Motorcade awaits Olympic skater Michael Martinez upon arrival in Manila

 News
Feb 222014
 
A hectic schedule that includes a motorcade and press conference awaits Olympic figure skater Michael Christian Martinez once he arrives home Sunday afternoon.

Martinez is due to arrive in Manila after giving honor to the Philippines at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, radio dzBB reported.

Upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Martinez will be welcomed with a motorcade that will take him to the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

He is scheduled to hold a press conference there, the report added.

Martinez brought honor to the Philippines in the Winter Olympics in the figure skating event, where several people were impressed with his performance, noting he came from a tropical country.

The 17-year-old Martinez’s love for skating started at an ice skating rink at a mall in Metro Manila. — LBG, GMA News

Michael Christian Martinez: The kiss-and-cry spin

 Entertainment
Feb 212014
 
Michael Christian Martinez: The kiss-and-cry spin

By DAVID CASUCO M.C. Martinez does the tough split/spin move LOS ANGELES  (Mabuhay) -– At the kiss-and-cry area of the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi, young Filipino figure skater Michael Christian Martinez did his final spin – capping his auspicious Winter Olympic debut by telling the whole world that winter-less Philippines is where he came from. The crowd at skating arena, earlier captivated by his not-so-perfect but nonetheless elegant freeskate, responded with a mild roar. A few minutes later, the international media were making a beeline to interview the Filipino athlete. Martinez, who came to the Olympics with a bag of distractions and a shoestring budget, got more than what he bargained for. He set his goal to make the freeskate, he placed 19th; he dreamed to be in the same stage with figure skating stars, he became one of them; he wanted to get the attention of potential sponsors for the next four years, he got the attention of the whole world. The youngest in the field of 30 men’s qualifiers, Martinez has accomplished a great part of his goal to enter the medal round in this, the grandest stage of athletic competition where perfection and excellence are norms. The other half of that dream is compete and win a medal in his next important stop: the 1218 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Widely regarded in the skating world as “one of the next figure skating stars,” Martinez has proved to all and sundry that he has what it Read More …

Filipino figure skater hailed after reaching Sochi final

 Entertainment
Feb 142014
 
Filipino figure skater hailed after reaching Sochi final

MANILA, February 14, 2014 (AFP) – Philippine Olympic figure skater Michael Christian Martinez was hailed as a hero on Friday even as a senior sports official denied accusations that the government had failed to support him. The 17-year-old, the lone representative of the tropical country at the Sochi Games, made history after he qualified Thursday from the men’s short program for the free skate on Friday, despite numerous disadvantages, including being forced to learn his craft on a skating rink in a shopping mall. Local news reports suggested his family had struggled to pay for his training and that the government did not provide any support. But Ricardo Garcia, chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, said Martinez had received adequate financial support from the government and private donors. “We are very happy with his performance. For a guy who learned how to skate in the Philippines, to make it to the finals… it is really amazing,” Garcia told AFP. “This is a very big issue for us. We have an athlete who is an Olympian who made it to the final rounds,” he added. Some of the country’s wealthiest tycoons were sponsoring Martinez and the national skating association never asked for additional funds for him, Garcia said. The Philippine Olympic Committee asked the government for $7,200 to cover some of Martinez’s additional expenses but this money was released in December, he added. Speaking after his performance at the Iceberg Skating Palace on Friday, Martinez was elated with his performance: “The Read More …