Camille Naredo

American Olympic figure skaters and U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame recipients Maia and Alex Shibutani guide young skaters at the SM Mall OF Asia Ice Skating rink in Pasay City on February 25, 2025. They are visiting the country to teach young skaters techniques and moves on Ice Dancing.

American Olympic figure skaters and U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame recipients Maia and Alex Shibutani guide young skaters at the SM Mall OF Asia Ice Skating rink in Pasay City on February 25, 2025. They are visiting the country to teach young skaters techniques and moves on Ice Dancing. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Ice Skating

Romwel Anzures

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1740469508631IMG_8443.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Filipino figure skating star Micheal Martinez (rightmost) with his students during a clinic on Tuesday, February 25, at the MOA Ice Rink in Pasay. Photo from Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Filipino figure skating star and coach Micheal Martinez (rightmost) with his students during a clinic on Tuesday, February 25, at the MOA Ice Rink in Pasay. <em>Photo from Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News.</em></span></span></span>MANILA — Filipino figure skating star Michael Martinez stepped foot on the ice rink anew on Tuesday morning.</div><p>It was not to compete, however, as the Winter Olympian, together with American Olympic figure skaters and U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame recipients Maia and Alex Shibutani, held a clinic for young hopefuls on Tuesday at the MOA Ice Rink in Pasay.</p><p>“I’m very honored that I get to skate with them and learn so much from them,” Martinez said during his media availability. “I’m also very excited for my students, so hopefully, they take it all in.”</p><p>Aside from doing shows, the two-time Winter Olympian bared that he has been using most of his time on the coaching side -- a gig that now has pretty much been full-time for him.</p><p>“It’s a great feeling, that I get to share my knowledge and see them improve,” he said. ”We have a lot of up-and-coming skaters, especially in the senior levels.”</p><p>Despite being in a tropical country, Martinez believes that the hopefuls from the Philippines can excel in winter sports as well. Among the testaments to this was not only the success he got from skating, but also the country&#x27;s curling gold in the men’s division of the sport at the 9th Asian Winter Games.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/2/14/philippines-shocks-korea-captures-first-ever-gold-medal-in-asian-winter-games-1227">READ: Philippines shocks Korea, captures first-ever gold medal in Asian Winter Games</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/2/18/ph-mens-curling-team-receives-incentives-after-historic-gold-1608">READ: PH men&#x27;s curling team receives incentives after historic gold</a></div><p>“It does say a lot about us, and hopefully, Filipinos won’t restrict ourselves to summer sports,” he pointed out. “We can excel in winter sports, especially us, Filipinos, natural sa atin yung performer, so they should try figure skating and ice dance. There is a lot of potential.”</p><p>But while he still sees himself contributing to the continuous rise of winter sports in the country, Martinez said that it is more of him serving as a mentor rather than being a skater.</p><p>“I really want to go back,” he said. “Seeing my skaters and seeing everybody compete, I do want to go back, but it’s hard for me to juggle coaching and skating. It’s very difficult for us to juggle our time.”</p><p>“As a skater, I get to represent and show what I can really do. But when you’re a coach, you get to share your knowledge. Actually, I never thought of it before, but now as a coach, it’s such a big responsibility pala siya. You study constantly, you learn, and it doesn’t end there.”</p><p>“It doesn’t stop, but I really enjoy doing it. I’ve been coaching for nine years na, it’s been very long na pala. I started coaching in the US, and then I’ve coached here for more than three years na,” added Martinez, whose last Winter Olympics was in the Pyeongchang edition in 2018. <strong></strong><br/></p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABUvBcqxvviIneMG"></script>

<p>Filipino figure skating star Michael Martinez stepped foot on the ice rink anew.</p>

Filipino figure skating star Michael Martinez stepped foot on the ice rink anew.

Now a coach, Michael Martinez focused on helping next generation of PH skaters

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Now a coach, Michael Martinez focused on helping next generation of PH skaters

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 25, 2025 04:22 PM PHT

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Updated Feb 26, 2025 12:03 AM PHT

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