Photo by Luca Bruno
After ruling the women’s 55kg class in the Tokyo Games on July 26, 2021, Monday. Hidilyn Diaz became the Philippines’ first-ever Filipina Olympic gold medalist, as the country had never won an Olympic gold since joining the Games in 1924. And she will be the first Filipino to earn a gold Medal of Valor from the Philippine Sports Commission after ending the country’s Olympic gold-medal drought. Winning an Olympic gold will merit a Medal of Valor on top of a monetary incentive of P10 million as per the Republic Act 10699 or the expanded incentives act.
Her prize bonanza breached the mark of up to P50-million, as rewards from private entities continue to pour in for Diaz even the Philippines Airlines and AirAsia granted Diaz free flights for life, while Megaworld Corporation and Century Properties promised her a condominium unit and house and lot. Diaz and her team are expected to pay President Rodrigo Duterte a courtesy call in Malacañang after completing the mandatory quarantine.
Also, another Filipina to make history was Boxer Nesthy Petecio the first Filipina to win an Olympic boxing medal matching the silver won by Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco in the 1996 Atlanta Games. It was a heartbreaking loss for Petecio as she fell victim to Sena Irie of Japan in the finals for bagging the gold. She might fall short of becoming the Philippines’ first Olympic boxing gold medalist after settling for silver in the women’s featherweight class following a unanimous decision but still takes home another pride to the country.
Eumir Marcial After outclassing his first two opponents, met his match in Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak as he settled for the men’s middleweight bronze at the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday, August 5, 2021. He made it to the semifinal with a pair of first-round stoppages including a knockout over Arman Darchinyan in the quarterfinal, finding the undefeated Khyzhniak a tough nut to crack losing by split decision. Marcial’s bronze is the boxing team’s second medal in Tokyo after Nesthy Petecio’s silver finish. Carlo Paalam is still in contention for gold.
HIDILYN DIAZ
Gold
Weightlifting
Women’s 55kg
Photo by Vincenzo Pinto
NESTHY PETECIO
Silver
Boxing
Women’s Featherweight
(54-57kg)
Photo by Luis Robayo
EUMIR MARCIAL
Bronze
Boxing
Men’s Middleweight
(69-75kg)
