Model athletes
Like Eala, Diaz is also paying it forward. Long before she ended the country’s gold drought in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Diaz showed what it means to invest in the future of Filipino athletes .
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Like Eala, Diaz is also paying it forward. Long before she ended the country’s gold drought in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Diaz showed what it means to invest in the future of Filipino athletes .
These days, athletic excellence is measured by huge contracts, lucrative endorsements, and flashy highlight reels that attract social media followers.
Yet, every so often, there are still athletes who remind us that sports — at its highest level — is an act of service. Tennis sensation Alex Eala and weightlifting icon Hidilyn Diaz represent this rare breed, champions whose success is measured not by the weight of their medals but by their love for the country. They should be the benchmark for true Filipino athletes, role models who should be emulated by the next generation of sports stars.
Eala, for example, has been a role model for some time now. At 21 years old, she represents what a Filipino athlete should be: determined, fierce, gritty, eloquent, beautiful yet very humble. But what truly makes her the darling of the large Filipino crowds everywhere she goes is her love for her country.
One fine example of her patriotism is the situation she is in right now. Eala is in the heat of chasing valuable ranking points that would qualify her for the WTA Finals — an end of season tournament that will feature the eight highest-ranked players in the Women’s Tennis Association tour.
Right now, Eala is at No. 15, which means that she still has to compete in more tournaments if she wants to qualify for the prestigious — and very lucrative — tournament.
One of the tournaments where she can gain massive ranking points is the China Open, an event that will be held in Beijing from 30 September to 11 October. Joining the China Open should be a no-brainer for any professional campaigner. After all, the event offers 1,000 ranking points to the champion on top of a $1.1-million cash prize, which would give Eala a massive boost both professionally and financially should she emerge victorious.
But the country also needs her.
The China Open coincides with the 20th Asian Games, putting Eala at the crossroads of chasing valuable ranking points and the multi-million peso cash reward or joining Team Philippines in its quest for its first ever gold medal in lawn tennis since 1962.
Although the Asian Games offers a cash reward of only P2 million for a gold medal — which is peanuts compared to the estimated P67 million that she will earn if she wins the China Open — Eala has opted to join the Asian tourney, knowing that it is the only way she can repay her countrymen for the love and support they have showered on her.
For Eala, playing for the country is not an obligation to be squeezed into a schedule, it is an honor that takes precedence over personal gain. And in an era where global individual success can easily eclipse national duty, her unwavering commitment to the country proves that patriotism remains her most prized trophy.
Like Eala, Diaz is also paying it forward. Long before she ended the country’s gold drought in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Diaz showed what it means to invest in the future of Filipino athletes by using the cash prize she received for her silver medal finish in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics toward the construction of a weightlifting gym in her Zamboanga hometown.
While other athletes have used their cash rewards to buy new houses and cars, Diaz used her very first major paycheck to run her very own grassroots program, paving the way for the rise of young weightlifters from Zamboanga like Albert Ian de los Santos, Rosegie Ramos and her niece, Alexsandra Ann Diaz, who shattered two youth world records in the recent 2026 IWF World Youth Weightlifting Championships in Cali, Colombia.
Recently, the Philippine Sports Commission recognized her contribution with a donation of brand new equipment to the Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Gym in Barangay Mampang, Zamboanga City.
Indeed, Eala and Diaz personify what a Filipino athlete should be. Both of them embody the grit, humility, and sense of community that lie at the heart of their Filipino identity. They remind us that true glory isn’t found in personal wealth or social media clout, but in lifting up a nation and paving a smoother road for the generations to come.
As a country, we celebrate their victories, but we must also sustain the values they have established. We need more than just talented athletes; we need champions who carry the Filipino soul with dignity on and off the international arena. Supporting grassroots sports, funding proper training facilities and instilling values are crucial things that we should cultivate for the next generation of sports stars.
In an era where sports is dominated by social media clout, quick money and shallow highlights, we need genuine role models more than ever. Eala and Diaz prove that real greatness isn’t built on viral moments — it’s built on grit, discipline and undying love of country.
