Words by: Jahzara Lyrah Del Villar
Ultimate frisbee athlete Nikko Pacurib shares how he stands firm despite his ‘otherness’
What defines strength? For many, it’s measured in medals or muscle. But for entrepreneurship student Nikko Pacurib, strength is something else entirely. Nikko may not match the world’s expectations of what strength looks like, but he’s faced judgment with quiet resolve. His strength was shaped not by applause but by persistence, purpose, and heart.
To meet Nikko is to meet someone who carries himself without pretense. Though small in stature, he fills a room with warmth, kindness, and an easygoing charm that draws people in. Maybe that’s what strength looks like, too—someone who knows they’ve been underestimated but chooses not to fight for attention, only for truth.
Now, as a 23-year-old ultimate frisbee athlete who has represented and brought home gold for the Philippines, his story is one of quiet perseverance and triumph.
Nikko’s early years were marked by more than just schoolwork and growing pains. Born with dwarfism, he learned quickly that standing out often meant standing alone. In classrooms and on playgrounds, his height often became the first thing people noticed, and the last thing they looked past.
But even in those quiet struggles, Nikko was never truly alone. Behind him stood a family that never let him forget his worth. They stood by him, and though they couldn’t always shield him from the cruelty of the outside world, they reminded him, time and time again, that his value was never tied to how others saw him.
“Nikko is one of the greatest blessings in my life,” his mother shares. “He is strong, resilient, and full of heart, never allowing his condition to define or limit him.”
As Nikko moved into his teenage years, things began to change. The assumptions that once felt all-consuming started to lose their grip. For the first time, he wasn’t walking through the world alone.
“What I admire about Nikko is that he doesn’t let his physical differences stop him from doing the things that regular people do,” one of his close friends shares. “He inspires me to do anything you want, no matter the challenges.”
With the right people around him, Nikko began to feel comfortable being himself—exploring his potential and embracing his passions. One of them was ultimate frisbee, a sport that offered something he rarely experienced: a level playing field. It became a space where he could prove, not just to himself, but to everyone who underestimated him, that he was capable of far more than what meets the eye.
As he trained and competed, Nikko became more than just an athlete—he became a teammate others could count on. The sport pushed him beyond what he thought possible, not only physically, but emotionally. Every competition became more than just a game; it became a way to carve out a space where he was valued not for how he looked walking onto the field, but for what he brought to it.
His journey in the sport led him to extraordinary heights. Nikko and the rest of the Negrense PH team competed in the U24 UltiAsia Championship in Malaysia, bringing home the bacon.
Despite the magnitude of the moment, Nikko remains modest. He credits the win to the teamwork and effort shared by his team. He doesn’t speak of his performance with grandeur, only of how proud they all were to represent the country—and each other—on that level.
But for those who know his story, the weight of that moment extended beyond the medal. It represented the strength Nikko had built quietly over years of being underestimated. It was a silent answer to every doubtful glance, a personal milestone wrapped in national pride, and proof that the strongest statements don’t always need to be shouted.
Today, Nikko moves through life with the confidence of someone who knows that acceptance doesn’t come from fitting into a mold, but from embracing one’s unique journey. He learned that his worth was not defined by how others perceived him, but by the strength he carried within.
What once set him apart is now something he embraces—not as a limitation, but as a part of his story. The same boy who once felt the weight of being different now walks with his head high—not because he was told to, but because he learned that strength is something discovered within oneself. In time, that strength became something unshakable—his own.
Nikko has come to embody that strength—quietly, firmly, and without compromise. He became an inspiration not just to those who know him, but to anyone who has ever felt defined by their circumstances.
Nikko may have brought home gold for the Philippines, but his greatest victory was proving that real champions aren’t defined by trophies, but by the courage to face the world with compassion and dignity, no matter how fierce the world’s judgment tries to beat down on you.
So, what is strength for Nikko? It’s the resolve to rise above judgment, the belief that kindness is not weakness, and the grace to inspire others to see beyond limits. Nikko’s story reminds us that the strongest hearts beat not with anger or defiance, but with a quiet perseverance that leaves echoes lasting a lifetime.
Strength doesn’t always rise above the crowd. Sometimes it stays grounded—steady and unwavering. The kind that doesn’t ask to be seen, but is impossible to ignore.
