Michael Christian Martinez’s may not be bringing a medal home, but in the eyes of his kababayans, he has already achieved a milestone — being the first Filipino-born, the first Southeast Asian and the youngest figure skater to compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The 17-year-old Martinez is nothing short of a miracle worker — making the impossible possible.
“There are so many reasons why he shouldn’t have made it in the first place, and the odds are really against Martinez to begin with. But look at what he has accomplished. He has overcome inadequate support, lack of media attention and even bouts of loneliness and injury to suddenly grab headlines around the world. He is in Sochi as an equal to the greatest athletes in the world, as a teenager. Most of all, he has inspired millions on his own country,” says Bill Velasco in his column, The Game of My Life in Philstar.com.
At such a young age, Martinez had to overcome many obstacles that would have disheartened anyone.
Apart from being an asthmatic kid (and having to make frequent hospital visits for it), Martinez was initially limited to training in ice skating rinks in shopping malls.
With the demands of the sport, Martinez is also no stranger to injuries. He has been injured at least four times. His family also underwent financial constraints to support the needs of this rather expensive sport.
Yet through it all, Martinez continues to imbibe and exude positivism — nothing could get in the way of him achieving his dream, especially with his kababayans rallying behind him henceforth.
Experts have also described Martinez as “a very charismatic performer.”
Martinez is set to compete in the ISU Junior Worlds Competition in Bulgaria next month, which will also mark the beginning of his preparations for the 2018 Olympiad.
With all that he has gone through, sacrificed and achieved, this 17-year-old phenom is only starting to get warmed up for the icy road (or rink) that’s still ahead of him.
(AJPress)
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