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.
Gold medallist Puig reacts during the podium ceremony of the women’s singles tennis. Photo: AFP
But having lived in Florida since her childhood, the new Olympic champion struggled with the words to “La Borinquena”.
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“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.”
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