Sports Eye
PH’s ‘Firsts’ in Rio Olympics
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
THE 2016 Rio Olympic Games concluded last Monday, August 22 PH time, and I’m sure, many like me, followed the quadrennial meet from day 1 to day 15 and noted how our 13 athletes fared. Alas, it was only our Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz who saved the day for our nation by collecting a silver medal, our first since boxer Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco won his silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Perhaps unnoticed by some, Diaz earned a lot ‘firsts’ – the first Filipina to win an Olympic medal; first time for an athlete from Mindanao to win a medal; and first medal from a weightlifter. And yes, it was also the first time after two decades that our flag was raised in the revered Olympic flag pole. Nakakatindig-balahibo ‘ika nga.
Her feat was the tenth medal earned by our country since we started participating in 1924 Paris Games.
We should be proud of her. When Diaz came home and received cash incentive amounts from PSC (Philippine Sports Commission), Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, Zamboanga City’s government and the Congress, she was quick to say she’ll buy a land close to their home and build a weightlifting gym where she can coach young kids in her place and share her knowledge about the sport so they can follow in her footsteps. This is a brilliant advocacy and I doff my hat to her again. This is to show that the 4’11’’ Chavacana is not self-centered unlike other athletes who would not think of sharing any of their winnings for the sport.
Diaz is your one kind of an athlete. Her perseverance, tenacity and discipline were the major factors for her success. But above all, it was Diaz’s deep spiritual values and deep faith in God that gave her the source of inner strength to overcome challenges and adversities. She showed the world the Filipino fortitude. Recall that she failed in her first two tries, the 2008 Beijing Games at 17 years of age finishing only 11th place in a field of 12 contestants and even did not finish in the 2012 London Games. But the 25-year-old diminutive Zamboangena lass was not hampered by any obstacle but instead turned to be a strong warrior. She trained harder, boosted her will-power that eventually bore fruit at Rio.
Upon her return she unabashedly credited her profound faith to God that pushed her to achieve something and thanked the Creator for her success. I guess she was invoking the Biblical words “With God, nothing is impossible.”
Diaz so inspired our nation that the hope to win the elusive gold medal has become stronger not only thru boxing but through other sports where “height is not might.” She is confident that it can be in weightlifting in 2020 Tokyo Games, obviously referring to her potential. She said she will continue to train, aiming to win the gold at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia SEA Games, the 2018 Jakarta, Indonesia Asian Games, and finally, her last goal, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Yes, no doubt that she can easily win the gold in next year SEAG, but it could be tough for her in 2018 Jakarta Asia because her conqueror in Rio Hsu Shu-Ching of Chinese Taipei will also be there. Let’s see but prayers for her will do us all good!
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord. But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.” PROVERBS 8: 35-36
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