PH’s first Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz (PNA file photo)
MANILA – Hidilyn Diaz will not wait a little longer for her to move into her new home as the said construction project in Tagaytay is nearing its completion.
Diaz and her parents, Eduardo and Emelita, got to see their new house built inside Isabel Heights in Tagaytay City.
The house-and-lot is Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino's gift to Hidilyn after she won the historic first gold medal for the Philippines in the Olympics, ruling the women's 55-kilogram weightlifting event in Tokyo on July 26.
“I am very grateful to Congressman Tolentino for this wonderful and blessed gift,” Diaz said.
Diaz said she plans to move into her new home by September at the soonest.
She, however, also has to leave for Kuala Lumpur along with her fiancé and coach Julius Naranja as she trains for the world championships in Lima this November.
Diaz is expected to renew her rivalry there with world record holder Liao Qiuyun, whom she beat for the then elusive gold in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, the construction of the new homes for the three other Tokyo Olympic medalists is now underway.
Boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial formally broke ground for their new houses along with Tolentino and older brother Senator Francis.
Petecio, who along with Paalam won silver for boxing, turned emotional upon seeing the start of her house's construction.
“This is a very precious gift,” said Petecio, who thanked Cong. Bambol with a tight hug.
Paalam and bronze medalist Marcial, on the other hand, just could not help but stare at the construction of their own houses
Tolentino then reassured the medalists that the house-and-lot units are for theirs to keep.
“These are for you, for your enormous effort, for bringing pride and honor to the country,” Tolentino said.
The three boxers might pack their bags for their new homes before Christmas, although Marcial might go overseas anew by that time as promoter Sean Gibbons bared plans of having his second professional bout by November. (PNA)
