ILOCOS NORTE — On her 11th birthday, Trixia Arellano had one wish: to win a gold medal in her first appearance at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa.
Under the hot sun at Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium, the young athlete fulfilled that wish. She won the elementary girls’ 200-meter dash, making her birthday extra special.
For Arellano, the victory was more than just a medal. It was a way to make her family proud and to show gratitude for their support.
“I’m happy. Mama, thank you because if not for you, I wouldn’t be here. If not for them, I wouldn’t be here,” she told GMA News Online after her win. “I want to thank the Lord because my birthday wish came true.”
Arellano said her mother encouraged her to join athletics. She hopes her success will help her support her parents and two younger siblings.
Her father works as a fisherman while her mother is a housewife.
“My mama told me to join because maybe I had a chance to compete in Palaro. After I joined, I kept winning. My birthday wish to become a gold medalist in Palaro also came true,” she said.
She added, “My dream is to work and help my family. I want to become a police officer to catch bad people.”
