Fil-Am skaters set to dominate world figure skating stage

Filipino figure skaters made history as they broke 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 qualified through his standing at the recently concluded World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships held in Dresden, Germany last January.

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. This is the first back-to-back appearance by PH ice skaters in the WYOG.

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

Gamez and Korovin are the first Philippine and Southeast 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 last February 26, 2023.

The last time the Philippines was represented in the World Championships was in 2017 by Michael 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 home to the Philippine National Team of Ice Sports in partnership with the Philippine Skating Union (PHSU). All SM Skating branches (SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, and SM Seaside Cebu) boast state-of-the-art facilities such as Olympic-size rinks as well as skate aid rentals, assist coaches, and basic to advanced lessons.