This post is a week late but I of course still had to write about it. Congratulations, Hidilyn Diaz, for winning the Olympic Gold Medal in the Women's 55kg weightlifting event!
JUST IN: GOLD AT LAST!
— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) July 26, 2021
The Philippines has finally secured a gold medal at the Olympic Games as Pinay weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz reached the top podium in the women’s 55kg in Tokyo. #Tokyo2020 #Olympics
Photo: Edgard Garrido, @Reuters | via @cedrickkbasco pic.twitter.com/xy96r4S7Fz
This is the first official Philippine Olympic Gold Medal so I was one of the millions of Filipinos who were overjoyed when Hidilyn successfully lifted the winning 127kg in the clean and jerk. (I would like to mention that Arianne Cerdeña won a gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, but she did it in bowling which was a demonstration sport so her achievement isn't included in the official medal tally.) The 55kg weight class is new in the Olympics so she now holds the Olympic records in both the clean and jerk and total weight lifted. Awesome! But beyond the records, what I do find even more inspiring is that she has continued to get better and she achieved personal bests when it mattered the most. In an interview, she said that she had never lifted 127kg prior to the weightlifting final which means she peaked at the right time. Also, back in the 2016 Olympics, her total lift was 200kg so this means she managed to lift 24 kilos more than she did in Rio, blowing way past her silver medal achievement four years ago. That is just astounding!
THE FIRST FILIPINO GOLD MEDALIST IN THE OLYMPICS.....IS A FILIPINA!!!!! HUHUHU 127KG OLYMPIC WORLD RECORD FOR C&J FROM HIDILYN DIAZ!!!! 😭🥇💗 pic.twitter.com/UYC0CJSMJY
— d (@dannielledivine) July 26, 2021
Hidilyn is also the first Filipino to win medals in multiple Olympics since Teofilo Yldefonso won bronze at the 200m breaststroke in both the 1928 and 1932 Olympic events. It's amazing to think that Hidilyn has actually competed in four consecutive Olympics now, dating back to 2008 in Beijing. While she may not have won medals in 2008 and in 2012, the fact that she competed means she has been world-class for at least 13 years now. Incredible!
It's been a week since Hidilyn won her gold medal but I am still really happy and moved by her remarkable accomplishment. I am certain she has inspired many Filipinos and Filipino athletes to strive for excellence. Thank you, Hidilyn Diaz, and congratulations!
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