Hidilyn Diaz celebrates on her way to a gold medal and Olympic record in women’s 55kg weightlifting.
In a session full of record-setting performances, Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines wound up with two of those records and the gold medal in women's 55kg weightlifting, clinching both on her last lift.
The gold medal is the first ever for any athlete from the Philippines.
Muattar Nabieva of Uzbekistan set the Olympic record of 98kg in the snatch, where Diaz was unable to complete her attempt at 99kg. Nabieva was less of a factor in the clean and jerk and wound up in fourth behind Zulfiya Chinshanlo of Kazakhstan.
China's Liao Quiyun, who was tied with Diaz at 97kg after the snatch, set an Olympic record with 123kg in the clean and jerk, giving her an Olympic record total of 220kg. Diaz did one better, lifting 124kg for a total of 221kg. Liao answered with her last lift of 126kg for a total of 223kg. Diaz again attempted and completed a lift with one additional kilogram, finishing with 126kg in the clean and jerk and 224kg total.
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Diaz was competing in her fourth Olympics and won silver in 2016. She was the country's flagbearer in 2012.
