Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz of Zamboanga City makes history as she becomes the first woman to bag an Olympic medal for the Philippines
ever in claiming the silver in the 53-kilogram class in Rio! Hidilyn, 25, was advised by a visiting Polish weightlifting enthusiast (married to a Filipina) to drop down from the 58-kilogram division to 53 last year and in her 3rd Olympic stint, she followed the advice and it paid off! Her silver breaks a long medal drought for the Philippines as the last medal was boxer Onyok Velasco's silver in 1996 or 20 years ago!
It's the Philippines' 1st weightlifting Olympic medal ever and 3rd silver of 10 medals brought in since swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso broke the ice with a bronze at the 1928 Games in Amsterdam ..
Diaz will get a P5 Million bonus from the government for her feat.
***
Earlier, three Filipino athletes, including one potential medal hopeful, bowed out of contention one after the other on Saturday as action in Rio Games went full blast in different venues in and around Rio de Janeiro.
Ian Lariba of table tennis, who carried the Philippine flag during the opening ceremony, was the first to fall after losing in straight sets.
Swimmer Jessie Lacuna , who is on his second straight Olympics, failed to keep up with his rivals in the men's 400-m freestyle.
Boxer Charly Suarez made an unsuccessful Olympic debut following a bitter split decision in the lightweight division.THE DEAN, FB.
