And Hidilyn Diaz Made History

Credit to the owner (CTTO): The featured image reference is Hidilyn Diaz.

Yes! Hidilyn Diaz made history last 26 July 2021 by winning a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

She is now the first Filipino Olympic Gold Medalist.

And, she is now the first Filipina Olympic Gold Medalist.

Also, the first Filipino weighlifter Olympic Gold Medalist.

And, the first Filipina weighlifter Olympic Gold Medalist.

The reason I mentioned Filipina is because this is the term for female citizens in the Philippines, albeit, Filipino is a general term for Philippine citizens, just to be specific, Filipina is the female citizen. And, also, Pinoy for the Tagalog term of Filipino while Pinay is the Tagalog term for Filipina.

Anyway, her gold medal is now the first Olympic gold medal for the Philippines after 97 years since joining the World Olympics in 1924.

She also made an Olympic Record in the women’s weightlifting 55kg event. A female Olympic Record of 127kg for the Clean and Jerk Lift category. And, an Olympic Record of 224kg for the Total weight lifted which includes the 97kg she cleared on the Snatch Lift category.

The 30-year-old Diaz bested world record holder Liao Qiuyun of China and Zulfiya Chinshanlo of Kazakhstan and 11 other weightlifters.

What are some of her awards, citations, prizes, and winnings given by the Philippine government and other private sectors in the Philippines?

• AFP promoted her from sergeant to staff sergeant effective 27 July 2021.
• Presidential Medal of Merit, Executive Order No. 236, series of 2003. Other athletes who have received this are champion boxers Manny Pacquiao and Gabriel Elorde and champion bowler Paeng Nepomuceno. The Presidential Medal of Merit (Pampanguluhang Medalya ng Merito) is an honor given by the Republic of the Philippines. The Presidential Merit Award was renamed the Presidential Medal of Merit by Executive Order 236 on September 19, 2003.
• The Senate voted to adopt Senate Resolution 793, filed by Senate President Vicente Sotto, taking into consideration all other similar resolutions filed, a resolution commending weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.
• House of Representatives will be handing out the Congressional Medal of Excellence, which will be the first time that the House will confer the award.
• ₱3 million and a house and lot in Zamboanga from President Duterte through the budget of the Office of the President.
• ₱10 million Diaz as entitled to by law as an Olympic gold medalist, specifically, through Republic Act 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.
• Additional ₱5 million cash bonus from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for setting new Olympic records in the women’s -55 kgs class of weightlifting. The additional reward is provided for under Republic Act 10699 or the Expanded Athletes and Coaches Incentive Act. Under Republic Act 10699 or the expanded incentives act, national athletes and other athletes who surpass Philippine record or ranking in any measurable international sports competition shall be given cash incentives, the amount of which may be determined by the PSC. PSC officer-in-charge, commissioner Celia Kiram, confirmed that the additional incentive has already been approved, signed and ready for release.
• ₱10 million from business tycoon Manny Pangilinan through the MVP Sports Foundation.
• ₱10 million from San Miguel Corporation Corporation President and CEO Ramon Ang.
• ₱3 million from House Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero of 1-PACMAN Party-list.
• ₱5 million cash and free fuel for life from Siklab Atleta Sports Foundation head and Phoenix Petroleum chair Dennis Uy
• ₱2.5 million from her hometown Zamboanga City.
• ₱14-million residential condominium unit in Eastwood, Quezon City from Megaworld Corporation.
• ₱4-million house and lot at any PHirst Park Homes community of her choice from Century Properties.
• A house and lot in Tagaytay City from Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino.
• Foton is giving a 13-seater Transvan.
• A brand new Kia Stonic.
• AirAsia posted on its website that it will be giving the weightlifting champion a lifetime of free flights.
• Philippine Air Lines (PAL) rewarded Diaz an 80,0000 free miles per year making her the PAL’s first “forever flyer”.
• A number of local establishments pledging a lifetime supply of free food.

What are some of her awards in the past?

