Bianca Isabel Pagdanganan of the Philippines competes in the fourth round of the women’s individual stroke play at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, southwest of Paris, on August 10, 2024. (Photo by Emmanuelle Dunant/AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — Bianca Pagdanganan may not have made it onto the podium in the women’s golf competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but she is proud of the fact that she gave her all for the Philippine team.
Pagdanganan narrowly missed out on a playoff chance for the bronze medal, but she was on a tear after shooting a 4-under 68 to join Dottie Ardina in capping the Philippines’ run at the 2024 Olympics.
“I tried my best, but it was a tough day. I made a lot of mistakes which is frustrating but I know I gave 100 percent, my all,” an emotional Pagdanganan said in an interview with One Sports.
Read: Bianca Pagdanganan, Dottie Ardina lead Philippines to impressive finish
“At the end of the day, what happens, happens. This is truly an amazing Olympic experience. I wasn’t able to experience it in Tokyo, but it means a lot to me that I was able to share this moment with my family. I’m really happy and grateful to have my family as my support. It means a lot to me to be able to represent the Philippines on such a big stage and compete against the best athletes in the world.”
The Filipino golfer’s huge leap from 43rd place at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago to fourth place was the result of hard work and sacrifice amid tough challenges.
“I wanted our name to be on it, I wanted people to know we’re great athletes. This isn’t just about golf, we’ve excelled in other sports. I think it’s a big wake-up call back home that we can excel in sports too, so it would be awesome to find some people to root for,” she said.
Read: Bianca Pagdanganan has a strong second round and a solid chance for medal
Despite not making it onto the podium, Pagdanganan was proud of his performance in Paris.
“You always strive to be number one, that’s the mindset. Especially as a golfer, you want to be number one. But the fact that there are three people on the podium, I wanted to get on the podium and give it a go,” the Olympic golfer said. “I want to improve a lot and make my country proud. I gave it my all so I’m really proud of how I performed under extreme pressure. I know I can control myself in those situations so that should be a big motivator.”
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Check out Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
