MANILA, Philippines – After making history in 2014 by becoming the first figure skater from Southeast Asia to compete in the Winter Olympics, Michael Christian Martinez is hoping to add another medal to his collection when he participates in the Southeast Asian Games in 2017.
 
For the first time, two winter sports – ice hockey and ice skating – will be contested in the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
 
“I’m targeting gold, of course,” said Martinez, who finished 19th overall in the men’s figure skating competition in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
 
“I think we do have an advantage sa figure skating, especially now that other Filipino skaters that are training here are working really hard to improve their skills,” he added.
 
Martinez should be among the favorites in the 2017 SEA Games but the 19-year-old skater is not letting the pressure get to him.
“Yes, there’s pressure,” he said, “But like they say, diamonds are built under pressure.”
 
Martinez concluded his season last March when he placed 19th overall in the World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, and will conduct two skate camps in the Philippines before returning to the United States for more training.
 
He will return to Manila in August for the Asian Trophy.
 
“My main goal is always to improve from my season-best,” said Martinez, who along with his coaches have already developed his short program and free skate program for the upcoming season.
 
“This year, of course, I’ll be working hard to… perfect my two new programs, which I really love to do, and then to improve my season scores,” he added.