• Gold Medal in the 1st Southeast Asian Weightlifting Championship in Bangkok, 2015
• Gold Medal in the 2015 Asian Weightlifting Championships
• Three Bronze Medals for the clean, jerk and snatch events in the 53 kg division of the IWF World Weightlifting Championship held in Houston, Texas on November 22, 2015 to claim a spot in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
• Bronze Medal in 2016 Asian Weightlifting Championships.
• Dominated the women’s 58 kg event of the 2015-16 Philippine National Games National Finals held at Lingayen Town Plaza, Lingayen, Pangasinan on March 2016, with a 92 kg snatch and 120 kg clean and jerk (new personal best) combined into 212 kg.
• Silver Medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This is her 3rd consecutive Olympics.
• Athlete of the Year of the Philippine Sportswriters Association awarded on 14 February 2017.
• Bronze Medal in the 2017 World Championships
• Bronze Medal in the 2019 World Championships.
• Gold Medal in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• Silver Medal in the 2019 Asian Championship.
• Gold Medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Manila.
• Gold Medal in the women’s 55kg event at the Roma 2020 World Cup in Rome, Italy on January 2020.

Some other facts about Hidilyn Diaz:

• As a military woman under the Philippine Air Force unit:
  • She received military merit medal. The Military Merit Medal is a military decoration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The medal is awarded for heroic achievement or meritorious service during, or in support of military action against an enemy.
  • Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Badge. This is a unit decoration of the Republic of the Philippines. It has been awarded to certain units of the United States military and the Philippine Commonwealth military for actions both during and subsequent to the Second World War.
  • Her PAF Unit is Air Force Special Service Group, PAF Personnel Management Center, 710th Special Operations Wing.
  • In 2018, she was promoted from airwoman 1st class to sergeant after her victory in the 2018 Asian Games.
  • AFP promoted her from sergeant to staff sergeant effective 27 July 2021. She will be receiving a monthly salary of more than P30,000 (around $595) based on the current salary standards in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes, the Philippine Air Force’s commanding general, approved Diaz’s promotion from Sergeant, to Staff Sergeant.
  • This was the second time that the Philippine military promoted Diaz for bringing pride to the country.
• Tokyo 2020 Olympics is her fourth straight Summer Games appearance.
  • Olympic debut at 14 years old in the 2008 Beijing Games. She earned a wild card entry and was the youngest in the delegation. 
  • 2012 London Olympics, but recorded a devastating “did not finish” result. She was one of two competitors (along with Lina Rivas of Colombia) to end with an official result of “Did not finish” (DNF) in the event.
  • Women’s 53kg event of the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she made history as the first Filipina Olympic silver medalist.
• The second Filipino to win at least two Olympic medals, joining swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso, who won bronze medals in the men’s 200m breaststroke in 1928 and 1932 Summer Games.
• Selected as a wild card entry to the Summer Olympics by the Philippine Weightlifting Association in early 2008.
• She is the first female weightlifter to compete for the Philippines in the Olympics.
• The sixth weightlifter overall (the first being, Rodrigo del Rosario competing in 1948 London Olympics).
• First Filipina weightlifter to compete in two consecutive Olympics, by qualifying in the women’s weightlifting under 58 kg through the Continental and World Qualifying Tournaments.
• The first Filipino weightlifter of any gender to win a gold medal in the Asian Games.
• Her cash incentives are non-taxable:
  • Under Republic Act No. 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act,, the national government through its sports agency, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), will provide a cash incentive of P10 million to Olympic gold medalists. These incentives that are granted to athletes who competed in local or international sports competitions are exempt from income tax.
  • The properties and cash incentives from private companies and individuals will be treated as donations that are subject to 6% donor’s tax. The tax will not be payable by Hidilyn Diaz, but by the donors.
• Third year irregular student, Universidad de Zamboanga where she pursued a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
• In January 2017, Diaz received a scholarship to study business management at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
• 2017 Gen T honouree.
• Her body weight is 54.80kg as of the said event.
• Her height is 4′ 10″.
• Her birthday is February 20, 1991.
• Her birthdplace is Zamboanga City, Zamboanga.
• Team Hidilyn Diaz (HD), her team during her training for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is composed of Chinese coach Gao Kaiwen, strength and conditioning coach Julius Naranjo, nutritionist Jeaneth Aro, sports psychologist Karen Katrina Trinidad, and Project: Steady with trauma therapist Gang Badoy Capati for her well-being.
• On 28 July 2021, Diaz arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 at 5:51 p.m. via Philippine Airlines flight PR-427 and was promptly escorted for a courtesy call with government officials.

