How losses, setbacks helped Hidilyn Diaz, Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial reach Olympic success

As the saying goes, "Winners are made, not born."

This is true even to weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, and boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial, who achieved success in their events in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics more than a month ago.

Marcial, who bagged bronze in the men's middleweight event, admitted that he thought about quitting his boxing career.

"Tuloy-tuloy ang achievement ko, nag-gold ako sa SEA (Southeast Asian) Games, silver ako sa Asian Championship, tapos ayun hanggang nangyari po ulit na hindi ako nag-qualify sa Olympics," Marcial narrated in 'The Atom Araullo Specials' aired on Sunday.

Marcial won the gold medal thrice in the SEA Games back in 2015, 2017, and 2019, and won silver in the Asian Championships in 2015.

Despite the victories, he had a hard time to qualify for the Olympics.

"Three times po ako nag-attempt sa qualifying [tournament], hindi ako nag-qualify, sabi ko, 'Parang hindi talaga sa akin 'yung Olympics,' and then nung panahon na 'yun military na ako, sabi ko, magfo-focus na lang ako sa career ko sa military," he said.

"Hindi ko ikakahiya nung time na 'yun, panay inom na ako, tumaba ako, andoon ako sa military, 'yung mga tropa, kasama ko palagi nag-iinom kami. Parang masaya na, sabi ko masaya na ang buhay ko rito," Marcial narrated.

But an encounter with a random fellow soldier changed Marcial's mindset.

"Nung time na 'yun na doon na ako sa Villamor Air Base, nagte-training ako doon, tapos nagdu-duty, sabi niya sa akin, may potensyal ka, bata ka pa eh," the Olympic bronze medalist recalled. "So talagang iba 'yung naging impact nung pagkasabi niya sa akin tapos naalala ko ulit 'yung mga pangarap namin ng tatay ko, so lalo akong napursigi nung time na 'yun."

Olympic silver medalist Paalam, meanwhile, admitted questioning his boxing journey after a loss in the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.

"Ewan ko, 'yun po hindi ako pinalad noon, natalo ako sa host country. Alam ko naman medyo panalo ako pero bilang athlete po tanggap ko 'yon na talo ako," Paalam shared. "Pero' yun po nag-trigger 'yun sa akin po na 'Bakit?' Inaano ko pa 'yung Panginoon eh."

Paalam admitted that he also almost quitted boxing then, but fate had other plans for the 23-year old boxer: a medal in sports' biggest stage.

"[Ang] hirap manalo talaga sa Olympics po kasi 'yong ibang makalaban mo 2x Olympian na, 3x Olympian. Ikaw, baguhan ka pa lang," he shared. "Sabi ko sa sarili ko po, pautak sa itaas ng ring. Kahit bata ako puwede, puwede ko kayong sabayan."

Petecio, on the other hand, also had her share of losses and setbacks before getting an Olympic silver medal.

After reaping success in several competitions back in 2018, Petecio was tested by a Chinese opponent in the Asian Games.

"Elimination pa lang, China ang nakalaban ko, si Jun Hua. Nakatatak din ang pangalan niya, ayun po natalo niya po ako," Petecio recalled. "Ayun, sobrang wala, as in bagsak po ako nung time na 'yun. Hindi nga po ako lumalabas sa room or ano, kahit anong sabi ng mga coaches ko, andoon lang po ako ayaw ko makipag-usap."

Petecio admitted she was depressed and like her fellow boxers, she almost quitted boxing.

"Pag nagte-training ako, kumbaga andiyan lang for attendance. Ganun 'yung ginagawa ko pero 'yung puso ko, 'yung pagmamahal ko sa boxing, wala na
nung time na 'yun. Kumbaga ayaw ko na eh, titigil na ako."

However, the Olympic silver medalist was reminded of why she was in boxing.

"Para to sa pamilya ko…ayaw ko maranasan ng mga kapatid ko, mga pamangkin ko, 'yung hirap na naranasan po namin, so 'yun po talaga 'yung kailangan ko bumalik, kailangan ko ituloy 'to."

While the three boxers almost left their sport after their losses, Diaz, the country's first Olympic gold medalist, used the setbacks she experienced as motivations for her quest for weightlifting supremacy.

Back in 2016, when Diaz won the silver medal in the Rio Olympics, the weightlifter admitted being surprised to get a silver since she was coming from an injury.

But more than the silver, she was more surprised with her fellow Filipinos' reaction.

"Hindi kami sanay, hindi kami sanay na parang ito eh ganito kami. Ito ginagawa namin: training-kain-tulog. Gano'n 'yung routine namin tapos biglang ah ganito pala. Eh ayun, na-realize ko lang na hindi lang pala 'yun medal [lang]... kundi may kasama siyang responsibilidad eh kasi siyempre may influence na ko sa bata," she said.

Despite the people's support, Diaz still needed to ask for help for her preparations for the 2020 Games.

"Akala ko magiging madali eh kasi syempre after winning silver medal, ang daming pangako na sige, tutulungan ka namin kahit anong request mo ibibigay namin. Pero ayun nga, hindi siya naging madali," Diaz said.

"Ang iba hindi naniniwala na  maiuuwi ko ang gold medal. Masakit, masakit. Ayokong balikan, my goodness. Marami akong naririnig na 'Request ka nang request-- ano ba yan,'" she recalled.

Aside from financial constraints, Diaz was also alleged to be involved in a plot to oust the administration. The allegation, which she did not even know about, happened while she was preparing for the 2020 Olympics.

"Kasi hindi ko alam 'yung mga ganitong issue, tapos ako, focus ako sa pag-training, focus ako sa qualifying [tournaments] kasi may mga laro pa akong na
kailangan laruin, tapos bigla nalang sasabihin na ganito," she said.

"Mahirap na kung babalikan ko. Masakit, sobrang sakit. Ang dami naming pinagdaanan pero I choose to forgive, I choose to move on."

Diaz maintained her focus in training, and the rest is history.

After almost a century since joining the Olympics in 1924, Diaz won the Philippines' first Olympic gold medal.

"Nung una kong pinanood sarili ko, umiiyak ako. Ako ba talaga 'yon? Parang ibang tao 'yon, hindi ako makapaniwala...sa wakas nagawa ko!"

The four medalists led the Philippines' most successful Olympic campaign with one gold, two silvers, and a bronze medal.

—JMB, GMA News