Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz is the latest cover girl of a fashion and lifestyle magazine for it’s 20th anniversary issue.
The 30-year-old Zamboanga native re-shared photos of her on Tatler Philippines‘ September 2021 issue where she was photographed by Mark Nicdao with her elusive gold medal won at Tokyo Olympics 2020.
“Sa birthday ni Mama Mary, feeling ko ang ganda ko rito,” Diaz said on her Instagram post on Wednesday, September 8.
The date is known as the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jesus’ mother.
Diaz is known for being a devout Catholic. When she was pictured holding her gold medal after winning in the women’s weightlifting event (55 kilogram), people noticed that she was wearing the Miraculous Medal of Our Lady of Graces.
The country’s first gold medalist on Wednesday shared excitement in gracing a magazine cover.
She also shared that she didn’t let her fatigue get in the way of her cover shoot.
“Sa gitna ng napakaraming challenges, nangyayari ang dapat mangyari nang maganda, mahusay at mabuti! Pagod ako nu’ng kinunan ito—pero sobrang saya ko! Ang ganda talaga!!!” Diaz wrote on Instagram.
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The athlete thanked the team behind the shoot which included celebrity stylist Liz Uy.
Uy and the Tatler team likewise posted photos of an all-glammed up Diaz.
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Diaz’s pictures amazed several personalities such as TV hosts Gretchen Ho, Ryan Agoncillo, Amy Perez, beauty queen Samantha Bernardo and motivational speaker Bo Sanchez, among many others.
“You look so good,” Ho commented with fire emojis.
Agoncillo simply wrote a heart-eyed emoji.
“JUST WOW,” Bernardo commented with emojis of hearts, raised hands, fires and heart-eyed faces.
“Congratulations! So beautiful 👏👏👏 👏 👏” Sanchez wrote.
Diaz also re-shared more photos from the editorial shoot on her Instagram Stories.
Tatler, the country’s premier luxury magazine, tapped Diaz, saying she “embodies the same excellence and influence that define” the publication.
“As the Philippines’ first-ever Olympic gold medalist since it joined the Olympics 97 years ago, the Zamboanga-born weightlifting champion embodies the same excellence and influence that define this premier luxury magazine in the Philippines today,” the magazine said on its promotional post.
“She narrates her losses and wins in life, and how her passion and perseverance kept her eyes on the prize,” Tatler added.
Apart from Diaz, the magazine is also featuring Dior Men’s artistic director Kim Jones and philanthropist and industrialist Alice Eduardo. It is also paying tribute to the late centenarian Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. who founded the Rustans luxury retail empire.
