AFTER his third and last figure skating program at the Megamall Ice Skating Rink, the next time Filipinos will see Michael Christian Martinez perform in public will be in Sofia, Bulgaria next month.
No wonder lapped up the performance of the sole Philippine representative to the Sochi Olympics on Tuesday, his jumps, spins and spirals to the sound of Bohemian Rhapsody punctuated by applause and shouts from the hundreds of people who patiently waited for the young Olympian.
“Have you seen me perform? Thank you very much for staying up late and watching me in the Olympics … Thank you so much for your prayer. Nakakaiyak ang suporta niyo sa akin, grabe,” he said during his meet and greet event. The first 20 people who bought tickets at the ice rink were given a chance to get autographs and a photo taken with the celebrated figure skater.
“Maybe after my competition in Junior Worlds and if I go here I can teach you,” Martinez said.
Probably the loudest screams came when he admitted he does not have a girlfriend.
“No I’m still waiting for the perfect one,” he said sheepishly.
The teenager shared he was a fan of anime and is a fan of Japanese Olympic gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu.
Fans gave him stuffed toys and several supporters even made sketches of the young athlete. The Olympian was surprised when one of his female fans kissed him on the cheek.
After the meet and greet, Martinez once more took to the ice where he repeated his performance for the benefit of the Sy Family, the owners of the giant mall chain and one of his staunchest supporters.
During a brief press conference, he explained that figure skating actually lessened his asthma attacks.
Martinez was 13 when said he was prompted to train in Colorado Springs after a local coach advised him to go to the US to see how veterans and top-level skaters trained.
He said it was a point of pride when, as the lone Filipino representative to the Winter Olympics, he carried the Philippine flag during the opening ceremonies. That and the moment when he competed and qualified for the final round were his most memorable moments in the quadrennial event.
“I felt so very proud that I’m marching there as the flag-bearer. That I finally made everyone proud, my mother proud. That I finally made history,” he recalled.
He said his present goal is to win a medal in the next Olympics.
The young athlete also expressed surprise that with his sudden popularity, he can no longer do some of the things he took for granted such as skate in the mall or commute in public.
His mother Teresa, who was recording a video on her smartphone, suddenly wept as Michael expressed his gratitude for her support in pursuing his dreams to become a world-class figure skater.
“Thank you, ma, sa lahat ng suporta mo. Thank you sa pagmahal mo sa akin. I cannot ask for anything else. I’m really thankful that God gave me my mother,” he said.
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