Grim determination

SHE HAD set her sights, after winning in the Southeast Asian games and Rio Olympics. She worked very hard daily to approach her dream, no matter if her muscles ached every after hours of training. Her goal is unshakeable and indeed, she has achieved it finallyat the Tokyo Olympics, where the best athletes of the world compete and win medals and acclamation.

Hidilyn Diaz, the pride of Zamboanga and the country, has finally won the gold after almost a century (97 years so wrote colleague Michelle Catap Lacson) of trying. Now, the Philippines is in the medal tally albeit on a modest rank but it is now recognized due to the feat of this woman.

Such determination to win was evident on the face of Hidilyn on that fateful day: every muscle was in play, her veins in her neck bore the weight of the winning poundage of that barbell which is 127 kg. equivalent to, says my brother Perry the weight of a motorcycle and more than two 50 kg. cavans of rice!

So many now are fussing over this winner when some years back, Hidilyn had to beg for financial support to sustain her training. Everyone is getting in the act, sharing in the limelight blitzed by her. Now, everybody wants to be with her. So much for pasipsip!

Even the Angeles City LGU, I've read, gave an incentive of P200k, courtesy of Mayor Carmelo "Pogi"

Lazatin, Jr. Reportedly, Diaz had trained/ lived briefly at Barangay Margot, hence, the acquaintanceship of the mayor with the weightlifter.

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Incisive columnist Alex Magno of the PhilippineStar wrote about the ordeals of athletes particularly the weightlifter: Any athlete knows how painful it is to continue competing with blistered hands. Hidilyn's hands tell us how headstrong she is. She fought through the pain and outdid herself.

and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Pampanga shows that some 114 barangays in 11 local government units are still flooded. These include the perennially flooded towns of Masantol and Macabebe. Masantol town currently has 25 barangays in floodwater along with 22 barangays in Macabebe town.

Six barangays in Apalit are also flooded. Santo Tomas town also reported flooding in six of its barangays along with five barangays of San Simon.

In the second district, the coastal town of Guagua also reported flooding in 15 of its barangays while Lubao town reported flooding in 24 of its bar angays.