HIDILYN Diaz believes more Filipino athletes will win in the Olympics in the future following her conquest in Tokyo last year.
Diaz said that her victory in Tokyo, a feat that earned her the Athletes of the Year award from the Philippine Sportswriters Association, urged her fellow athletes to continue to aim high despite the challenges brought about by different factors including the pandemic.
“Hindi puwedeng walang pagsubok dahil ‘yun ang nagpapatibay sa atin,” said Diaz in her acceptance speech. “Okay lang ilang beses magkamali at matalo. Ang importante, natututo tayo at bumabangon. Kayang kaya natin ‘to.”
“Naniniwala ako na mas marami pang Pilipino ang mananalo sa Olympics at makakuha ng ginto. Laban atletang Pilipino, laban Pilipinas,” said Diaz, who ended the 97-year wait for the country to win the Olympic gold medal.
Diaz was awarded the PSA Athlete of the Year for the third time. She won her first when she bagged the silver in the Rio De Janeiro Olympics in 2016, and her second when she took the Asian Games gold in Jakarta in 2018.
Hidilyn Diaz receives the PSA Athlete of the Year award from PSA president Rey Virgilio Lachica.
“Pangarap ko lang dati na makatanggap ako dito sa PSA Awards. Nakikita ko sila Ate Marestella Torres dito. Gusto ko rin pumunta dito. Little did I know na makakapunta ako. Talagang walang imposible no? Ibig sabihin lang nito na walang imposible at kaya nating mga Pilipino ng gold uli sa Olympics.”
“Kung nagawa ko, kaya ng iba pang Pilipino athletes. Sinimulan kong mangarap hanggang sa ginawan ko ng paraan para matupad ang ambisyon ko, makakuha ng gold medal sa Olympics kasama ng Team HD,” said Diaz, who also thanked the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas, Philippine Air Force, and private sponsors for their efforts.
“Sabi nila dati, ang taas ko mangarap. Bakit hindi? Isa kaya sa pinakamagandang bagay at libre gawin ay mangarap. Kaya kung ikaw, tayong lahat, patuloy na mangagarap, marami tayong pinagdadaanan, pero nandito tayo ngayon, nagkaroon ng kulay ang gabi natin at nagkakasama, sinecelebrate natin ang pagkapanalo natin ng gold medal sa Olympics,” said Diaz.
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