Hidilyn Diaz

Hidilyn Diaz is known for winning the first-ever gold medal for the Philippines and for setting multiple Olympic weightlifting records.

Diaz set two Olympic records in the women’s 55 kg (121 lb.) category during her gold medal-winning performance at the Tokyo Games on July 26, 2021. During the clean and jerk, Diaz became the only athlete in the women’s 55 kg category to successfully lift a 127 kg (280 lb.) weight. Her total lift of 224 kg (493.8 lb.) also set an Olympic record.

Before her gold medal win, Diaz had represented her home country of the Philippines in multiple Olympic Games, first competing in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. In 2016, Diaz won the silver medal in the women’s 53kg (115 lb.) weightlifting category at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Diaz’s gold medal win in 2021 propelled her to national hero status in the Philippines, garnering widespread praise, including congratulations from prominent government officials. It was also announced that Diaz would be rewarded with 33 million pesos (about $660,000) and a house for her win.