Quotes from Hidilyn Diaz

The pressure is high because of course... everyone's expecting me to win the gold medal in Tokyo.

My main goal is to help out kids in my hometown and realize their dream in weightlifting.

There's no weightlifting event in Palaro, that's why I'm going here, hoping they consider including weightlifting again.

When I win a gold medal in the Olympics... I would say every pain, tears and screams in training will be worth it.

Sometimes we didn't eat, we could not buy food for six siblings... That's how it was.

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.

Whatever earnings I got from winning this silver medal, part will be used for my college education.

There are a lot of sacrifices. I know because I've won the silver in the Olympics.

Maybe God brought me here to inspire the youth to engage in sports and teach them the value of sports.

I need to continue inspiring the young generation.

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.

I'm happy when children join weightlifting and they get curious because that's how I started.

Through sports, you can reach for your dreams.

It's a must for us to get higher education since athletes seem to be contended with being good in training and in their events, happy where they are. But I try to change that mindset, let them be aware of other things and grow as a person.

I miss my mom and her food.

Deep in my heart, I know I can surpass my personal best and win the gold but there are circumstances that are just unavoidable.

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.

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.

Be who you are. Don't be afraid to show your uniqueness.

I want to say this to all Filipinos: nothing is impossible.

I'm happy to see that more girls are going into weightlifting and aiming to become Olympic medalists as well.

We Filipino can compete here at the Olympics. We can do it.

The best of the best are in the Olympics, all of the athletes work hard to get there.

The Asian Championships are like the Olympics because the top 6 or top 8 are already here.