Philippines’ Asa Miller competes in the Men’s Giant Slalom at the Jeongseon Alpine Center during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang on February 18, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Fabrice COFFRINI
MANILA, Philippines—Asa Miller is expected to put on better showing in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics as compared to his campaign from four years ago in PyeongChang.
American coach Will Gregorak said his student is fully capable of breaking into the top 45 in either the slalom and giant slalom events of the Winter Games, a big improvement from Miller’s 70th place finish in 2018.
“We’re going to see some good skiing from Asa. And if he skis what he’s capable of, he’s capable of top 45, easily,” said Gregorak. “I see him develop not only technically, but as a competitor.”
Miller competed in the giant slalom event in South Korea in the previous Games finishing 70th, out of 110 competitors, with a time of 1:27.52.
This time, however, Miller added the slalom event in his list of competitions as the Philippines’ lone representative in China.
“He understands himself a lot better and ski racing is such a very variable sport that anything can happen on race day. So you have to go to the game charging with a lot of intensity—and there’s always a lot of risks involved,” said Gregorak.
The 31-year-old, a former alpine skier himself, added Miller already has the confidence of taking on the slope at Ice River Course of the National Alpine Skiing Centre.
“My first impression of the slope is it gets steeper and icier, it’s a very legit hill so it’s going to be an intense and high level skiing,” said Gregorak. “But Asa is not backing off from the very intimidating pitch, skiing confidently and looks like he’s doing very well mentally to prepare himself on what type of skiing he will put down on the race deck.”