Hidilyn Diaz brought signal honor to the Philippines when she ended the country’s 20-year Olympic medal drought by winning the silver medal in the women’s 53-kilogram weightlifting category.
Her victory is a historic sports moment for the country, as she is the first Filipina to win an Olympic medal and the first Olympian from Mindanao to ever do so, being born and raised in Zamboanga City.
Hers is an inspiring story—that of a country girl armed only by her grit and ambition, unaided by family wealth (as hers has none), unsupported by a community who’s unaware, and ignored by a sport-neutral government.
Hidilyn’s interest in weightlifting was piqued when she first saw her cousin lifting weights in 2002. Left to her own devices, she started training in a makeshift gym in her hometown. She pursued her Olympic ambitions tirelessly, while acting as her family’s main breadwinner.
In other countries with a nurturing culture, Hidilyn’s potential would have been identified early on, then cultivated and supported. Her story contrasts greatly with that of Joseph Schooling—the Singaporean swimmer who earned his country’s first gold medal by besting American swimming legend Michael Phelps in the 100-meter men’s butterfly event.
Joseph’s parents told the media that he demonstrated exceptional swimming skill early on. When the Singapore Swimming Association closed its Centre of Excellence (COE) in 2009, they decided to enroll their son in a school in Florida, US, for its swimming program. They would end up devoting $1 million of their money to finance this move.
Eventually, Joseph started receiving around $66,000 (S$90,000) a year as a Sports Excellence scholar
under the Singapore government. And on top of these advantages, Joseph was cared for and cheered on by a Filpina yaya named Yolly Pascual.
That Hidilyn triumphed without any support comparable to what Joseph received makes her trip to Rio all the more inspiring. She is rightly rewarded with the various accolades and incentives. She is also the first national athlete to receive the higher incentives—up to P5 million—mandated under Republic Act 10699, sponsored by Sen. Sonny M. Angara in the 16th Congress.
A more fitting tribute to her victory, however, would be for the nation—government and the private sector in tandem—to ramp up grassroots sports development, identify possible Olympians in their youth and start investing in their sustained training, conditioning and nutrition.
Hidilyn said she aims to start training for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The country should start supporting her now, and all the other national athletes who share her Olympic ambitions and potential.
E-mail: angara.ed@gmail.com.