JAKARTA – Hidilyn Diaz delivered the Philippines' first gold medal in the 18th Asian Games on Tuesday with a victory in weightlifting that she said proved that a gold medal in the Olympics is not out of reach.
The Rio Olympics silver medalist ruled the women's -56-kilogram class in weightlifting with a total lift of 207 kilograms, in the process exacting revenge on Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova who beat her in the world championships.
“I am grateful to God that I won the gold medal that all of us Filipinos dream of,” Diaz said after a dramatic victory that moved the Philippines up to 14th place in the medal standings with a one-gold, four-bronze medal haul.
“This proves the Olympic gold medal is possible.”
Diaz now stands to receive a cash windfall of P6 million — P2M from the Philippine Olympic Committee through the MVP Foundation, P2M from the government through Republic Act 10699, and P1 million each from the Siklab Foundation and the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hoong.
But the victory was by no means easy. Diaz swore she had to endure sleepless nights due to pressure brought by heightened expectations in the run-up to the Games, something she never had to deal with before her Rio silver medal feat.
“In the Olympics, no one expected me to win a medal. Here at the Asian Games, everyone expected me to win,” she said. “For two to three months, I was on the edge. I hardly gotten enough sleep. But I just kept on training and gave my fate to God.”
But Diaz not stopping here, turning her sights to the gold medal which she hopes to win in the Tokyo Olympics two years from now.
“I am grateful to God that He granted what all of us Filipinos have wished for,” she said. “It can be done — an Olympic gold can be won.”
Elsewhere, Pauline Lopez claimed a bronze medal in taekwondo - the country's fourth at the Games - on a day that saw the Philippine men's basketball team lose a close one, 82-80, to tournament favorite China.
Kirstie Elaine Alora and Kristopher Uy failed to reach the medal round in taekwondo while Nino Surban ended up 16th and Ariana Dormitorio failed to finish in the cross-country race in Subang.
In shooting, Nathaniel Perez could only get as far as the round-of-16 while Brennan Louie's campaign ended in the round-of-32 in the men’s foil individual.
In wushu, Jones Inso and Daniel Parantac took ninth and 10th spots in the men’s taijiquan while Thornton Sayan placed 10th in men’s nangun.
In Palembang, Jayson Valdez placed 20th in the 50m rifle 3 positions qualification, while Francis Casey Alcantara and Katharina Lehnert lost to Thailand in the mixed doubles round-of-32 in tennis.
Corinne Leanne Bunagan placed 12th in women’s artistic gymnastics all-around.
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