Known as a tropical country, the Philippines has sent delegations to the Winter Olympics four times since 1972, the most recent of which was figure skater Michael Christian Martinez, who went to Sochi, Russia in 2014.
Once again, the nation will have to huddle up and support the country’s only Olympian this year, 17-year old Asa Miller, who will be competing in the slalom ski event in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The event involves going down a slope, passing through poles and gates at the fastest time. Slalom skiing comprises of two events, slalom and giant slalom. Miller will compete in both events.
Miller, a native of Portland, Oregon, first took hold of skiing when he was a toddler, and first competed when he was six. Miller currently competes for the Meadow Race Team in Mt. Hood, Oregon, where he had been competing for the past nine years.
The Filipino-American, who traces his roots to his mother, competed at the FIS World Junior Championships in Sweden in last year, but flopped.
“I honestly didn’t do so well, but I went more for the learning experience and the opportunity to compete in a world event,” Miller told The Cardinal Times, the official publication of Lincoln High School, Miller’s current school.
As Miller prepares for this year’s Winter Olympics, he goes to the event without financial support from the government, as he will pay for his own expenses in the whole event, ranging from plane tickets, equipment, and entry fees.
Filipinos can watch Asa Miller in Pyeongchang with visa-free travel to South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
The South Korean government said it will temporarily allow visa-free entry for tourists from 3 Southeast Asian countries – the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam – until April 2018.