TOKYO. – Hidilyn Diaz, the country’s first Olympic gold medalist, returns home Wednesday on board a Philippine Airlines flight.
But Diaz, who won the women’s 55kggold medal of weightlifting in Olympic record fashion at the Tokyo International Forum on Monday night, won’t be able to celebrate immediately with the Filipino people — she needs to go on quarantine for seven days.
Also needing to be quarantined are her Chinese coach Gao Kaiwen and strength and conditioning coach Julius Naranjo.
“It’s mandatory,” said Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, referring to protocols set by the Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee. “But more important is that Hidilyn wants to be with her family who she hasn’t seen for more than one-and-a-half years now.”
Diaz has been training overseas to prepare for her Olympic stint.
Athletes, coaches, officials, and even media are required to leave Japan within 48 hours after the completion of their events or tasks as prescribed by the Tokyo Olympics Playbook.
The Philippine Sports Commission is preparing to welcome Diazwith IATF protocols in mind.
The PSC will also award a Medal of Valor to Diaz. As spelled out under Republic Act 10699 or the expanded incentives act, the winner of an Olympic and Paralympic gold will receive the medal on top of the monetary incentive of P10 and P5 million, respectively.
The PSC has already prepared the medal accordingly and is looking into awarding it alongside the monetary incentives in a courtesy call at Malacanang.
