To Russia with love (from TV5)

Your Kapatid Network takes on the spectacle and glamour of the 2014 Winter Olympics now underway in the resort city of Sochi. Set in the picturesque Krasnaya Polyana Mountains in Russia, the opening festivities that have been kept secret for some time finally are revealed to the estimated 40,000 spectators inside the Fisht Olympic Stadium and with billions more watching around the globe. For sports aficionados in Europe and North America, the Winter Olympics would be the biggest sporting event of 2014. The same enthusiastic reception may not be widespread in a tropical country like ours — but mind you, there is a reason to be proud and very interested now in this year’s Olympics because there are three Filipinos among the Olympians, one of whom is a native from Muntinlupa City, whose journey from our warm climate to the icy coldness of Sochi is by itself a story of wonder and true grit.

Meet 17-year-old figure skater Michael Christian Martinez who represented the Philippines in the traditional parade of athletes. The country is returning to the Winter Olympic Games after a 22-year absence. The parade featured Greece, where the Olympics originated, as the first delegation to enter the stadium and Russia as the host nation bringing the tail end of the 88 nations participating in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. 

When asked why he fell in love with figure skating in a land where there is no winter, Martinez explains, â€œI got fascinated by Tonya Harding. It took me some time to ask my mom if I could try ice-skating and she readily approved. When I first put on my skates and stepped on the ice, I immediately fell and I was scared. I saw that it wasn’t easy to skate. I was nine years old then. I got into competitive skating in 2010 when I was 13. I made a lot of sacrifices for this sport and it paid off for me when I was able to compete in the 2013 World Junior Championship.”

Michael’s mother, Maria Theresa Martinez, was literally by his son’s side all throughout his sporting quest. She even mortgaged her house so that Michael could join the World Junior Skating Competition and now this 2014 Olympics. She reveals that the sport is both financially and physically challenging for her as she needed to travel abroad for her son to train professionally. “The ice time alone in the US is $16 per hour. If he skates six hours, that’s already $96. And then the coach’s fee is $100 to $150 per hour. If he takes two to three lessons a day, and then six hours including practice, that’s practically over $400 to $500 a day.”

One can say that it was his mother’s great love and Michael’s steely determination that are behind his carrying the Philippine flag in the opening ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics. The road to Sochi was never easy according to him. “I had an injury in 2012 which definitely affected my training. I should be doing four jumps right now, unlike the other skaters who have been skating longer. For me, I lost the chance to do quad jumps.” He was asked by his coaches to refrain from doing the quadruple jumps because it might take a toll on his knees and ankles. “If I get a fracture, I could be off the ice for six months or more than that,” Michael shares. Mrs. Martinez adds, “It’s really so challenging as I’m so sickly and I’m old. The long hours of plane travel is difficult but I have to be there with him.”

Other than Michael, two other Olympians of Filipino lineage are competing for glory in this Winter Olympics. There is JR Celski, competing in the short-track speed skating for the United States, whose mother is a Filipina married to a Polish American. His chances for gold are very likely as he had captured two bronze medals before at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. His return to this year’s Winter Olympics is another story of courage and determination as he had an injury months before.

Then there is Gilmore Junio, born to Filipino parents who made their home in Alberta. A long-track speed skater representing Canada, Junio is considered “the fastest Filipino on ice,” according to a Canadian news article, and he is on the hunt for a medal in this Olympics. Catch them and all the exciting events of the XXII Olympic Winter Games on TV5, the Philippine Olympic Network. Sochi Winter Games will also be brought to your homes and mobile devices with the help of PLDT Home Fibr, Smart and CignalTV.