MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Olympian Hidilyn Diaz visited the Senate Session Hall on Wednesday, August 17, where she was recognized and honored for her accomplishment at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Diaz, 25, won the silver medal in the 53kg women’s division of the weightlifting event in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The Zamboanga City native became the first Olympian in the country to win a silver medal since boxer Onyok Velasco in 1996.
The weightlifting athlete also met Philippine senator Manny Pacquiao in his office, where the 8-division boxing champion rewarded Diaz with an undisclosed amount cash incentive.
Diaz has already received P7.5 million worth of incentives after winning the silver medal - P5 million from the government, two million from Philippine president Duterte, and P500,000 from the City of Zamboanga.
Diaz has said she plans to use part of the incentive to open a weightlifting gym in her hometown.
Check out the photos below:
– Rappler.com