Duterte to Hidilyn Diaz: Forget ‘years of toil, disappointment, dwell solely on victory’

Philippines’ Hidilyn Diaz competes in the women’s 55kg weightlifting competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo on July 26, 2021. (Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — “Just forget them.”

This was what President Rodrigo Duterte told Olympic gold medallist Hidilyn Diaz as he noted that her “years of toil and disappointment” have prepared her towards the Olympic gold.

During Diaz’s hybrid courtesy call on Duterte, he thanked her for enduring the hardships and enumerated to her the rewards she stands to gain as mandated by law, which includes P10 million, as well as a Medal of Merit and a promotion in the Philippine Air Force.

“Salamat naman sa pagtiis mo. I hope that the years of toil, the years of disappointment, and the years na hindi maganda ang nangyari in the past, just forget them,” Duterte said.

“You already have the gold. Gold is gold and it would be good for you to let bygones be bygones and dwell solely on your victory together with your family and, of course, with the nation,” he added.

READ: Away for over a year, golden girl Hidilyn Diaz finally home

To recall, Diaz had to ask for financial support from the private sector in 2019 so that she could join the Tokyo Olympics.

READ: Hidilyn Diaz asking for financial support for Tokyo 2020 stint

The 30-year-old athlete clinched the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal after conquering the women’s 55 kilograms weightlifting competition, setting a record of a total lift of 224 kilograms, at the Tokyo Olympics.

RELATED STORY

FLASHBACK: The day Hidilyn was shocked over inclusion in oust-Duterte matrix

KGA