Duterte leads PH in ‘snappy salute’ to Asian Games gold medalist Diaz
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte led a grateful nation in a “snappy salute” to Asian Games gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz as the soldier-weightlifter gave the basketball-mad nation a lift after a heartbreaking hoops loss to China.
Footage of the tearful Diaz, the silver medallist from the Rio Olympics, saluting the flag after Tuesday’s victory brought goosebumps to Filipinos following the Indonesia event.
Duterte excitedly announced in a speech late Tuesday that the country had broken its gold medal duck at the games with Diaz’s victory.
Vice-President Leonor “Leni” Robredo hailed Diaz’s “story of triumph over adversity,” while the lifter earned a special citation from the Air Force.
Hidilyn Diaz celebrates at the podium during the victory ceremony for the women’s 53kg weightlifting event during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on August 21, 2018. (Photo by MONEY SHARMA / AFP)
“We give (Airwoman First Class) Hidilyn Diaz our snappiest salute for her discipline, perseverance and hard work that made her achieve another milestone,” the Air Force said in a statement.
Netizens tweeted congratulatory messages to Diaz:
“Congrats @diaz_hidilyn U make us feel like crying tears of joy and pride too,” wrote Twitter user @yusufledesma.
“Hidilyn Diaz’s gold medal feat obviously eased the pain of the men’s basketball team’s 2-pt loss against China,” @gerardmos posted.
Newspapers splashed photos of Diaz, 27, on their front pages.
Diaz, from a poor coastal village in the southern Philippines, began lifting weights by carting five-gallon (18 liter) jugs of water for her family to use for cooking, drinking and bathing.
In 2016, Diaz sprang a major surprise by winning the silver at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — the Philippines’ first in 20 years.
Diaz now manages her new weightlifting gym and has been seeking greater support and better training facilities for the nation’s athletes.
She now has her sights on the gold in the Tokyo Olympics in two years’ time, which is when she also plans to retire from the sport.
With her latest victory, Diaz stands to receive at least P5 million ($93,500) in cash incentives mandated by law and from donors, legislators said. AFP
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