Thousands of student-athletes from 20 athletic associations across the Philippines gathered during the 65th Palarong Pambansa held in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte from May 24 to 31, 2025. Each of the participants may have absolutely shone in their own ways, yet there were several who indeed captured the attention of the public—one of them was sprinter Trixia Anne Arellano of the Western Visayas team.
Being a runner is actually a dream that Tikya shares with her grandmother Teresita (Daisy Cariño) and her mother Divina (Ryza Cenon), who both weren’t able to pursue it due to different reasons. Despite her young age and small frame, she has been the dependable companion of her father, Hernan (Ketchup Eusebio), in delivering and selling the charcoal they make. Since their family lives in a secluded barrio wherein they had to tread on uneven and rocky terrains and cross a river, Tikya has been used to walking and running barefoot.
Inspired by her ultimate idol, Filipina weightlifter and Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz, and backed by her supportive family, Tikya joined their school’s tryouts for the sprint team and successfully passed. Among the 12 girls and boys that were picked to undergo training, she was the one chosen by their Coach Jetlee (Meryll Soriano) to represent their school for the 1st Municipal Sports Fest.
Due to the lack of proper track oval at their school, Tikya and the other track-and-field student athletes had to train in another school, which meant that they had to stay in one housing together and that Tikya wouldn’t be able to help with their livelihood and household chores for a while. Her parents agreed since it was the opportunity that their family had been waiting for her.
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