THE international press has taken notice, too.
Hidilyn Diaz giving the Philippines its first Olympic gold in nearly a century also made it to overseas news, with noted newspaper outlets such as the New York Times and the Washington Post, along with leading news channel CNN devoting a story on the Filipina’s historic triumph in the Tokyo Games.
Hidilyn Diaz on international news
The New York Times headline read ‘Weight Lifter Hidilyn Diaz Wins First Olympic Gold Medal for Philippines,’ while the Washington Post had it ‘Weightlifter Diaz gets 1st Philippines gold, no China sweep.’
The Post story chronicled how the 30-year-old Filipina had to make do training in isolation and under lockdown conditions in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, while the Times mentioned about weightlifting now likely mentioned in the same breath as basketball along with boxing and Manny Pacquiao, as preferred pastime in a country it said is ‘crazy for sports.’
CNN also reported a short feature on the 4-foot-11 weightlifter, complete with a video of Diaz training in Kuala Lumpur by making use of a makeshift barbell composed of a bamboo pole and two heavy bags that are attached to it.
Time.com also did a story on Diaz as a first time Olympic gold medal winner for her country, along with Flora Duffy who topped the women’s triathlon to likewise give Bermuda its first ever gold in the Summer Games.
The gold served as a breakthrough for the Philippines, which never achieved the highest podium finish since first competing in the quadrennial games in 1924.
In all, the country now has a total of 11 Olympic medals, with Diaz along with swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso as the only Filipino athletes to win two Olympic medals.
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