medal is the first non-boxing medal for the Philippines since 1963.
The last medal the nation won at an Olympics was a boxing silver at Atlanta 1996.
Nestor Colonia, a bronze medallist at the 2015 World Weightlifting Championship and a gold medal winner in the Asian Championships, was unable to give the country a second medal at Rio after falling short in the men’s 56-kg class won by China’s Long Qingquan with a 307-kg total lift.
