Amid the political bickering and finger-pointing after another dismal result for the Philippines in the 2008 Olympics, a 13-year old Filipino figure skater arrived from months of competitions in the United States last week. Her name is Anna Isabel "Issai" Villafuerte and she brought home 11 golds, six silvers and three bronze medals after competing for three months in the US.

Figure skating is a relatively new sport in the Philippines, catching on only in the last fifteen years or so after the opening of ice rinks in malls. It started as a leisure activity for curious kids and young adults fascinated with the ice. Soon, as bigger malls with bigger ice rinks emerged, that curiosity sparked a serious love for the sport. Children, mostly from the upper middle to the upper class, started enrolling in ice skating classes, dedicating more time for practice, and winning
local competitions.

The last five years have seen great success for local figure skaters, winning regional competitions every year. Last year, Issai Villafuerte became the first Philippine-born ice skater to qualify to compete in United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) sanctioned events. The United States has stricter standards compared to our region. An ice skater looking to compete in an Olympic/or USFSA event must pass a stringent series of tests to compete in qualifying competitions. She made it after undergoing a series of rigorous tests conducted by the USFSA.

This is a giant leap figure skating in the Philippines and I can't help but think of it as the first small step towards Olympic glory for the country . I know that Filipino skaters have a long way to go before they can compete in the Olympics but with Issai's recent success, isn't it a sign of the gold medal potential of the sport for the Philippines? Isn't it about time for our sports managers to focus more on figure skating and develop it into one of our flagship sports? We are known for our singing and dancing worldwide. Our culture excels in music and the arts. Figure skating is a sport that is anchored on these, combining athleticism and artistry, strength and grace. It is a sport where we'll definitely stand out given the proper training and support.

Postscript: The bickering and finger-pointing is a symptom of a long-standing sickness plaguing Philippine sports - politics. There are too many politicians in Philippine sports, transforming it into another circus like the one they once served, our government. Let's get rid of these leeches and replace them with professionals. This may be the only way to bring back the glory to Philippine sports.

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