Skating gold within reach: Martinez tops Triglav Trophy short program
Michael Christian Martinez AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Filipino Michael Martinez emerged on top of the leader board after the short skate round of the senior’s division of the Triglav Trophy international figure skating tournament in Jesenice, Slovenia.
Martinez, who made a name for himself for being the Philippines’ lone Winter Olympian in Sochi, Russia earlier this year, garnered 63.29 points (33.86 Technical + 29.43 component) heading into the free skate round.
The 17-year-old Martinez will skate last on Sunday (Slovenia time) with the gold medal within reach.
Japan’s Keiji Tanaka came in at second with 63.08 points, Great Britain’s Phillip Harris at third with 60.66 points, and Ryuju Hino, another Japanese, finished fourth with 59.26 markers.
Rounding out the top seven were Norway’s Sondre Oddvoll Boe (54.69), Austria’s Mario-Rafael Ionian (52.59), and Korea’s June Hyoung Lee (46.62).
Meanwhile, Filipino-American Samantha Cabiles, who represents the Philippines, finished 6th out of 22 in the Junior Ladies’ short program of the competition.
Cabiles, who was born and raised in Hawaii, notched 36.96 points in the first round.
Kazakhstan’s Yelizabet Turnsynbayeva led all the competitors with 48.97points.
The Triglav Trophy is an annual competition featuring three levels of competition: Novice, Junior, and Senior.
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