Monica Puig speechless after winning first ever gold medal for Puerto Rico after downing Angelique Kerber
Country’s first ever Olympic gold medallist is literally lost for words as she weeps through her island home’s national anthem
PUBLISHED : Sunday, 14 August, 2016, 9:15am
UPDATED : Sunday, 14 August, 2016, 6:49pm
Related topics
Puerto Rico’s first ever Olympic gold medallist Monica Puig was literally lost for words when she wept through her island home’s national anthem before admitting she didn’t know all the words.
Puig, 22, defeated Germany’s Angelique Kerber 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 in the women’s tennis singles final on Saturday.
But having lived in Florida since her childhood, the new Olympic champion struggled with the words to “La Borinquena”.
“My dad emailed me the lyrics but I didn’t really have time to memorise them,” said the San Juan born player but who is a long-term Miami resident.
“I heard people singing and I was choking up. I heard the words. I would have started singing if I wasn’t choking.”
WATCH: golden moments on Day 8 at the Rio Olympics
Most Popular
Viewed
- 1
![The second plane was a China Southern flight from Yiwu, Zhejiang province. Photo: Shutterstock]( "The second plane was a China Southern flight from Yiwu, Zhejiang province. Photo: Shutterstock")
- 2
![Qatar Airways says its expansion Down Under is being done at the invitation of the Australian government. Photo: AP]( "Qatar Airways says its expansion Down Under is being done at the invitation of the Australian government. Photo: AP")
- 3
![Cathay Pacific Airways cabin crew say they have made sacrifices for the struggling company. Photo: Felix Wong]( "Cathay Pacific Airways cabin crew say they have made sacrifices for the struggling company. Photo: Felix Wong")
- 4
![Macau is ready for the roar of the engines as the grand prix weekend has arrived. Photo: KY Cheng]( "Macau is ready for the roar of the engines as the grand prix weekend has arrived. Photo: KY Cheng")
- 5
![Qantas flies the only non-stop flight from Australia to Europe, with its Perth-London route. Photo: Handout]( "Qantas flies the only non-stop flight from Australia to Europe, with its Perth-London route. Photo: Handout")
Shared
- 1
![The second plane was a China Southern flight from Yiwu, Zhejiang province. Photo: Shutterstock]( "The second plane was a China Southern flight from Yiwu, Zhejiang province. Photo: Shutterstock")
- 2
![Qatar Airways says its expansion Down Under is being done at the invitation of the Australian government. Photo: AP]( "Qatar Airways says its expansion Down Under is being done at the invitation of the Australian government. Photo: AP")
- 3
![Qantas flies the only non-stop flight from Australia to Europe, with its Perth-London route. Photo: Handout]( "Qantas flies the only non-stop flight from Australia to Europe, with its Perth-London route. Photo: Handout")
- 4
![A screenshot of China MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong taking on tai chi master Wei Lei. Photos: Handout]( "A screenshot of China MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong taking on tai chi master Wei Lei. Photos: Handout")
- 5
![Cathay Pacific Airways cabin crew say they have made sacrifices for the struggling company. Photo: Felix Wong]( "Cathay Pacific Airways cabin crew say they have made sacrifices for the struggling company. Photo: Felix Wong")
Commented
- 1
![US Vice-President Mike Pence (centre) poses with fellow leaders at the Asean summit in Singapore on Thursday. Photo: Reuters]( "US Vice-President Mike Pence (centre) poses with fellow leaders at the Asean summit in Singapore on Thursday. Photo: Reuters")
- 2
![China ‘on track to meet American military challenge’ in Indo-Pacific by 2035]()
- 3
![The second plane was a China Southern flight from Yiwu, Zhejiang province. Photo: Shutterstock]( "The second plane was a China Southern flight from Yiwu, Zhejiang province. Photo: Shutterstock")
- 4
![China’s Premier Li Keqiang (third right) poses for a group photo with Asean leaders at the Asean-China Summit in Singapore on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters]( "China’s Premier Li Keqiang (third right) poses for a group photo with Asean leaders at the Asean-China Summit in Singapore on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters")
- 5
![Local football fans hold up the Hong Kong flag during a match against Malaysia in Hong Kong. A new law that punishes disrespect for China's national anthem with up to three years' imprisonment may also apply to Hong Kong and Macau, state media reported. Photo: Anthony Wallace]( "Local football fans hold up the Hong Kong flag during a match against Malaysia in Hong Kong. A new law that punishes disrespect for China's national anthem with up to three years' imprisonment may also apply to Hong Kong and Macau, state media reported. Photo: Anthony Wallace")
You may also like
Let it go! Time to de-clutter your life and ‘delete’ old technology
In partnership with: HKT PREMIER
Exquisite jewels and rare watches from Phillips make top-drawer gifts
Sponsored by: Phillips Auctioneers
Comments: