Hidilyn’s ‘lift of faith’

‘God gave me the silver medal’ 

RIO DE JANEIRO – In this blessed land of Copacabana, over 18,000 miles away from home, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz wrote history for Philippine sports.

Diaz bagged the silver medal in the women’s 53 kg class of the Rio Olympics, when all she wanted flying in last July 23, was to get a shot, a crack at the bronze.

But as fate would have it, the 25-year-old from Zamboanga City, a southern province in the Philippines, was to get more that what she had wished for.

“Bronze lang talaga ang gusto ko (All I wanted was the bronze),” she said, the shining silver medal, by this time, already hanging from her neck.

“But God gave me the silver,” Diaz said.

It was the first Olympic medal for the Philippines in 20 years, the last one, also a silver, won by boxer Mansueto Velasco in 1996 in Atlanta.

Four Olympics later, in Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London, the Philippines had nothing to show. Critics said another medal may never come again.

Until Diaz lifted one – in amazing fashion.

Her medal was also the first for the Philippines in weightlifting. She also became the country’s first female athlete to win an Olympic medal.

The Philippines, a small nation of over a hundred million, has won nine medals in the Olympics, and now 10 counting Diaz’s major contribution.

But all those medals were won by male athletes.

What Diaz did on this windy Brazilian day was extra-ordinary. She said hours after the victory that it hasn’t sunk in yet.

She said it felt like a dream.

“I don’t know,” said Diaz, who immediately dedicated the victory to her mother, Emelita, who turned 53 the day before.

“Para kay Mommy, my biggest supporter,” she said.

At the Riocentro Pavilion 2, which looks more like a concert hall, the 25-year-old Diaz broke the long dry spell for the Philippines.

The Philippine Air Force member bagged the silver with a total lift of 200 kilos, with a best lift of 88 kilos in the snatch and 112 kilos in the clean and jerk.

Diaz failed in her first attempt at 88 kilos in the snatch and then in her last at 91 kilos. In the clean and jerk, she opened up with a good lift at 111 and then the 112 and failed in her last attempt at 117.

After clearing 112 kilos, she knew she had the bronze. Getting off the stage, she jumped into the arms of her coach, Alfonso Aldanete.

China’s Li Yajun, who set a new Olympic record of 101 kilos in the snatch, looked sure of the gold. But she fumbled in the clean and jerk, failing at 123 kilos once, then twice at 126 kilos.

It was a grave tactical error by the Chinese, who could have won the gold without trying to lift 123 or anything heavier.

But the Chinese was too aggressive, going for the Olympic record without first making sure they had the gold medal on hand.

With three failed attempts in the clean and jerk, the Chinese did not win any medal.

Taipei’s Hsu Shu-Ching took the gold with a total lift of 212 (100-112). South Korea’s Yoon Jin Hee took third and the bronze when she should have been fourth.

Yoon had a 199 total (88-111).

Diaz was on her knees, praying in a corner, when there was jubilation from the Korean camp, saying they won the bronze. Everybody did not expect the Chinese to fail in all three attempts in the clean and jerk.

“At first I asked myself how can that be possible,” said Diaz.

“Everybody thought they were fourth. In turned out that they had won the bronze. Taipei took the gold instead of the silver and us, the silver instead of the bronze,” said Diaz.

Diaz had already contacted her mother in Zamboanga City, and thanked her conditioning coach in Manila, Jay Putalan. She also thanked the doctors who are here with the Philippine delegation, Dr. Ferdinand Brawner and chiropractic expert Martin Camara.

Diaz was told that her mother, based in Zamboanga City, cried watching her win a medal.

When she completed her lift at 112, Diaz and her coach started to celebrate.

The Filipino sports officials at ringside, led by Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco and chef-de-mission Jose Romasanta, started celebrating as well. The other officials who were there included International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski, her predecessor, Frank Elizalde, POC officers Steve Hontiveros and Julian Camacho, and former Philippine weightlifting head Monico Puentevella.

Diaz received her silver medal with a big smile on her face, joining the two other medalists at the podium. For the first time in 20 years in the Olympics, the Philippine flag was raised during an awarding ceremony.

“Pinanalo ni Hidilyn yung bronze na yan. Yung silver regalo ng Diyos. Walang kaparis ang Olympics,” said Cojuangco, adding that he hoped that Diaz’s triumph would be the start of a new chapter in Philippine sports.

“I hope this is the icebreaker,” said Cojuangco, adding that the athletes have President Duterte to thank for.

It was a historic moment not only for Philippine sports but for the country in general. The long wait is over, and even before the Filipinos plunged into action here, others aired doubts if the country can win any medal here in Rio.

The Filipinos launched its campaign the other day and sports officials watched as Ian Lariba of table tennis, Jessie Khing Lacuna of swimming and Charly Suarez of boxing fell out of contention one after the other Saturday.

The other Filipino weightlifter, Nestor Colonia in the men’s 56 kg class, could not duplicate Diaz’s heroic feat.

After a good lift of 120 kilos in the snatch, the 24-year-old Colonia bungled his next five lifts at 125 kg twice, and then 154 kg thrice in the clean and jerk.