MANILA, Philippines – Three Filipino athletes will participate in the upcoming Winter Youth Olympics, which will be held in Gangwon, South Korea from January 19 to February 1.
The compact Philippine team will consist of Peter Groseclose in short track speed skating, Avery Balbanida in cross-country skiing, and Laetaz Amihan Rabe in freestyle skiing.
Groseclose, 16, a Filipino-American, achieved the distinction of being the initial Filipino qualifier for the Games. He secured his spot by meeting the requirements during the 2023 International Skating Union (ISU) Junior World Short Track Speed Skating Championships held in Dresden, Germany, in February of the preceding year.
16-year-old Balbanida and 14-year-old Rabe secured quota slots in their specific events. Groseclose is set to participate in the 500-meter, 1000m, and 1,500m competitions. On the other hand, Balbanida will compete in the 7.5-kilometer classical and sprint freestyle events. Rabe will be participating in the girls’ big air and slopestyle competitions.
In the third week of January, the delegation, along with key officials from the Philippine Olympic Committee, led by President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, will leave for Korea to participate in the event.
“The Philippines may be a tropical country, the Olympic spirit knows no boundaries. It transcends climates, uniting us in the pursuit of excellence and the celebration of human potential,” Tolentino said in a social media post Thursday, Jan. 4.
“Our athletes are testaments to this Olympic spirit. They have defied limitations and embraced the challenge of competing in winter sports, demonstrating the Filipino determination,” he added.
This represents the Philippines’ third participation in the Winter Youth Olympic Games. In the 2020 edition hosted in Lausanne, Switzerland, the country was represented by alpine skier Ana Noelle Wahleithner and short track speed skater Julian Macaraeg.
The country first participated in the Games in 2012. During that time, figure skater Michael Martinez achieved a seventh-place finish, while Fil-Eritrean Abel Tesfamariam secured a 37th position in the giant slalom alpine skiing event.
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