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Day Three of the 2008 Beijing Olympics on Monday saw two endings for the entire Team Philippines: good and bad.

It was good since Filipino American JB Walsh emerged winner in Heat 2 of the men's 200-meter butterfly swimming event at the National Aquatics.

Bad in a way since 17-year-old Hidilyn Diaz, the Philippines' lone weightlifter, crashed out after landing 11th among 12 contenders in the 58-kilogram event.

Walsh finished with 1:59.39 in Lane 5, ahead of Spain's Javier Nuñez in Lane 1. The Spaniard clocked 2:00.24.

Argentina's Andres Jose Gonzalez, meanwhile, landed third place with 2:00.36.

Walsh's record was still way off the Olympic mark set by Michael Phelps of the United States during the Athens Games in 2004 when the American notched 1:54.04 Phelps also clinched the World Record during the World Swimming Championships in Melbourne, Australia in 2007 with 1:52.09.

It was, however, an improvement of his record of 2:00.42 made in the 2007 ConocoPhilips USA Swimming Championships on July 31 last year in qualifying for the Olympics. The Olympic qualifying time in the 200m butterfly is 2:01.94.

Monday's finish saw Walsh making it to the 29th spot among 44 swimmers in the event that was led by Team USA's Michael Phelps.

Though he did not make to the 16-man semis, Walsh made it anyway to the Philippine record books as the first Filipino to swim his way through 200m under two minutes.

Walshs 2:00.94 before Monday's heats was 103rd fastest in the world. His new record placed him within the top 30. In addition, he could get closer to the top 10 of the world under long-time US coach Anthony Nestey, the 1988 Seoul Olympics gold medalist.

Aside from Heat 2, five other heats in the men's 200m butterfly event were scheduled at the aquatics center, more popularly known as the Water Cube, on Monday.

Diaz vows to return

Diaz finished 11th in the 58-kg of the snatch, clean and jerk event held at the BUAA Gymnasium Monday as Chinas defending champion retained the top spot.

She ended second to the last among the 12 competitors of the category, garnering a total 192 kg.

Only Wendy Hale from the Solomon Islands trailed Diaz with 173 kg.

Chinas Chen Yanquin won the gold medal in the event with 244 kg. Marina Shainova of Russia won silver followed by North Koreas O Ae Jong who settled for bronze .

Chen, meanwhile, established two new Olympic records for the clean and jerk for lifting 138 and 132 kgs. O likewise etched her name in the Olympic roster for a record lift of 131 kg.

Diaz was the second Filipino to bow out of the Olympics. The first one was shooter Eric Ang on Saturday.

The girl admitted sadness over her loss.

My performance is okay but I am sad because I did not reach my target – 110 in the clean and jerk – which could have improved my score to 200, she said.

She, however, vowed to return.

Theyre so strong but Ill beat all of them someday, she said.

Chef de mission Monico Puentevella, who, incidentally, is also the Philippines' amateur weightlifting head, said he is proud of Diaz. He also said that the girl has a good future ahead of her.

Im proud of her for breaking the record. I believe she is good for another three Olympics – huwag lang siyang mag-asawa kaagad, he said.

She is the future of weightlifting. She did not win a medal but she deserves to be in the Olympics, he added.

It was Diazs first foray to the worlds biggest sporting event. Local analysts believe the 17-year-old Filipino will do better should she compete in the 2012 Olympics in London. With Gerry Carpio, The Philippine Star in Beijing