Philippines’ Hidilyn Diaz competes during the women’s 53kg weightlifting event at the Rio 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro on August 7, 2016. AFP
For years, Hidilyn Diaz’s mother has gone to a shrine every weekend and prayed that she would find a way to succeed at the Rio Games.
Her devotion paid off.
Diaz won a silver medal in the women’s 53-kilogram weightlifting competition on Sunday, giving the Philippines its first medal of these Olympics. And in an added bonus, Diaz won it on her mother’s birthday.
“I dedicate this medal to my mother, it is her birthday today, (and) to the Philippines,” Diaz said. “We have been wanting this for 10 years, 20 years.”
It’s the third Olympics for Diaz. Her previous best was an 11th-place showing at Beijing in 2008.
“I have tried so hard,” Diaz said. “I have stumbled many times. I wanted to quit, but now all of my sacrifices have paid off.”
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