MANILA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte congratulated Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz on Wednesday for clinching the country' first-ever Olympic gold medal in Tokyo.

Diaz's victory shattered the Philippines' almost a century-long quest to win an Olympic gold.

"The nation is ecstatic about your achievement. Your achievement is the achievement of the Philippine nation. We are extremely proud (of you)," Duterte told Diaz during a virtual courtesy call.

Duterte promised Diaz that he would gift her a fully furnished housing unit in a soldier's village in her hometown Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines, a presidential medal of merit and cash reward from the government.

Diaz returned to the Philippines shortly before 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday after winning the Olympic gold on Monday.

From the airport, Diaz and her team were transferred to a hotel to isolate for a week before meeting her family in the province.

In a telephone interview with Xinhua on Tuesday, Diaz said she longs to have meals with her family, whom she has not seen since 2019, to train for the Tokyo Games. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)