Hidilyn Diaz now has two medals on her neck.
After making history as the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz said she owed her success to God.
During the awarding, as the Olympian received her well-deserved gold medal in the women’s 55-kg weightlifting event, she was proudly wearing another medal on her neck – the Miraculous Medal of Our Lady.
The 30-year-old successfully lifted 97 kg in snatch and 127 kg in her final lift in clean and jerk. After her “lift of faith,” she expressed her disbelief to the media present in Tokyo.
“Hindi ako makapaniwala. Nasorpresa ako na nagawa ko ’yun. Kakaiba si God. Kakaiba si God,” she said.
In an interview with the press, Hidilyn said her Miraculous Medal was given to her by her friends before she left for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
She added that before the competition, she and her friends prayed the nine-day novena.
“It is a sign of their faith and my faith to Mama Mary and Jesus Christ,” she told the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines News.
In a past Instagram story, she even held her Olympic Gold medal beside her Miraculous Medal.
“Thank you for praying,” she wrote as the caption.
In an Instagram story, she also asked for prayers for the remaining athletes still competing in the ongoing Olympics.
