Among the 19 athletes of Team Philippines for the Tokyo Olympics, two strong contenders carry the pride of Zamboangueños. Hidilyn Diaz and Emuir Marcial have conditioned themselves for the past years to dominate the 2020 Summer Olympics. Diaz represented the Philippines for the 55-kg category of women’s weightlifting while Marcial conquered the boxing field.
As a result of her training, Diaz brought home the crown for the weightlifting women’s 55kg and the first-ever gold medal of the Philippines in the Olympics. Once again, she has marked her name in history for being the first Filipino to achieve such a feat since the country’s first participation in 1924. After 97 years, the Philippines has finally experienced the sweetness of the Olympic Champ title as the whole country rejoiced for the triumphant victory of the weightlifting queen.
In addition to the never-ending list of achievements, Diaz previously won gold in the women’s 53kg division during the Asian Games 2018 in Indonesia. She also became the first female athlete to win an Olympic medal for the Philippines after bagging silver in the women’s 53-kg weightlifting division of the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil. Diaz made her Olympic debut in the 2008 Beijing Games when she was 14. She received a wild card entry and was the youngest among the delegates.
Olympic gold medalist Diaz is a homegrown Zamboangueña and a resident of Barangay Mampang. Weightlifting was introduced to her with homemade barbells by her cousin who encouraged her to pursue her passion in sports. Today, her coach trained her to pull off the promising hands she possessed to win the gold.
On another perspective, the Philippines’ flag bearer in the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, Eumir Marcial, also clinched an Olympic medal after his exhilarating fight in the men’s boxing middleweight category. The boxer concluded his 2020 Olympic journey with his loss against Oleksandr Khyzhniak of Ukraine, earning a bronze medal.
Similar to Diaz, Marcial also had humble beginnings. Before setting foot in the world of boxing, Marcial was once a jeepney conductor to aid his family financially. His father became his boxing coach as he was being introduced to the sport. Marcial lived in Lunzuran, Zamboanga City, and prepared himself for local competitions by the age of seven.
The Olympic medalist fought his way through the Tokyo Olympics by winning all four of his bouts in the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying tournament in Amman, Jordan. The 26-year-old boxer also bagged a silver medal in the 2019 World Boxing Championships and is a certified three-time SEA games champion. Marcial won his pro debut under the MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions banner last year and recently signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Pacquiao’s MP Promotions. Marcial’s dedication to boxing will bring him enormous opportunities for his boxing career as he is now given access to the biggest platforms in the U.S.
With Diaz and Marcial’s recent victory in the Olympics, the city is more than proud to house the Olympic Victors. Diaz can be remembered as a Filipina from Zamboanga who gave her best shot in the international arena and finally claimed victory. Alongside her stands Marcial who also did great in representing the city and the country with his impeccable punches and jabs inside the arena. The Olympic medals they earned signify their dedication and devotion that every Zamboangueño could be proud of.