Hidilyn Diaz, the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist, will be inducted into the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s (PSA) Hall of Fame during its annual Awards Night on January 27.
The Zamboanga-born weightlifter earned her place in the Hall of Fame for her historic victories, including a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the country’s first Olympic gold in the Tokyo Olympics four years ago. Diaz has also claimed numerous titles in international tournaments, further solidifying her legacy in Philippine sports.
At 33 years old, Diaz joins an elite roster of Hall of Famers, including Manny Pacquiao, Paeng Nepomuceno, Bong Coo, Eugene Torre, Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes, Florencio Campomanes, and Lydia De Vega. Diaz has also been named PSA Athlete of the Year four times (2016, 2018, 2021, 2022).
The PSA Awards Night will also honor other top athletes and sports personalities, including gymnast Carlos Yulo as Athlete of the Year, the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines as NSA of the Year, and Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino as Executive of the Year. June Mar Fajardo, Kevin Quiambao, and Jia De Guzman will be recognized as Mr. Basketball, Mr. Basketball (amateur), and Ms. Volleyball, respectively.
