Palace: ‘Change has come’ with Diaz silver medal in Rio Olympics

Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz shows her winning form in this file photo. Malacañang said change had indeed come when Diaz won for the Philippines its first Olympic medal since 1996 after she snatched a silver for the 53-kilogram class in Rio de Janeiro. INQUIRER FILE

Malacañang on Monday lauded Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz for winning a silver medal in the 53 kilogram class at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that with Diaz’s win, “truly, change has come.”

“The Philippines and the President is honored and proud of Hidilyn Diaz’s silver medal win at the Rio Olympics. We extend our sincerest congratulations and celebrate the end of the medal drought. Truly change has come,” Abella said in a statement.

Diaz had a total lift of 200 kg, 12 kg lighter than that of gold medalist Hsu Shu-ching of Chinese Taipei.

The Zamboanga native ended the country’s 20-year Olympic medal drought. The last time the Philippines snared an Olympic medal was during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco got a silver medal for boxing.

Diaz also made history as the first Filipina who won an Olympic medal.

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