Filipinos hail Hidilyn Diaz for giving PH first medal at Rio

MANILA, Philippines – Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz got much-deserved adulation from her countrymen on social media shortly after putting the Philippines on the medal tally in the 2016 Rio Olympics by winning a silver medal.

The 17-year-old Diaz snared a silver in the women's 53kg weightlifting with a total of 200kg at the Olympic Games here on Sunday, ending the country's 20-year Olympic medal drought.

Netizens took to Twitter to congratulate Diaz, who became a top trending topic in the Philippines with over 14,000 tweets as of posting time.

Check out some of their praises for Diaz, now the first Filipina Olympic medalist:

Finally! The Philippines has its first Olympic medal since 1996 with Hidilyn Diaz bagging the… https://t.co/CVBsRzPTZV

— Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (@PiaWurtzbach) August 8, 2016

Adjustment pays off for Hidilyn Diaz as she deferred from her usual weight class. Thank you for making PH proud once again! #LabanPilipinas

— Migs Bustos (@migsbustos) August 8, 2016

Congrats Hidilyn Diaz! Thank you for giving the Philippines its first medal in #Rio2016 #Weightlifting #Silver #PinoyPride @haidie20

— Angela Danga (@AnjjDanga) August 8, 2016

Mabuhay Hidilyn Diaz! 
First Filipina medalist! #Silver #WeightLifting #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/mfBd0sY2kp

— John Ray (@jounray_chub) August 8, 2016

Congratulations Hidilyn Diaz for winning silver medal for Team Philippines. Thank You! #Rio2016 #weightlifting #Olympics

— John Atlas Tumlos (@johnatlastumlos) August 8, 2016

2016 is year of Mindanao people. Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach as Ms.Universe 2016, Pres. Duterte as PH leader and a medal for Hidilyn Diaz. #Rio2016

— Ji Woo Park (@OhEmJiwoo) August 8, 2016

Thanks for the good news, Hidilyn Diaz! Thanks for winning a Silver Medal at the #RioOlympics2016 ! You made #Filipinos very proud!

— Chat Ocampo (@chat_ocampo) August 8, 2016

"I wanted to quit, but now all of my sacrifices have paid off." - Hidilyn Diaz -1st female athlete from the Phils to win an Olympic medal.

— Jon San Miguel (@sm_jones) August 8, 2016

Congratulations Hidilyn Diaz! After 2 decades of drought! Wow! History-maker indeed! The whole country celebrates with youu #Phi #GirlPower

— Angel (@espirituangelx) August 8, 2016