References:

• https://www.rappler.com/sports/duterte-adds-money-game-allowance-filipino-athletes-tokyo-olympics
• https://www.rappler.com/sports/updates-results-tokyo-olympics-july-26-2021
• https://sports.inquirer.net/430487/hidilyn-diaz-wins-weightlifting-gold-in-tokyo-olympics
• https://www.rappler.com/nation/military-promotes-hidilyn-diaz-to-staff-sargeant-tokyo-olympics-win
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_ranks_of_the_Philippines
• https://www.rappler.com/business/ask-the-tax-whiz-hidilyn-diaz-prizes
• https://sports.inquirer.net/430649/hidilyn-diazs-gold-medal-prize-to-reach-more-than-p35m
• https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/28/2115938/forget-disappointments-duterte-congratulates-olympic-gold-medalist-hidilyn-diaz
• https://www.philstar.com/sports/2021/07/26/2115508/epic-prize-epic-feat-p33m-house-and-lot-await-olympic-gold-medalist-hidilyn-diaz
• https://www.rappler.com/sports/things-to-know-hidilyn-diaz
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_at_the_2020_Summer_Olympics
• https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/weightlifter-hidilyn-diaz-wins-first-gold-medal-philippines
• https://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/hidilyn-diaz-616554
• https://dfa.gov.ph/dfa-news/dfa-releasesupdate/11636-dfa-honors-filipino-athletes-hidilyn-diaz-and-josephine-medina
• https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1148477
• https://gulfnews.com/sport/olympics/tokyo-2020-olympics-champion-hidilyn-diaz-set-for-heros-homecoming-in-philippines-1.80984994
• https://cnnphilippines.com/sports/2021/7/28/LIST-Rewards-Hidilyn-Diaz-Olympic-gold.html?fbclid=IwAR0JZQQvbA6YgWcXmmtDKUVqWiqzh1lh2yTIh4pWZq3DtFoPfA5lIzr4cmo
• https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/7/28/Duterte-Hidilyn-Diaz-3-million-house-and-lot.html
• https://www.cnnphilippines.com/sports/2021/7/28/Hidilyn-Diaz-promoted-Air-Force-sergeant.html
• https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/07/28/news/hidilyn-diaz-becomes-pals-first-forever-flyer/1808729
• https://hk.asiatatler.com/society/hidilyn-diaz-5-things-you-should-know
• https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/29/2116069/house-award-congressional-medal-excellence-hidilyn-diaz
• https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/27/2115601/senate-commendation-sought-philippines-first-olympic-gold-medalist-hidilyn-diaz
• https://tv5.espn.com/story/_/id/31903882/hidilyn-diaz-awarded-presidential-medal-merit
• https://generationt.asia/people/hidilyn-diaz
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Medal_of_Merit_(Philippines)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Merit_Medal_(Philippines)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Republic_Presidential_Unit_Citation
• https://www.philstar.com/sports/2021/07/29/2116093/hidilyn-diaz-gets-additional-p5m-government-golden-olympic-feat
• https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/29/diaz-to-get-additional-p5-million-for-records/
• https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/29/21/psc-adds-p5-million-to-hidilyn-diazs-prize-money
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidilyn_Diaz
• https://www.facebook.com/hidilynweightlifter
• For the Featured Image: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=366388248183895&set=pb.100044381681243.-2207520000..