JAKARTA — Hidilyn Diaz gave the Philippines its first gold in the 2018 Asian Games, winning the women’s 53kg division in weightlifting on Tuesday at the Jakarta International Expo.
The Rio Olympics silver medalist beat Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova to snare her first-ever gold medal in her Asian Games career.
Thanks to the weightlifting heroine, the Philippines has already matched the total gold medal output from four years ago in Incheon on Day 3 of the competitions here.
Diaz lifted 207 kilograms to nip Shermetova, who had a total of 206 to settle for the silver. Khambao Surodchana of Thailand took the bronze with a total lift of 201.
The Zamboanguena won the gold in her second attempt when she hoisted 115kg in the clean and jerk after getting a 92kg in the snatch.
Shermatova tried to lift 116 to tie the leader but was unable to do so in her third and final attempt, enabling Diaz to come away with a victory that should be worth P6 million at the very least in terms of incentives.
After becoming the first Filipina outside boxing to win a silver in the Olympics, Diaz became the first Filipino weightlifter to win a gold in the Asian Games.
Before Diaz's feat, the Philippines had eight medals in weightlifting.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
