TOKYO - In the days leading up to the 55-kilogram final of the Tokyo Olympics, Team HD carefully managed everything about Hidilyn Diaz from what music she listened to to what she saw on social media to what she watched on television and videos.
During that critical stretch, Karen Trinidad, a sports psychologist and a key member of Hidilyn's team, said one of the few performances from members of Team Philippines which they allowed Diaz to watch was Margie Didal in skateboarding.
Didal is not only close to Hidilyn, but Trinidad felt the Filipina skateboarder's cool disposition and infectious laugh in the heat of competition were something Diaz can emulate to stay relaxed during her time in the spotlight.
Look:
"Ang ganda nung kay Didal kasi even if she was losing, she was still smiling," Trinidad, head of the sports psychology unit of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and a member of the University of Santo Tomas faculty, said.
There's no doubt that Hidilyn took the Didal lesson to heart. If you recall, the Filipina heroine was still smiling even after her only miss in six attempts in the finals trying to lift 99 kilograms in the snatch.
Trinidad explained: "Tingnan mo, if 'yung face nag-smile s'ya, iba ang confidence. According to studies, kapag nag-smile ang athlete, iba ang nadadagdag na energy. So kapag nag-frown ka, you'll be losing a lot of energy which you'll be needing."
"Kaya [si Hidilyn], kahit di n'ya na lift, she was still smiling."
Trinidad said she also allowed Diaz to watch a video of flyweight Carlo Paalam's opening win against Ireland's Brendan Irvine, saying Team HD also admired the aggressiveness of the young fighter which it hoped Hidilyn would emulate.
She did.
"We let her watch [Paalam's fight] kasi we felt it would boost her fire," Trinidad said. "Kasi ang gandang manood sa Olympics if it is for your country. so sa kanya, maganda yung nakuha n'ya kay Didal, at maganda ang nakuha nya kay Paalam kasi very aggressive."
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