Hidilyn Diaz is best remembered as the woman who lifted Philippine sports to greater heights – the one who ended the 97-year wait of finally winning the precious gold and hearing the national anthem in an official medal ceremony in the globe’s most prestigious spectacle – the Olympics.

No one would ever forget that -- her golden lift to glory; her tears and celebrations; and how she honored the flag with pure dedication and sheer determination during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

But it was not only about Diaz’s victory that made her great.  

Of course, her victory can never be questioned, especially her feat which was never seen before her time. But in her defeats and journey to the podium, made her lore, her legend, and "her-story" worth telling.

Diaz started young

Diaz, like everyone, never started great.

She first participated in the Olympics as a teenager at 17-years-old. She finished way out of contention at 10th spot out of the 12 participants in the 58kg event after lifting a total of 192kg.

But it was the start of what would become a legendary run in the Olympics. For one, she already started great, making history just by being in the Beijing Olympics – the first Filipino weightlifter to participate in the Olympics since 1948.

“I didn’t even really know what the Olympic Games were then, but I quickly realized that I was surrounded by and competing with the best of the best,” Diaz told Olympics.com.
 

Diaz feels she let the country down

Diaz returned to the next Olympics in London, becoming the first weightlifter to participate in the Games for two consecutive editions.

As promising as her start on her Olympic journey, however, the same couldn’t be said this time around. She was the flag-bearer. But she couldn’t bore the weight of the nation’s hope of delivering a medal and ending the country’s drought.

Diaz hit rock bottom. She did not finish her event. She had a promising start, lifting 97kg before failing on three straight attempts at 118kg. Diaz exited with sorrow, feeling bad after letting the country down just when everyone had their eyes on her.

But she soaked in on the agony of defeat, making sure she remembers every bit of the feeling of losing. She would never want to feel it again but that would be her fuel to strive harder.
 

Diaz breaks through!

In search of vengeance, conviction and rejuvenation, Diaz came in ready in the Rio Olympics in 2016. Third time's the charm, as they say.

Then 25-years-old, Diaz fittingly landed on the podium after lifting a total of 200kg. She won the silver medal and ended the country’s 20-year medal drought. It was also the start of her legacy.

She brought light to the sport of weightlifting and lined herself along with popular sporting greats in the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Paeng Nepomuceno and Onyok Velasco – the last man who won a silver before her time.

Diaz, of course, basked in the glory during that time. But it was not lost on her that she had greater things to conquer as she remained hungry in her quest of delivering more for the country.
 

Cementing her legacy

The defining moment came in the Tokyo Olympics – the Covid-delayed Games that made the preparations for Diaz and her team all more challenging.

Diaz took on what seemed to be indomitable after her rival from China, Liao Qiuyun, lifted 126kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 223kg. Facing the unenviable task of lifting 127kg – a feat that she never had done even in training – Diaz powered through and with all her might, lifted the weights.

She held it for a few seconds before letting it go as her tears likewise immediately fell. All of the struggles from the beginning when she started weightlifting and participating in 2008 until that very moment when she had to summon every ounce of strength from her body, it all poured in that one instance – it was not only tears of joy, it was a cry of jubilation.

Diaz won the gold – all the newspaper headlines were screaming it the next day. But it was the moment that would last forever and eventually, hopefully, open the doors for another Diaz lifting the country to greater heights.

The Philippines’ golden girl might not be participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics and we might not see her ever again. But there was no doubting that her legacy remains. 

She was the one who trailed the blaze and the likes of John Ceniza, Elreen Ando and Vanessa Sarno are hoping to follow her path in their own Olympic journey in the City of Lights.