Published July 30, 2021, 9:23 AM From left, swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso, jumper Simon Toribio and boxer Jose Villanueva DAGUPAN CITY — On July 26, 2021, weightlifting fairy Hidilyn Diaz etched her name in the annals of Philippine history as the first Filipino Olympian to win a gold medal. With her victory, the entire country rejoiced. Diaz was showered with countless incentives — millions of pesos to boot, a lifetime’s worth of flights, petrol fuel, and a deluxe condominium in the heart of the nation. But as we rejoice with her success, let us look back on the life of Teofilo Yldefonso, and how he brought prestige by becoming the first Filipino and Southeast Asian to win an Olympic medal — and eventually to be later known as the father of ‘modern breaststroke’.