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Sports / Olympics

Diaz wins first ever Olympic gold for Philippines

Published: 26 Jul 2021 - 03:59 pm | Last Updated: 03 Nov 2021 - 01:01 am
Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines celebrates after a lift. Reuters/Edgard Garrido

Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines celebrates after a lift. Reuters/Edgard Garrido

Reuters

Tokyo: Philippine's Hidily Diaz on Monday became her country's first ever Olympic gold medalist, winning the women's 55 kg category for weightlifting at Tokyo 2020.

In her fourth Olympics, the 30-year-old lifted a combined weight of 224 kg, an Olympic record.

After completing her final lift in a very close competition, Diaz held her hands to her face and burst into tears before embracing her coaches and clutching at the medallion around her neck.

China's Liao Qiuyun, who failed to match her own world record for a single lift, took silver with 223 kg and Kazakhstan's Zulfiya Chinshanlo won bronze with 213 kg.