MANILA, Philippines – 21-year-old Filipino figure skater Michael Martinez has started his training for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.

Martinez only had a short time to prepare since he only learned that he will be part of the competition three weeks before the games start on February 9.

Martinez took over the slot of Swedish figure skater Alexander Majorov, who was pulled out of the competition by the Swedish Olympic Committee.

Majorov qualified for the men's Olympic figure skating competition by placing the 7th in the European Championships, but the he fell short of the scores set by the Swedish Olympic Committee.

He received a confirmation from the Philippine Skating Union and the Philiippine Olympic Committee that they will be sending him to South Korea in February.

He has been working harder to ensure that he lands his hump every single time, he has also been practicing his split spins which has become a challenge due to some back issues, but he hopes to push through with the move as part of his routine.

Martinez is based in Southern California, where he trains under former Ukranian Olympian coach Vyachelsav Zagorodnuyk (Coach Slava). “I cried when I found out and rushed on the ice to tell my coach,” added Martinez.

This will be his third appearance in the Olympics. He first competed at the 2012 Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria.

In the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, he was the first Filipino figure skater to represent the country.

The 2018 Winter Olympics will be held from February 9 to 25 in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Let’s get to know more Michael Martinez:

1. Michael Christian Martinez (Filipino) was born on November 4, 1996 in Parañaque City, Philippines, the youngest of three children.
2. He and his two older siblings were raised in Paranaque and Muntinlupa Cities. His mother and also his former coach, Maria Teresa Martinez, is a single parent.
3. He began skating at the age of 9 at the SM Southmall ice rink.
4. At 13 (2009), he missed two months after a skating blade cut his thigh in Manila. At 14 (2010), he began spending several months a year in California, United States working with John Nicks and Ilia Kulik.
5. He debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series in the 2010–11 season. In 2011, he tore two ligaments in his ankle, leading to three months of recovery. In 2012, he tore a medial ligament in his knee and was off the ice for three months.
6. After finishing the 2013 World Junior Figure Skating Championships in fifth place, he is the first skater from Southeast Asia and from a tropical country to qualify for the Olympics, and the only athlete to represent the Philippines at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He bags 19th place overall at the age of 17.
7. He is the 2015 Asian Figure Skating Trophy champion (winning gold), a two-time Triglav Trophy champion and has won one ISU Challenger Series medal, silver at the 2014 Warsaw Cup.
8. He also nabbed a silver medal in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, where he landed on his first quad toe in his career.
9. Before fame, he made his International Skating Union debut in the 2010 to 2011 Junior Grand Prix. Three years later, he qualified for the Olympics after finishing seventh at the 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy event.
10. He is an anti-asthma advocate. He began experiencing asthmatic bronchitis when he was just two months old but this didn’t stop him from becoming an Olympic skater. The cold rink helped him improve his health.
11. Favorite food: rice, meat, vegetables, and fruits. For breakfast, rice, eggs, meat, fruits and milk. For lunch and dinner, fish or meat, fruits, vegetables and juice. He loves Korean BBQ and sinigang.”
12. Regular Vitamins: Vitamin C. He get nutrients more from the food he eat than from supplements.”
13. Regular workout: He works on his whole body, focusing more on his core strength and upper body for his jumps.”
14. Likes in a girl: “Pretty face and long hair. I admire a kind-hearted lady.”
15. Hours of sleep per night: “Normally, eight hours. But on Sundays which is my rest day, I get 10 to 12 hours.”
16. Means of relaxation: watching movies, shopping, malling, strolling at a theme park, dining out, taking photos, and playing computer games.
17. Favorite sport: “I used to cross-train in gymnastics when I was younger. But now it’s just figure skating.”
18. Favorite city: “Tokyo. There are many things I like about Tokyo --- the food, a lot of electronic stores, lots of shopping places, high-standard of service, easy to go around by train and a safe place to tour.”
19. Favorite hideaway: “I go to the park, sit quietly and relax or listen to music or take some photos.”
20. Inspiration in life: “My family. If not for my mother, I would have not made it to the Olympics. I’ve been to two Olympics, first the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics and then the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Our mom is a hero to us because even if she’s a single parent, she manages to bring up three kids. My siblings inspire me, too. My brother and sister are very supportive.”
21. Biggest challenge in life: “Being sickly as a child was very difficult. It became more challenging when I started to become a competitive skater because I had difficulties during intense training because of my asthma.”