PH to Bag Multiple Medals since L.A. 1932 Olympics
For the first time since the Los Angeles 1932 Olympic Games, Team Philippines will go home with multiple medalists.
As of press time, our delegation to the Tokyo Olympics has secured at least four medals: Hidilyn Diaz’s gold in weightlifting, and Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam’s silver medals, and Eumir Marcial’s bronze in boxing.
Historic First
After 97 years, Team Philippines has finally won its first Olympic gold ever. Hidilyn Diaz became the first Filipino athlete to win it after winning the women’s 55-kg weightlifting competition at the Tokyo International Forum on July 26.
IMAGE from Olympics
Diaz defeated China’s Liao Qiuyun in the clean-and-jerk lift in their battle for the gold. Finishing tied with Diaz in the snatch with a 97-kg maximum lift, Liao lifted 126 kg in her final lift, forcing Diaz to go for 127 to steal the top spot from Liao. Diaz, however, smoothly cleared the 127-kg lift to win it all, also setting an Olympic record (224 kg) while doing so.
Silver for Petecio
Nesthy Petecio took the silver medal in the women’s featherweight boxing event after losing to Japan’s Sena Irie in the championship match at the Kokugikan Arena last Aug 3.
IMAGE from Olympics
Irie seized the gold by a unanimous decision: only Vilarino had 30-27, while the other four judges had it 29-28 for Irie, who became the inaugural champion of the featherweight division. Petecio’s silver was the first for Philippine boxing in the Olympics since Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco won second place in Atlanta in 1996. Hers was also the second for the country in these Olympics Hidilyn Diaz seized gold in the women’s -55 kg of weightlifting last July 24.
Marcial ends stint with bronze, Paalam to vie for gold after semis win
Middleweight boxer Eumir Marcial ends his Olympic bid with a bronze after losing to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak via split decision, while flyweight contender Carlo Paalam bids Japan’s Ryomei Tanaka sayonara with a unanimous decision.
From left to right: Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial/IMAGE from Philippine News Agency
Marcial dominated in the first two rounds, but Khyzhniak came back in the third round, resulting in his win over the Filipino boxer via split decision. Meanwhile, Paalam led in the judges’ scorecards (30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after matching the Japanese’s agression, which enabled him to take a spot in the gold match.
Paalam will be facing British boxer Galal Yafai in the flyweight division’s finals bout at the Kokugikan Arena on Saturday Aug 7.
