Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Olympic athletes cannot go out to practice and dive in their respective sports.
This has been extra-torturous, especially for those preparing for the upcoming battles.
That included Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz.
“Lahat kami siguro, sa buong mundo kasi buong mundo nag-lockdown. So lahat parang, nagkaroon ng mental breakdown noong time na ‘yun na, siyempre alam niyo naman ang atleta, 7-9 sessions a week ‘yan nagte-training, puro training ‘yan, tapos biglang walang training. Nakakabaliw noong time na ‘yun sa totoo lang. Tapos biglang sinabi na ‘Walang Olympics.’ Parang, ah,” said Diaz.
Diaz admits that taking care of her mental health has also been a key to her success.
“So ginawa ko, day by day, nagiging grateful ako, day by day na naging productive ako, day by day naghanap ako ng paraan – nagluluto, ganu’n, nagmi-meeting. And part ako ng Project Steady ni Ms. Gang. So every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, (MWF) alam niyo naman di ba, natuto na tayong mag-Zoom so lahat tayo nagzu-Zoom. Kami nagzu-Zoom meeting kami,” said Diaz.
She mentioned the MWF group – a Zoom meeting of fellow athletes who come together to help each other overcome the challenges posed by the lockdown.
Hidilyn Diaz: Taking care of mental health key to success
According to Coach Noli Ayo, one of the group’s founders along with the late Coach Rico Navaro, the key is unity and mutual support.
“I think it was helpful for all of us na may nakakasama kami during those times na we were confused, and we were clueless as to what would happen, kuwento namin ‘yung aming pinagdadaanan, ‘yung aming takot, ‘yung aming mga concerns about sports,” said Ayo.
The group’s most experienced counselor, Gang Badoy Capati of Rock Ed and mental health clinician of Project Steady Asia.
For Badoy, he admires the process that athletes, including Diaz, went through.
With the help of Capati, Ayo, and Navaro, they guided the athletes to write essays or essays about their feelings and experiences.
They even produced a book entitled “Winning Still.”
Coaches and athletes want many young athletes to learn that physical strength needs to be given importance and endurance and strong mental health.
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