BEHIND her powerful arms and legs, Hidilyn Diaz gave Philippine sports the lift it badly needed in the year just passed.
Diaz provided this country of 100 million people one precious achievement to cheer about at the break of dawn one rainy day in August when she copped a long-overdue Olympic medal halfway around the world in Rio de Janeiro.
A combination of hard work, effort, heart and sheer luck paved the way for the 25-year-old pride of Zamboanga City to run away with the silver in the women’s 53-kilogram division behind Hsu Shu-Ching of Chinese Taipei. Diaz lifted a combined 200 kg in the snatch and clean and jerk to the 212 kg of the Taiwanese.
An airwoman first class at the Philippine Air Force, Diaz was only hoping for a bronze-medal finish, but ended up a surprise runner-up when fancied Li Yaiun of China—who earlier set an Olympic record in the snatch—failed to complete her final two attempts in the clean and jerk.
“I told myself, ‘thank you, Lord.’ I asked for the bronze, but You game me silver instead,” said Diaz moments after her accomplishment as the first Filipina to win an Olympic medal.
The Cinderella finish by Diaz was the first for the country in the last 20 years since boxer Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco punched his way to the same color of medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Diaz also became the first Filipino to win an Olympic weightlifter medal and the only one to bag a silver outside of boxers Velasco and the later Anthony Villanueva (1964 Tokyo Games).
Because of her outstanding feat, the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) unanimously named Diaz its 2016 Athlete of the Year. She will hoist her trophy in the traditional Awards Night presented by Milo and San Miguel Corp. on February 13 at the Le Pavilion in Pasay City.
Diaz is the first female athlete to be accorded the highest honor by the country’s oldest media organization in the current decade after boxer Josie Gabuco and the Team Manila women’s softball team in 2012.
“This one is a no-brainer. Hidilyn Diaz is truly the hands-down choice as the 2016 PSA Athlete of the Year,” said PSA president Riera Mallari, sports editor of The Standard.
Last year professional boxers Nonito Donaire Jr. and Donnie Nietes, along with young golfer Miguel Tabuena received the coveted award handed annually by the PSA, which is composed of editors and sportswriters from the different broadsheets, tabloids and online portals in the country.
Diaz, who came home empty-handed in both the 2008 (Beijing) and 2012 (London) Olympics, leads a long list of personalities and entities to be recognized during the formal ceremony copresented by Cignal/Hypher TV.
In the coming days and weeks the PSA will announce the winners of the President’s Award, Lifetime Achievement trophy, Executive of the Year, National Sports Association of the Year, Mr. Basketball, Mr. Golf, Mr. Football and Ms. Volleyball, who will be feted in the two-hour program backed by Smart, Foton, Mighty Sports, Philippine Basketball Association, Accel, Gold Toe, SM Prime Holdings Inc., GlobalPort, Rain or Shine, International Container Terminal Services Inc. and MVP Sports Foundation.
There will also be major awardees in different sports and citations to various personalities and entities in the annual rite backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Federal Land.