Filipinos around the world were ecstatic last week when the Philippines won its first gold medal in the Olympics courtesy of Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz. It took us, Filipinos, 97 years to win our first gold in the Olympics! That’s why, Filipinos from all over the world, not just those residing in the Philippines, were all happy and proud of what Hidilyn has accomplished.

She made history not only for winning the gold but also for setting a new record in her category. Wow!

But do you know that behind this success, there is much that we all could learn from her story?

Today, I’d like to highlight what kids (and adults) can learn from Hidilyn and her story.

10 Things Kids Can Learn From Hidilyn

#1 Don’t let your poverty or challenges stop you from pursuing your dreams.

Hidilyn was born and raised in a poor family in Zamboanga, a province in Mindanao. She was first introduced to weightlifting by her male cousins. They practiced using DIY barbells.

There was a time when she was injured and her coach was removed from the National Team. She also broke up with her boyfriend of 5 years. These challenges happened close to each other. But she did not let these challenges stop her from pursuing the dream that she had in her heart.

While preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, she was financially challenged. Training athletes cost a lot of money.

There will always be challenges in front of us. Sometimes, we face big challenges. Sometimes, we face small challenges. These challenges help us grow and become stronger. We need to teach our kids to have the courage to face challenges and to have the confidence that they can overcome them.

#2 Dream big.

Don’t be afraid to dream big dreams like becoming an Olympian or competing in international tournaments. For a girl like her who was raised in the province and from a poor family, dreaming big was already an achievement. Do you know that many poor kids find it hard to dream? They become so used to their poverty and their environment. Some just wish that they could have food to eat or that they could have an education. But Hidilyn saw beyond their poverty and their situation. She had a vision. She dared to dream big and that dream included competing internationally and in the Olympics.

Tell your kids that it’s okay to dream big dreams. Give them permission to dream big dreams. The problem with many poor and Filipino parents is that they discourage their kids to dream big. Some parents think that it’s not good to become ambitious. Some parents, because they were raised in poverty also, do not want their kids to dream big because they think that their kids will just be disappointed or they think that those big dreams are beyond them or beyond their class. But, the truth is that allowing our children to dream and to dream big for themselves is a gift in itself.

This is one thing I encourage my kids to do even while they are young. I ask them what their dreams are. No matter how big their goals or dreams are, I do not discourage them. I do not tell them that it is not possible. I even ask them to journal their goals and dreams daily.

#3 Ask God to help and bless you.

Hidilyn is a devout Catholic, a devout Christian. She attends the same religious gathering (The Feast) that my family attends. She has faith in God and asked God to help her and bless her in her competitions. She believes that God gives her the strength to do what she is able to do. You can read her inspiring testimony here.

You might have also seen in her photos that she wore Our Lady’s Miraculous Medal because she believes in the power of prayer and in Our Lady’s intercession.

I’m a believer, just like Hidilyn. I believe that God is our strength. I believe that God enables us to do impossible things. But, in order for God to use us, we first need to believe in Him.

This is one of the first lessons that I teach my children. I taught them to pray to God. I taught them that there is a God who loves them, who listens to their prayers and who helps them in their needs, and who wants them to succeed in life.

If God is for you, who can be against you?

#4 Work hard for your dreams. Don’t just pray. Pray as if all depended on God. Work as if all depended on self.

Hidilyn not only prayed for God to help her achieve her dreams. She also worked very hard to help herself. She trained 6-9 times a week.

There was one photo where Hidilyn showed how her hands looked like. It must have been so painful training with all those blisters and competing in the Olympics with those kinds of hands.

My husband and I shared these with our boys who are also into sports through chess and karate/martial arts. We reminded them that in order to get better and to achieve their dreams, they need to put in the hours in practice. They need to be willing to make sacrifices. For Hidilyn, one sacrifice was being disciplined with her diet. Thus, we reminded our kids that if they really want to become good in chess or their other interests and passions, they need to be willing to make sacrifices. For example, they need to spend less time playing with their other toys and spend more time playing chess or playing the piano (for our eldest who is a pianist). They love to read books. However, they need to read more chess books also to improve.

