Providing inspiration also a win for Tolentin and Filipina5
The Philippine women’s futsal team began its campaign in the Fifa Futsal Women’s World Cup on Friday, a reality that Dionesa Tolentin thought would forever be a dream.
“As an ambitious kid from Manukan, Zamboanga, I never expected to experience this kind of opportunity to represent the country,” Tolentin said in Filipino through a social media post she penned before the inaugural tournament got underway at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Tolentin, as she explained in her post, was glad at that time to receive free equipment or allowance, given that she regularly attends training sessions at the cost of “being scolded by my parents.”
“Little did I know that that simple dedication would put me where I am,” she also said.
The 25-year-old, fondly known as “Inday,” and the rest of the team, known as the Filipina5—a stylized version of the Filipinas moniker of the women’s national team—were playing Poland at press time in the nightcap of opening match day of the two-week competition, which the country is hosting.
They hope to start the campaign on a winning note, but they were facing an insurmountable task late Friday night. But for Tolentin, it isn’t just the result that matters. It’s also what she and her teammates can show to the home crowd—and to those eagerly following their exploits elsewhere.
“I just want to give inspiration to the youngsters, especially those in the province, that nothing is impossible as long as you aim for something,” Tolentin said. “The process may be difficult, sometimes a long one, a grueling one, but the most important thing is to push and never quit.
“I want to show that you can reach for the stars, regardless of where you came from, with perseverance, discipline and heart. And in this World Cup, I carry the dreams of the youth,” Tolentin added.
Tolentin has been a vital cog to the Filipina5 since preparation began in January, having been part of the Asian Cup campaign followed by camps in Japan and Spain.
Meanwhile, Argentina and Morocco were playing the first match of the tournament, with Ana Ontiveros scoring the historic first goal when she blasted the rebound at the 14:56 mark following a miss.
Argentina, ranked sixth in the world, is favored to top Group A, which also includes the Filipina5.
