Back in elementary school, I carried around seven books and notebooks to and from school everyday. This was when using trolley bags were already considered juvenile, and sporting a jam-packed Jansport was in. This tidbit of information comes to mind when I think of Hidilyn Diaz winning gold in the weightlifting competition, especially how much all the weight strained against her aching body.
Read: Hidilyn Diaz: A blueprint for success in sports and in life
Hidilyn Diaz started weightlifting at eleven. She looked up to her cousins, and wanted to try out the sport they did for fun. It bordered from childish wonder to something more professional, leading her to competitions in and out of the country.
Read: HIDILYN DIAZ OLY: MAKING HISTORY FOR THE PHILIPPINES
Hidilyn wanted to inspire women who wanted to try out weightlifting, especially since it was a male-dominated field. She wanted to prove that she can do it, and so can we. Weightlifting for her was both a source of income and a source of love, one inexistent without the other.
On the day of the Olympics back in 2020, only one persistent thought drilled into her head: trust myself, my team, and God. It was a mantra, a prayer. It was as comforting as it was true.
It was the truth. The moment Hidilyn thrusted the heavy-set bar towards the Heavens, she had carried her own country against her arms and brought it gold. Olympic gold.
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