Photographed by Shaira Luna
For this year’s International Women’s Month, Vogue Philippines invites leading and rising Filipina women to share their stories. In sports, these three Filipino women are sharing their stories on craft, identity, and community.
Competing in sports requires different preparations and presents unique challenges for every athlete. For these Filipinas, their impact is seen in performance and in breaking new ground. From navigating international competitions in winter skiing to being a team player in volleyball to excelling on the weightlifting platform, these are the Filipina athletes putting Filipino talent and presence on the global sports stage.
Hidilyn Diaz
Making history as the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist, Hidilyn Diaz clinched the top spot in the 55‑kilogram weight class at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, delivering a moment that redefined Filipino sports on the world stage. In a 2024 interview with Vogue Philippines, she reflected on what drives her: “Knowing your ‘why’ is important in being an athlete. It’s what makes you stay and keeps you going when the road gets tough.”
Following her Olympic win, Diaz focused on expanding opportunities for Filipino athletes, particularly in weightlifting. She now gives back to the next generation through the Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Academy in Jala‑Jala, Rizal, where she trains and mentors up‑and‑coming lifters. Even as she continues her own athletic pursuits, she acknowledges that her focus is evolving: “I’m not done with weightlifting. But right now, my priorities are shifting slightly.”
In late 2025, Diaz announced she would begin a teaching career at the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Human Kinetics (UPD‑CHK), fulfilling a longtime goal of integrating weightlifting into formal sports education. She completed a Teaching Effectiveness Course to prepare for the role and now handles two Physical Education weightlifting sections for the second semester of Academic Year 2025‑2026.
Talullah Proulx
Representing the Philippines at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, 17‑year‑old alpine skier Tallulah Proulx became the first Filipina to compete for the country at a Winter Games and the youngest athlete on Team Philippines. She was one of two Filipino athletes competing in alpine skiing, alongside Francis Ceccarelli.
Competing in both the giant slalom and slalom events, she drew global attention to Filipino participation in winter sports, a rare achievement for an athlete from a tropical nation. In the women’s giant slalom at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Italy, she completed two runs with a combined time that placed her 52nd overall against a strong international field.
Raised and trained primarily in the United States, Proulx chose to represent the Philippines, highlighting her Filipino heritage and expanding representation for Filipino athletes in disciplines beyond summer sports. Her presence in Milano Cortina marked a notable step for alpine skiing in the Philippines, a country where winter sports infrastructure and training resources remain limited.
Alyssa Valdez
Growing up in the province, Alyssa Valdez finds that she is still the same person she was as a child: curious, eager to learn, and always seeking to understand life. Despite her career growth as a professional volleyball player, she says, “I still want to be known as that simple. The girl coming into this [kind of] world back when I was 12 years old.”
Reflecting on her journey as an athlete, Alyssa recalls that she started playing volleyball simply because she didn’t want to do chores. While her father was initially unsupportive, her mother encouraged and supported her pursuit of the sport. One of her most memorable childhood moments was when her father panicked after not finding her at home, only to see her at her usual spot: the volleyball court where she spent most of her time.
Describing her current team, she notes that each player started in different schools during college, but now they all shine together. “That means we empowered each other. We’re there to dream bigger for one another. We try to break barriers and try to succeed together.”
For Alyssa, waking up each day requires the courage to face every challenge in life. Despite the obstacles, she is grateful to be surrounded by empowered women on her team and in her communities, who help her become the best version of herself.
