From looking for scrap metals, these kids train to be weightlifters and be like their idol Hidilyn Diaz

Hidilyn Diaz's historic gold at the Tokyo Olympics has inspired young weightlifters to follow her footsteps. 

In Mariz Umali's report on "24 Oras," Tuesday, Lovely Inan, 16, said she wants to be an Olympian someday, just like her idol Hidilyn.

Inan, who is currently training as part of the national team which will compete in the World Youth Championship in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in October, sees a lot of herself in the Olympian.

"Halos pareho po kami. Ako po nangangalakal, galing din po ako sa hirap," she said.

("We're almost the same. I look for scrap metals, I am from an underprivileged background as well.")

With the hard work in training, Inan admitted that quitting has crossed her mind a few times.

"Nag-aalaga rin po ako ng pamangkin ko bago mag-training. S'yempre po pagod na rin po doon, pagod din sa training," she said.

("I also take care of my relatives before training. Of course, I get tired from it. Then I'll get tired from training.")

However, Diaz' recent achievement motivated her to continue reaching for her goal.

"Kahit anong hirap po, ginawa niya rin po lahat, ngayon po naka-gold na po siya sa Olympics. Lahat po ng hirap niya, napalitan na ng saya," she said.

("Whatever struggle she experienced, she still did her best. Now she has won an Olympic gold. All her hardships are now replaced by happiness.")

Inan is part of the Pep Project Weightlifting, a project founded in 2014 by Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist and coach Richard "Pep" Agosto. The project aims to help empower children living in poverty through weightlifting.

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"Nakikita namin 'yung maraming bata na nangangalakal, hindi mo kakikitaan ng kalamyaan," he said. "Maliliksi 'yung mga bata. Malalakas pa kasi 'yung mga bitbit nilang mga bakal, karga nila 'yan sa tagal ng pangangalakal. So sabi ko sa asawa ko, try nating turuan ng weightlifting," he said.

("We saw many children looking for scrap metal to survive, and they are very energetic and strong. So my wife and I thought, why not teach them weightlifting?")

"Ang pagtuturo sa mga bata, siguro one of these days, matatanggal natin ang mga batang ito sa lansangan. Mas maganda na 'yung mapagod sila sa sports kesa dun sa pangangalakal," he added.

("By teaching these kids, maybe one of these days, we can take them out of the streets. It's better for them to get tired from sports than from looking for scrap metals.")

Diaz completed the golden run on Monday after ruling the women's weightlifting 55 kg event. She was also a 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist and a gold medalist in the 2018 Asian Games and 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/MGP, GMA News