Yesterday, the priest in his homily shared that God wants us to offer to Him whatever little that we have. Then, whatever little that we give to Him, He will bless and multiply. The Gospel yesterday was about the feeding of the five thousand. The priest highlighted that Jesus asked his disciples what they have because He wanted to involve them in the miracle that He was about to do. In the same way, God invites us in our daily lives to offer whatever little that we have so He can perform miracles through and in us.

#5 Be patient and persevere.

Hidilyn did not win gold right away in her first Olympics. The Tokyo Olympics is her 4th Olympics. She was not discouraged when she did not have a medal in her Olympic debut. She did not give up after her “did not finish” performance in her second Olympics. On her third try, she won a silver medal. That did not faze her again. She did not stop trying until she won the gold in the Olympics.

Patience and perseverance are important traits that we need to teach our children because life will not always be easy. The road to our biggest goals and dreams will always be full of obstacles. The question is how much do we really want to achieve them? Are we willing to persevere? Are we willing to endure the long wait? How long are we willing to train and work on ourselves?

Hidilyn had a never-give-up spirit. She experienced trial after trial while preparing for the Tokyo Olympics. She was accused of being part of the destabilization plot against our current President. She was training far from her family. She was definitely homesick. She experienced the lockdown while in another country. She had to endure all these while training and preparing for the Tokyo Olympics.

#6 Discover your true passion by listening to your own heart and voice more than listening to the voices of the other people around you.

There are people who will not agree with the choices that we make in life. Sometimes, even our parents will not agree with our choices. There was a time when Hidilyn’s mother discouraged her from being a weightlifter because she is a girl, a woman. Her mother was afraid that Hidilyn might not have children or might not have suitors.

Yet Hidilyn chose to be true to herself and her passion. She listened more to her heart and her own voice even if that would mean disappointing her mother. This is another sign of courage. Not everyone will be brave enough to fight for what they really want or for their dreams.

#7 Make your passion your profession.

This is one of the things I advocate because this is something that I had been living out. If you have discovered your passion, make it your profession. When you do that, a lot of times, work is just like play because you like or you enjoy what you are doing. Moreover, when things get hard, because you love what you are doing, you will have more reason to persevere.

#8 Be brave and be willing to take risks.

One of the biggest risks that Hidilyn took in joining the Tokyo Olympics is the threat of contacting the coronavirus. It’s a life-threatening disease and athletes are not immune to it. It is even possible for them to be infected while competing in the Olympics. But she chose to push through and competed in Japan.

She took the risk of pursuing a sport that is thought of as a sport for men. What is ironic but amazing is that it was a Filipina weightlifter who won the first gold for the Philippines at the Olympics!

#9 Be humble.

Hidilyn is a humble person. She does not like talking about herself a lot. She gives credit where credit is due. She is not the kind who brags during her interviews. That is why many people like her and admire her. What she has is a quiet confidence in herself and in her God.

#10 Don’t forget to thank God and give back the glory to Him.

Last but not least, don’t forget to thank God for helping you succeed or accomplish your goals or dreams.

I learned that it was the first time that Hidilyn was able to lift 127 kg. She has tried doing it in training but failed many times. Thus, Hidilyn knew that God helped her do it during the Olympics. God gave her the strength to do what she was not able to do during her training.

I love that Hidilyn recognized that it was God who helped her achieve her dream and goal of getting a gold medal in the Olympics. She kept pointing her finger upward during the awarding ceremony to communicate that it was a victory that the Lord has given her. In her interviews, she also mentioned and acknowledged God. No wonder, God has tremendously blessed her. God exalts the humble.

I remember a story shared by my eldest son who is the pianist in our parish. He started serving even as a little boy. One day, he told me that when he is playing the piano in the Mass, he feels that he is better at doing it during the Mass than when he is practicing at home. To that, I replied that it was the grace of God that enables him to do that. God blesses his effort and his willingness to be used by Him. Thus, when he serves as a pianist in our parish, he is able to play beautiful music that touches people’s hearts and souls.

In one interview also, Hidilyn was asked what she will do with her rewards. She answered that she will give her tithes first. Again, she remembers that all the good that she has received is from God, and therefore giving tithes is another way of acknowledging that.

Do you find this list helpful? Feel free to share with other parents and guardians. Hidilyn is a wonderful athlete and person and she would be a good role model to our kids.

Watch out for the Unit Study that I will make available for you so you can use it in teaching your children, whether you homeschool or not.