Despite his fame as a figure skater, Winter Olympian Michael Martinez is having a hard time finding financial sponsors for his bid to enter the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
He is currently in New Jersey with his coach Nikolai Morozov to prepare for the 2021 Nebelhorn Trophy, which is happening from September 22 to 25 in Germany
FIGURE skater and two-time Winter Olympian Michael Martinez has launched a campaign to raise money which he will use on his training for the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.
Martinez is the first figure skater from Southeast Asia to compete in the Olympics.
He first participated at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where he was the only Filipino athlete; then went on to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
Martinez won the silver medal at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.
The 24-year-old Martinez started a GoFundMe campaign called “Michael Martinez—Road to 2022 Winter Olympics.” With the goal to raise $49,320 or about P2.4 million to be used for his training for the Olympics.
“My team and I have organized a fund-raising campaign called Michael Martinez -Road to 2020 Winter Olympics to help out with some of the training expenses for the reason that I currently don’t have sponsors yet,” Martinez wrote on his Facebook page which has over 600,000 followers.
He is currently in New Jersey with his coach Nikolai Morozov to prepare for the 2021 Nebelhorn Trophy, which is happening from September 22 to 25 in Germany.
“He never wavers despite the risks of the virus. But because of health crisis, it has been difficult to find sponsors to help him in his journey,” according to the GoFundMe online drive, which was organized by Martinez’s pal Geoffried Viz.
The monthly cost of Martinez’s training is deemed at around $16,000 which is roughly P776,800, which covers the coach’s fee, venue rent, accommodation, meals, medical expenses and supplies.
“So I am humbly reaching out to you to join me on my journey towards the 2022 Winter Olympics and bring recognition once again to the Philippines,” he said.
(NP)
Tags: #figureskating, #MichaelMartinez, #2022WinterOlympics