2018: The year of the Pinay athlete

It has been a successful and inspiring year for Filipina athletes. Proving their strength and talents in various sports, they have deservedly won medals in different competitions throughout the year.

One can only imagine the challenges and personal struggles they all went through. But this only adds to everyone’s awe of not just their physical abilities, but their inner strengths, too.

With consistent training to reach their maximum potential — combined with hard work and determination — these ladies were able to push themselves to the top and show the world what they can do.

Hidilyn Diaz (Weightlifting)

Hidilyn Diaz was the first athlete to win a gold medal for the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games. She lifted a total of 207 kg — 92 kg in the snatch and 115 kg in the clean and jerk — besting her rival Kristina Shermatova of Turkmenistan.

Pauline Lopez (Taekwondo)

The 22-year-old taekwondo athlete also competed in the Asian Games, bagging the bronze medal in the -57 kilograms division. Despite her opponent’s height advantage, Lopez put up a good fight that every Filipino can be proud of.

Lois Kaye Go, Bianca Pagdanganan, and Yuka Saso (Golf)

Yuka Saso snagged the gold medal for the country in the women’s individual division for golf at the 2018 Asian Games. Her fellow Pinay golfer, Bianca Pagdanganan, also placed on the same event winning the bronze medal.

But the amazing feat of these Filipina golfers didn’t end in individual competitions. Saso, Pagdanganan, and Lois Kaye Go bagged another gold for the Philippines in the golf women’s team event.

Anica Abaquin, Samantha Kyle Calantan, Maxine Isabel Esteban, and Maricar Matienzo (Fencing)

Proving yet again that Filipinas are strong individually and as a group, the Philippine Women’s Fencing Team — comprised of Samantha Kyle Catantan, Maxine Isabel Esteban, Maricar Matienzo, and Anica Abaquin — took home the bronze medal in the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships.

The road to the third place wasn’t easy for the Pinay fencers. They had to beat the region’s best to achieve the bronze medal.

Margielyn Didal (Skateboarding)

The 19-year-old Cebuana brought one of the bigger breakthroughs, as Didal finished with the gold medal for Women’s Street Skateboarding. It was only this year that the Asian Games recognized skateboarding as an official sport, and Didal’s first-ever win will surely be remembered for years to come.

Carina Dayondon (Mountaineering)

On December 16, Carina Dayondon successfully completed climbing the Seven Summits, the highest peaks of each of the seven continents. This achievement came after so many challenges and personal trials in Dayondon’s life. Now she is the first Filipina to finish the Seven Summits, and the second Philippine citizen next to Romi Garduce in 2012.