The Filipino Athletes Shattering The Glass Ceiling of Sports

Victory is hard-fought, especially coming from these islands. This month, we pay tribute to stories of grit, determination, and the pursuit of excellence.

To honor the start of the Paris Summer Games this month, we sought out 19 Filipino athletes who display the height of Philippine performance on a global stage. Since Hidilyn Diaz’s magnificent feat at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, this crop of Olympians and sportsmen continue on their paths in hopes of bringing that same level of pride back to the country.

Their stories speak of setbacks, heartbreak, and pressure in the face of stiff competition from the world’s elite. But, in spite of it all, they forge on, all for pride in their country and a love of the game. This love, we discover, is something that has been deep-rooted in our athletes from a young age. “What often begins as play,” writes editor-in-chief Bea Valdes in her editor’s letter, “transforms into devotional after-school training, advances into constant competition, then becomes the significant momentum in their life.”

This July, we pay tribute to the athletes who have spent days on end training in their disciplines; who hurdle headfirst onto that track, that pool, that ring; who continually shatter the glass ceiling of sports; and who always strive to take home the gold.

Scroll and click through to discover their stories below.

GAME ON

The last century has seen a historical markup of female athletes dominating on the field of play. Meet the trailblazing Filipinas who prove that sports is also a feminine discipline.

RAISING THE BAR

Four Filipino men embody the resilience and determination to return to the track stronger, overcoming immense pressure to represent the country and secure their place on the Olympic podium.