Filipino Figure Ice Skater.. Amazing!!

Isn't it great to know that in a country that does not have any snow; there is a figure ice skating professional who has won several times in the figure ice skating competitions. That person is barely out of his teens and yet he has a ranking within top 20 in the world ranking.   Yes Folks, This is no other than Michael Martinez. A 16 year old kid who has won many competitions in the figure skating division than most of us would win in a raffle promo.

Take this; he has won 7th place in the 1st Winter Youth  Olympics in the Male division, 1st place in the competition held in Brasov Romania among the other awards he had won. And now he is I believed to be a pure Filipino who has entered the ranks of Figure ice Skating which normally a country who sees or snows every year would dominate. Call me a caveman  but this is amazing. Here we are a country whose main sport is basketball and aaheem football and if we ever get a shot at the international scene. Chances of bagging a title  is pretty slim. Yet Here is a kid who is winning international compatetions bringing pride and honor to the country and makes other figure skaters run for their money.

Surprisingly Michael Started when he was already 8 years old which is a bit too late if one is vying to be a professinal where training starts as early as 3 or 4 years old. Yet he has proven time and again that he has what it takes  to be in World Level and go for the top. Top performers in that field has also taken notice of him and has taken him under their wing.1995 Olympic gold medalist Illa Kulik is one of his coach. That is something to say. right?

All his hard work has not go unnoticed . Right now he has been sponsored by big companies to pursue that dream and continue representing the country in that field. Training for the Olympics or even just for any competition would be costly. and i for one am certain that this is one of the costly training just to prepare, equipments.training, travel expenses, that's just the basic and not including the miscellanious. Coach would charge you 100$ an hour just to train you. and training goes on for 12hrs. just do the math. Justthinking of the cost would drive anybody nuts.

Yet for all his achievements Michael is still donw to earth. A bit shy in the press. But when you get to talk to him with out the mic or cameras in front of him. One can feel his passin and enjoyment in the sport.

I ceratinly do hope that he can make it in the WInter Olympics. Would it not be great to have a pure Filipino who can represent the country in one of the hardest sports. I wonder... How many of these kids are out there who is bringing glory to our country that we haven't heard about. I woukd call them the future heroes and definitely unsung.

For those people who's non stop dedication to their field and continously bringing glory to make us to be proud to be Filipinos. I salute you.