POC scouts for athletes for 2026 Winter Games

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) will start searching for Filipino athletes who could qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano and Cortina in Italy, according to POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

The POC will encourage the Philippine Ski and Snowboard Federation (PSSF) and Philippine Skating Union (PSU) to immediately start their campaign for the 2026 Winter Games.

Tolentino said, “It’s time to look for other talents not only in Alpine skiing but also in other events like figure skating, bobsleigh, curling, snowboard and freestyle and cross-country skiing. I believe that there’re a lot of talents abroad with Filipino blood who can represent the country.”

Asa Miller was the country’s lone representative in the Beijing Winter Games in the men’s giant slalom and slalom where he didn’t finish in both races.

Tolentino said the POC will not hesitate to recruit more athletes through the help of PSSF president Jim Apelar and PSU head Nikki Cheng.

The Philippines was the first tropical nation—also from Southeast Asia—to participate in the Winter Olympics with cousins Ben Nanasca and Juan Cipriano qualifying for Alpine skiing in the 1972 Sapporo Games.

Only four other Filipinos made it to the Winter Games — Luger Raymond Ocampo (1988 Calgary), Alpine skier Michael Turuel (1992 Albertville), figure skater Michael Christian Martinez (2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang) and Miller (Pyeongchang and Beijing).

Apelar believes Miller will return for his third Winter Olympis, but named five other potential youngsters who has bright future in winter sports — 19-year-old Alpine skier Brandon Leitner; 21-year-old freestyle mogul skier Melvin Kangas; 24-year-old snowboard athlete Adrian Lee Tongko; and 19-year-old skier Ana Noelle Wahleithner.

Cheng said her NSA is confident on 18-year-old short track speed skater Julian Macaraeg and 16-year-old figure skater Sofia Frank.