Even one of the greatest, if not the greatest athlete the Philippines has seen is not spared from the grueling grind.
Being an Olympic gold medalist sounds like a status equated to invincibility. It's the pinnacle of sport that only a selected few can reach.
In the case of the Philippines, only Hidilyn Diaz has done that so far. That says a lot about the difficulty of winning the Olympic gold and also proves the elite level Diaz.
But the struggles of the pride of Zamboanga City have been well documented from the buildup to the historic lift at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Philippines' golden girl is a champion in different ways. Diaz has been vocal about women's empowerment, the plight of athletes, funding, overcoming insecurities, mental health, and even detailed before that she almost quit prior to winning any Olympic medal.
In another Instagram story, she once again gave insight into that struggle and how she successfully overcame it with the help of her fellow Filipinos.
"Thank you for this meaningful letter, Christine Faith Aplaon. Minsan gusto ko na sumuko. Buti na lang may mga fans [na nagmo-motivate] sa akin," she said.
"Naaalala ko nung London Olympics, gusto kong sumuko. Buti na lang may mga Filipino community sa Londo, minotivate ako."
Diaz will need all the motivation she can get as she aims to conquer Paris this time around in the 2024 Olympics. The weightlifting champion moved up to the 59 kg category after winning the 55 kg division in Tokyo.
The buildup continues for the 32 years old, and one positive step towards another Olympic gold is her recent achievement at the Nationals in Bacolod.
Keep fighting champ, the whole nation is behind you.