Eagle News — President Rodrigo Duterte has given Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz an additional 2 million pesos for bringing great pride and honor to the Philippines.
Diaz arrived at the Panacan presidential guesthouse almost 10 pm, Thursday for a courtesy call to the president.
Pres. Duterte said it is with “great pride” to share the honor with the Olympian. Diaz thanked the president for the additional cash prize. She now has a total of 7 million pesos.
Diaz said she would use the money to buy a lot near her residence in hometown Zamboanga and put up a gym for weightlifting.
Pres. Duterte said Diaz’s win was a major surprise for the Philippines. Diaz brought home the Philippines first Olympic medal after a 20-year drought.
The 25-year-old Diaz bagged a medal at the 2016 Olympic Games and became the first woman from the Philippines ever to win an Olympic medal.
Diaz took the silver in the 53kg class, the first ever by a Filipino weightlifter.
It was also the first Olympic medal for the Southeast Asian Nation since Boxer Mansueto Velasco took silver in the 1996 games.
She is the country’s first Olympic medalist from Mindanao.
