'Golden girl' Hidilyn Diaz is back in PH


A mere two days after her jaw-dropping gold medal finish in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics, Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz is back home in the Philippines.

GOLDEN GIRL--Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz arrives at NAIA on July 28, 2021. (Ali Vicoy/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The 30-year-old athlete arrived at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 28 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 aboard Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight PR-427.

GOLDEN GIRL--Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz arrives at NAIA on July 28, 2021. (Ali Vicoy/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Diaz proudly wore her Philippine Air Force (PAF) uniform and Olympic gold medal--the first in the country's history--as she emerged from the arrival area. She was then whisked away to the presidential lounge in Terminal 2.

Diaz won the gold in the women's 55-kilogram weightlifting category only last Monday, July 26.

Hidilyn Diaz and her boyfriend-coach Julius Naranjo in-flight. (Ariel Fernandez/ MANILA BULLETIN)

She also has in her collection an Olympic silver medal which she won in the 2016 iteration of the quadrennial sporting event in Rio, Brazil.