Hidilyn Diaz gets P1.5M from MVP Sports for Olympic gold mission
MANILA, Philippines – Hidilyn Diaz’s quest for an Olympic gold medal received a big boost after the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation gave her P1.5 million to help finance her training for the quadrennial games, which were reset from this year to next due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Thank you MVPSF for all the help you gave me and my team during the pandemic,” the 29-year-old Diaz said in Filipino. “It is huge for me that MVP (Pangilinan) is there helping me in my journey towards Tokyo.”
Interestingly, the financial aid came on the exact same day Diaz, who struck gold in the Eleiko Email International Lifters tournament done online on July 25, snared a silver medal in Rio de Janeiro four years ago.
And the Zamboanga native said she would need all the help she could get in her bid for a historic Olympic gold.
“I can’t survive this journey with God, my team, the help of MVPSF and the support of the Filipinos,” said Diaz.
MVPSF president Al Panlilio said the extra funding should help supplement Diaz’s training in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where she was stranded since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was due to these unforeseen circumstances that we at the MVPSF decided it was best to realign our support to cover Hidilyn’s living expenses such as food and rent as she continues to remain focused towards her goal of winning the first Olympic gold for our country in her fourth time to qualify,” said Panlilio.
“Our chairman Manny V. Pangilinan deeply cares about all of the athletes under the MVPSF banner and we’re doing our best to help take care of their needs during this difficult time.
“We don’t want Hidilyn to worry about her day-to-day needs so she could pour in all her focus on training and bringing home that elusive Olympic gold,” he added.
Recently, the MVPSF had also provided Tokyo-bound, world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo P800,000 to supplement his training in Japan.
Like Yulo, Diaz is one of the country’s best hopes to win an elusive a gold medal in Tokyo.
But while Diaz has yet to officially qualify, she is a heartbeat away from doing so as she would just need one competition away from making the cut being currently ranked four of the top 10 who will qualify.
The other three Filipinos who already advanced to Tokyo were pole-vaulter EJ Obiena and boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno.
Apart from the MVPSF’s help, all Tokyo-bound athletes and Olympic hopefuls like Diaz have been continuously getting support from the Philippine Sports Commission.
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