MANILA: Whatever the outcome of his performance in the figure skating event, Michael Christian Martinez has already achieved a feat no other Filipino has – compete in the Winter Olympics.
Martinez was set to compete against the best in the world late last night, chasing a top 24 finish to qualify for the men’s figure skating finals in Sochi, Russia.
Martinez is the first-ever homegrown athlete to qualify for the Winter Olympics. He is also the first skater from Southeast Asia to make it to the 90-year Winter Games history.
To date, the 17-year-old skater’s personal best score for the short program is 67.01, accomplished at the 2013 World Junior Championships in Milan, Italy.
Skating fifth in the evening at the Iceberg Skating Palace, Martinez will perform to Nino Rota’s dramatic film score for “Romeo and Juliet.”
While in Moscow training for Sochi, Martinez said: “I feel excited and nervous because I will be competing against skaters who are much older than me and more experienced than me... but it is an honour to know that I am already on the same competing level as such great skaters.”
To qualify for the final round was Martinez’s personal goal entering into the preliminary Olympic event.
The Philippine Star
