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[av_heading heading=’Dream come true for Hidilyn’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
By ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Sunday, February 19, 2017
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RIO Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz admitted that winning the Athlete of the Year plum from the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) was a dream come true for her.
In a short acceptance speech during the awarding ceremony at the Le Pavilion in Pasay City, the Filipina weightlifter said that she set the goal to win the award after only receiving a citation last year from the country’s oldest media organization.
“Last year, nandito ako sa PSA, may award din ako,” Diaz, said. “Sabi ko next year (2017), ako ang maging Athlete of the Year. Pangarap ko lang ito matanggap ang award na ito.”
“Pero kanina hawak-hawak ko (na). Ginalingan ko, kaya nakuha ko ang goal ko,” added Diaz.
Diaz captured the silver medal in the women’s weightlifting event of the 2016 Olympics. It was the national team’s first Olympic medal since Bago City, Negros Occidental boxer Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco bagged a silver medal in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996.
The Zamboanga City-native Diaz has postponed her retirement plans as she aims to qualify once more in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she plans to upgrade her silver medal to golden finish.
“Thank you PSA for inspiring us (athletes), thank you for motivating us, thank you for provoking us to give our best, and thank you for honoring us yearly,” concluded the first Filipina Olympic medalist.
Five athletes from Western Visayas, two from Iloilo, one each from Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental and Aklan, were also cited in the two-hour annual awarding rites for athletes who have carried the country’s colors in international tournament the past year.
Those who were recognized are Arnel Manda (wushu) and Ariana Dormitorio (cycling) from Iloilo, Marestella Torres-Sunang (long jump) from Negros Oriental, Rogen Ladon (boxing) from Negros Occidental and Kyla Soguilon (swimming) from Aklan.
Mandal claimed the gold medal in the men’s -52 kilogram division event of the 8th Wushu-Sanda World Cup at Xi’an, China after dominating India’s Uchit Sharma in two of the three round encounters in their championship match.
Dormitorio, on the other hand, had made a name for herself after being named as the overall champion in the Women’s Elite Cross Country Olympic event of the 2016 Asian Mountain Bike Series at Kuchang, Malaysia.
Torres-Sunang, meanwhile, represented the country in the long jump event of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. She also won a gold in 2016 World Masters Athletics Championships at Perth, Australia and bronze in Asian Beach Games in Thailand.
Ladon was also given a rare opportunity to represent the country in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics but he failed to move on to the medal round after being beaten by Colombian foe.
Soguilon took home the Milo Junior Athlete of the Year for women after bagging 32 gold medals abroad and adjudged as the Most Outstanding Swimmer and the Most Bemedalled Athlete during the Palarong Pambansa in the province of Albay.
The PSA has also recently honored karter Jacob Ang for his first win in the 2016 Asian Karting Open Championship in Macau. Ang bested top karters from Macau, Hong Kong and China.
The 15-year old Ang is son of San Miguel Corporation president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang./PN
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