By MARK REY MONTEJO
Philippine Skating Union president Nikkie Cheng is eyeing something that has never happened in the country’s sports history — a Filipina competing in the Winter Olympics.
Cheng has already set her sights on figure skater Isabella Gamez and her Fil-Russian partner Alexander Korovin as the pair tries their luck to secure berths to the 2026 Winter Games slated in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
“Actually, we’re approaching the Asian Winter Games in February 2025 and we are also approaching the 2026 Winter Olympics,” said Cheng.
“So, in the last few years, I have been very vocal about this. We really want the first Filipina in the Winter Olympics and we hope na yung figure skater natin na si Isabella Gamez kasama ang kanyang partner ay makalahok sa susunod na Winter Olympics,” she added.
The 25-year-old Gamez, the grandniece of former Senator and basketball player Freddie Webb, has been making waves throughout the years with Korovin since their debut in 2022.
They will shoot for that chance in the 2025 World Championships set in March and, if unsuccessful, another tournament in Germany that offers Olympic berths is also lined up later next year.
Fil-American alpine skier Asa Miller was the last to compete in the said quadrennial event when he saw action in the 2022 Beijing edition. He also competed with figure skater Michael Christian Martinez in 2018 Pyongyang.
Also eyeing an Olympic berth is Peter Groseclose, who saw action in the Winter Youth Olympics earlier this year in short track speed skating.
“We’re very happy that Peter has been performing well in the world stage and also inspiring the youth of this sport,” Cheng said. “So, siya rin ang very high chances that we will see in the next Olympics for the Winter calendar naman.
While Cheng is looking at the elite stage, she has also been very active in promoting the sport nationwide.
The country is actually hosting the Southeast Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy, which officially kicked off at the SM Skating Rink inside the Mall of Asia on Saturday, Sept. 28.
The two-day tournament features 90 skaters age 6 to 24 years old from Asian countries including Vietnam, Singapore, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, India, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and host Philippines.
The competition aims to promote and grow the sport not only in the country but also in the Southeast Asian region.
