Explore popular quotes and sayings by a Filipino athlete Hidilyn Diaz.
Last updated on November 21, 2024.
Hidilyn Francisco Diaz is a Filipina weightlifter and airwoman, the first Filipino to ever win an Olympic gold medal for the Philippines. She is also an Olympic weightlifting record holder by winning the women's 55 kg category for weightlifting at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Be who you are. Don't be afraid to show your uniqueness.
To all the young generation in the Philippines, please dream high.
I miss my mom and her food.
When God gave me the chance to compete in the Rio Olympics, I thought that He gave me the chance and I needed to give it my all.
I sacrificed a lot. I wasn't able to be with my mother and father for how many months and years and then of course, training was excruciating.
But I'm thankful that God used me to inspire all the young generation and all the Philippines people to keep fighting during this pandemic.
I couldn't believe I did it... at last I beat China.
Sometimes we didn't eat, we could not buy food for six siblings... That's how it was.
My father was a tricycle driver before, then he became a farmer and a fisherman.
The best of the best are in the Olympics, all of the athletes work hard to get there.
The sacrifices you make are so hard when you're training every day.
My mum supported me after she saw I was doing good in weightlifting, I was able to get a scholarship, I was able to help them.
I have to continue until there's another Filipino following in my footsteps.
I'm happy when children join weightlifting and they get curious because that's how I started.
Now, thanks to weightlifting, our life in Zamboanga changed. I was able to buy land for my sibling and for my gym. I was able to help my family and kids who grew up without a home.
During the times I wanted to give up because of all the challenges I faced, we did it. We Filipinos can do it.
I need to continue inspiring the young generation.
Through sports, you can reach for your dreams.
There are a lot of sacrifices. I know because I've won the silver in the Olympics.
I don't know if I'm a national hero.
Struggles? I think it's natural if you want to do something extraordinary.
I have stumbled many times.
The pressure is high because of course... everyone's expecting me to win the gold medal in Tokyo.
I just want to say that we Filipino are strong.
My mum didn't want me to do weightlifting because the sport is for men.
If you're not willing to put in the hard work, to endure and fail, there's no point. You win only if you're willing to do whatever it takes.
When I win a gold medal in the Olympics... I would say every pain, tears and screams in training will be worth it.
There are many roles of a coach. You will be the parent and will take responsibility over the athlete.
I am looking more at being a sports leader someday to have more influence with the youth and to hopefully spread weightlifting across the country.
In sports, you always want to improve. You don't stop until you reach your peak.
I am merely doing my best to represent the Philippines in weightlifting.
For me, even if there's an audience or not, I'm happy.
We are not rich and my family depended on me.
With the help of the local government units (LGU) there's a chance weightlifting will be reintroduced again in Palarong Pambansa.
I never played in Palarong Pambansa.
I am hopeful that weightlifting will grow with more kids getting into the sport not just from Zamboanga City or Cebu but all over the Philippines who can become the next Hidilyn Diaz.
I can't eat sugar and sweets. I miss eating cheesecake and drinking bubble tea with friends.
I just need to know my technique and visualize it.
I think it's a great accomplishment. Qualifying for the Olympics once is already hard enough now I'm about to compete in my fourth, especially now that we are in the middle of the pandemic.
My main goal is to help out kids in my hometown and realize their dream in weightlifting.
I just tell myself to focus on the technique, focus on the work ahead.
I'm close to the Olympics. I want to snatch 100kg, but I need to master more techniques in order to do that. But I know I am capable of doing it.
I'm happy to see that more girls are going into weightlifting and aiming to become Olympic medalists as well.
I think the impact I make is to inspire Filipino female athletes that they can do it as well... A Filipina can be a sports hero.
Athletes are people too, we go through a lot of things, but it all became easier when there was someone who could guide and counsel.
When you do weightlifting, the misconception there is you won't get pregnant, you won't get tall, you won't marry anyone because you'll get so bulky or you'll get so big. You'll get a lot of muscle and no one's going to love you for having that.
There's no weightlifting event in Palaro, that's why I'm going here, hoping they consider including weightlifting again.
Whatever earnings I got from winning this silver medal, part will be used for my college education.
I was happy to complete 118kg. When I lifted it, I knew my place in the Olympics was secured.
Maybe God brought me here to inspire the youth to engage in sports and teach them the value of sports.
I really wanted to push myself.
Winning gold was never easy. It only became easier because of the people with me.
I surrendered everything to God.
I've proven that Filipino weightlifters can win a medal in the Olympics.
The Asian Championships are like the Olympics because the top 6 or top 8 are already here.
I want to say this to all Filipinos: nothing is impossible.
I'm the breadwinner in my family.
I have to sacrifice time with my family, sacrifice time with my friends, sacrifice time with studying... my work at the Philippines Air Force.
We Filipino can compete here at the Olympics. We can do it.
For me, it's a big deal to compete in the Olympics because it's so tough to qualify.