The sporting world has long been considered a man’s kingdom, but the likes of Hidilyn Diaz, Yuka Saso, and now the Philippine national women’s football team have all made a strong case that women deserve equal support and admiration — attention that was exclusive to their male counterparts whose achievements the Filipinas can easily match or even surpass.
The national team swept through the headlines this past week after a pulsating 4-3 win against Taiwan via penalty shootout in the quarterfinals of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Pune, India last Jan. 30. The victory earned the Filipinas their first-ever spot at the FIFA Women’s World Cup that will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand next year.
Not even a 2-0 loss to the mighty South Koreans on Thursday night could dampen the spirit of the squad that is being mentored by Australian coach Alen Stajcic, who was beaming with pride as he emphasized the courage of the group that had overwhelming performances against the tournament heavyweights.
Taiwan game heroine Sarina Bolden also knew there was nothing to lose against the Koreans. For her, the improvement of the team could shine like gold as the lady booters shift their focus to the opportunity that lies ahead — to represent the Philippines for the first time in football’s premier event.
The fine form of Filipina athletes was in full, glowing display in recent years. It was indeed a fantastic ride for the women of Philippine sports, none bigger than the Olympic triumph of the weightlifting queen Hidilyn. Before representing Japan, Saso the golfer was donning the national colors and was waving the Philippine flag when she basked in the glory of her US Open victory.
Boxer Nesthy Petecio also has a share of moment when she won silver in the Tokyo Games. Four years ago in Jakarta, Diaz, skateboarder Margielyn Didal, and Saso and fellow Pinay golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye made the country proud by topping the podium in their respective fields.
These are a few mentions of what the Filipina athletes could bring to the table despite lesser of fame and even fortune. They carved their way to the top, regardless of the spotlight that was missing along the journey. The athletes carried on from the burden of financial issues and limitations in training. Let alone the danger of living through the threat of coronavirus, these Pinay warriors showed grit and determination to give women power a new meaning in sports.
The victory of the Filipina footballers could serve as a strong signal to major brands, top officials and sports bigwigs — a message that female athletes have all the reasons to be noticed in this male-dominated field. These Pinay sports icons have the talent to win, the charm to inspire, and courage to lift an entire nation on their shoulders — because they can.