PH ice skaters ‘looking to win a medal’
HARBIN, China—Isabella Gamez and Aleksandr Korovin blazed a trail in a territory unfamiliar to a tropical nation like the Philippines.
They could break more barriers in the figure skating competitions of the 9th Asian Winter Games set to kick off on Tuesday.
“We are confident with our training leading up to this, as we keep the same mentality in every competition that we participate in,” said Gamez, who will figure in the pair skating short program event with the Filipino-Russian Korovin.
Both are the first pair from Southeast Asia and the Philippines to qualify and compete in the final segment of the 2023 World Figure Skating Championships. They are likewise the first international medalists for the country in pairs skating.
“We are looking to win a medal. It could be a bronze for Isabella and Aleksandr,” said Philippine Skating Union president Nikki Cheng.
The ice skating chief’s fearless forecast didn’t rise out of thin air.
‘Strong confidence’
Gamez and Korovin, who finally got their naturalization papers late last year, accomplished a feat no Filipino had ever achieved when both seized silver medals from the Trophee Metropole Nice Cote d’Azur in 2022 and 2024.
“They developed a strong sense of confidence backed by months of rigorous training and unwavering mental preparation. It’s going to be a tough field, but I believe they are ready,” said coach Abraham Domdom.
Freestyle skier Laetaz Amihan Rabe will also start her medal bid in the women’s freeski slopestyle event at the Yabuli Alpine Ski Resort, a one-hour train ride from this wintry northernmost city near the Russian border.
So far, Team Philippines has been doing well in men’s and women’s team curling.
Although the women’s squad absorbed its first setback in three games on Monday, they remain in strong contention to breeze through the round-robin phase going into the medal stage.
The men’s side, meanwhile, bounced back from a stinging defeat to Korea with a methodical 4-1 victory over Kazakhstan.
Curlers fall
Japan rallied in the last four ends to beat the Filipino women curlers spearheaded by skip Kathleen Dubberstein and Leilani Sumbillo An, 6-4, at Harbin Pingfang District Curling Arena.
The national quintet, which also features vice-skip Sheila Mariano, lead Anne Bonache and alternate Jennifer dela Fuente, grabbed the second and third ends for a 4-1 advantage before Japan’s Ai Matsunaga and Suzune Yasui conspired in wiping out the deficit.
With a 2-1 record following a 13-1 blowout triumph over Qatar on Sunday night, the women’s national team faces Kazakhstan and Thailand on Tuesday followed by host China and powerhouse Korea the next day.
They should wind up in the top four after the nine-team round-robin for a spot in the semifinals on Thursday.
Filipino-Swiss siblings Marc and Enrico Pfister joined forces with lead Alan Frei and vice skip Christian Haller in the victory over Kazakhstan, erasing the defeat at the hands of South Korea, 6-1, during the event opener on Sunday.
