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Hidilyn's golden breakthrough among memorable moments of Tokyo Olympics

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Neil Sands, Agence France-Presse

<p>TOKYO, Japan -- The pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics may have lacked crowds, but there was no shortage of memorable moments. </p><p>Here are some of the Games&#x27; memorable moments:</p><div><strong>Golden pact</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Gold medallists, Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar pose on the podium. Dylan Martinez, Reuters" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/08/09/high-jump.jpg"/><figcaption>Gold medallists, Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar pose on the podium. <em>Dylan Martinez, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Tokyo received a welcome dose of Olympic spirit when Mutaz Barshim of Qatar and Italy&#x27;s Gianmarco Tamberi put friendship before individual glory in the men&#x27;s high jump.</p><p>The pair were tied after their final efforts and were offered the chance of a jump-off for victory at a spectator-free Olympic Stadium, before Barshim asked: &quot;Can we have two golds?&quot;</p><p>The answer was yes and the jumpers -- friends who both overcame injury setbacks to make the Games -- shared top spot on the Olympic podium.</p><p>Tamberi was overcome with emotion, writhing around on the track before congratulating compatriot Lamont Marcell Jacobs on his shock win in the 100 meters sprint.</p><div><strong>Aussie ecstasy</strong></div><p>Australian swimming coach Dean Boxall&#x27;s wild, hip-thrusting celebrations provided the first viral moment of the Tokyo Games.</p><p>Boxall flipped out after his swimmer Ariarne Titmus clinched gold in the 400m freestyle ahead of fierce American rival Katie Ledecky.</p><p>Roaring with delight, the shaggy-haired swim guru kicked the air, hammered his fists and ground his hips against a perspex barrier.</p><p>&quot;I think I went outside of my body,&quot; Boxall later said, apologizing for tearing off his face mask in his excitement.</p><div><strong>&#x27;So proud!&#x27;</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines reacts. Edgard Garrido, Reuters" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/08/09/hidilyn-diaz.jpg"/><figcaption>Gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines reacts. <em>Edgard Garrido, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz ensured her place in Philippine folklore when she became the first athlete from the sprawling archipelago to win an Olympic gold medal.</p><p>The 30-year-old produced a personal best and set an Olympic record 224kg in the women&#x27;s 55kg class to edge her highly-fancied rival Liao Qiuyun of China by a single kilo.</p><p>It was a victory celebrated around the Philippines and forged in years of sacrifice by the Rio silver medalist, who trained for almost 18 months in exile in Malaysia because of COVID-19 restrictions.</p><p>&quot;We are so proud of you!&quot; tweeted Philippine boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.</p><div><strong>On a roll</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Gold medalist Momiji Nishiya of Japan reacts. Lucy Nicholson, Reuters" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/08/09/skateboard.jpg"/><figcaption>Gold medalist Momiji Nishiya of Japan reacts. <em>Lucy Nicholson, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Japan enjoyed skateboarding supremacy as the youth-orientated sport made its debut in Tokyo, giving the home crowd something to cheer as they watched the Games on television.</p><p>Japanese skateboarders won three of the four golds on offer, as well as one silver and one bronze.</p><p>The age of the hometown medalists certainly skewed towards the demographic being chased by Olympic organizers at 22, 19, 16, 13, and 12.</p><p>Thirteen-year-old Momiji Nishiya became the nation&#x27;s youngest Olympic champion with victory in the women&#x27;s street event and Kokona Hiraki, 12, claimed silver in women&#x27;s park.</p><div><strong>No knitwit</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Tom Daley of Britain knits in the stands. Antonio Bronic, Reuters" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/08/09/tom-daley.jpg"/><figcaption>Tom Daley of Britain knits in the stands. <em>Antonio Bronic, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Britain&#x27;s Tom Daley won hearts when he finally became an Olympic champion at his fourth Games, then celebrated by showing off his knitting skills.</p><p>Daley and Matty Lee won the synchronized 10-meter platform to give the 27-year-old a gold medal to accompany bronze from London and Rio.</p><p>In the process, the pair broke the stranglehold of a Chinese team that won every other diving gold on offer in Tokyo, with Daley also claiming a bonus individual 10m platform bronze.</p><p>Daley knitted a Union Jack pouch to protect his gold medal while cheering on his teammates in the stands, also crafting a Great Britain cardigan and a purple sweater for his friend&#x27;s French bulldog.</p><div><strong>Bulldog spirit</strong></div><p>Simone Biles had an Olympics she will not forget in a hurry, but not for the reasons she anticipated when she arrived in Tokyo.</p><p>After dropping out of five of her six finals due to the now-infamous mental block condition known as the &quot;twisties,&quot; her return for the closing beam was greeted with great excitement.</p><p>Not least by Lilo and Rambo, her two beloved French bulldogs. At least, canine cut-outs of her pets held aloft and wagging their cardboard tails in the stands, barking mutely much to the delight of their mistress. </p><p>After coming through her comeback routine to take bronze, Biles&#x27;s face lit up when she spotted them, blowing them kisses and waving. Goodness knows what the real versions will have made of these impertinent imposters watching back home in Texas. </p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><em>For breaking news and latest developments on the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, visit <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/tokyo-olympics">https://news.abs-cbn.com/tokyo-olympics</a></em></div>

The pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics may have lacked crowds, but there was no shortage of memorable moments. 

Hidilyn's golden breakthrough among memorable moments of Tokyo Olympics

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Hidilyn's golden breakthrough among memorable moments of Tokyo Olympics

Neil Sands,

Agence France-Presse

Published August 09, 2021 12:56 PM PHT

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Updated August 09, 2021 12:57 PM PHT

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Tokyo Olympics

Olympic Games

Hidilyn Diaz

weightlifting

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