The Philippines’ Olympic success surges on as gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz leads the three other medalists in Tokyo for a Thanksgiving Mass on Wednesday at the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Tagaytay City.
Diaz has long been home since winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal (women’s -55 kgs of weightlifting) in Tokyo last July 25—to spark what turned out to become the Philippines’ most successful Olympic campaign in close to a century.
Boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam each clinched silver medals in the women’s featherweight and men’s flyweight, and Eumir Felix Marcial contributed a bronze in men’s middleweight to account for a four-medal haul from a 19-athlete delegation.
“We wish to thank the Almighty for our success in the Tokyo Olympics. First and foremost, we look at the medals as gifts from God,” Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said.
Cavite Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista will officiate the Holy Mass starting at 11 a.m.
Only the medalists and their coaches and a handful POC and national sports association officials will be joining the ceremony because of travel restrictions under the ongoing enhanced community quarantine.
The boxers and coaches arrived a day after the Tokyo Olympics closing ceremony on August 8 and served compulsory quarantines at the Summit Ridge in Tagaytay and Hotel Sofitel in Pasay City.
