Fil-Am skaters set to dominate world figure skating

FILIPINO skaters have made history, breaking the five-year dry spell of the Philippines in prestigious skating competitions.

Fil-Am Short Track Speed Skater, Peter Groseclose, secured the Philippines a spot in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics to be held in South Korea.

The 15-year-old skater qualified through his standing at the recently concluded World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships held in Dresden, Germany on Jan 27-29, 2023.

This is a great milestone for Groseclose the despite it being his first season competing internationally. He clinched a spot and landed among the 36 finalists among over 70 competitors and 30+ countries represented in the event.

Also, this is the country’s third time joining the quadrennial meet, with the first in 2012 by figure skater Michael Christian Martinez and in 2020 by short track speed skater Julian Macaraeg, making it the first back-to-back appearance by PH ice skaters in the WYOG.

Groseclose started training at the young age of 7 as he was inspired by his older sister who figure skated.

Meanwhile, figure skating duo Isabella Gamez and Alexander Korovin are set to compete in the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan 20-26, 2023.

Gamez and Korovin are the first

Philippine and South East Asian pair figure skaters to qualify at the World Figure Skating Championships. They secured their spot after they qualified in their free skate scores at the Metro Trophee Metropole competition in Nice, France last October 2022, and their short program scores in the Challenge Cup held in Tilburg, Netherlands on February 26, 2023.

The last time the Philippines was represented in the World Championships was in 2017 by Martinez.

The pair aims to qualify for the next Winter Olympics happening in 2026 in Milano, Cortina.

“We would like to congratulate our homegrown talents who have all glided their way to the world championships. These two major wins are definitely one for the books as once again, we will be able to show the world how talented Filipino skaters are. And we at SM Supermalls will always be proud that you have brought pride to the country,” said Joseph V. Silva, AVP for Operations for SM Lifestyle Inc. Sports & Leisure Centers.

SM Skating is the only ice skating rink in the Philippines and is home to the Philippine National Team of Ice Sports in partnership with the Philippine Skating Union. All SM Skating branches (SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, and SM Seaside Cebu) boast state- rentals, assist coaches, and basic to advanced lessons. Join the fun and fulfill your ice skating dreams when you visit SM Supermalls’ skating rinks! To know more about the exciting deals and promos at the rink, visit www.smsupermalls.com and follow @smskating on social media. ness Administration, major in Business Management.

“Nagbubunga na rin po ‘yung pagsisikap ng seven years at ga-graduate na rin ako,” said the athlete, who became an athletic scholar of the school after bagging a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, beaming.

Now no longer a spring chicken at 32, Diaz said her aspiration of appearing in a fifth straight Olympics and bringing more honor for the country is far from over.

“Sa mga nagsasabi it’s too late to start, hindi ako naniniwala diyan. Age is just a number. Ang importante du’n is that we love what we are doing. For our fellow athletes, we are doing this for love of our country and for our sports,” she underscored.

She twitted her critics that she was over the hill, saying: “Sa mga nagbabash sa aking, mas na-challenge ako kaya okay lang.”