Miller hopes to make heads turn

Fil-American skier Asa Miller aims to make an impact in his debut performance at the 2018 Winter Olympics when he competes in the men’s giant slalom today at the Yongpyong Alpine Centre in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The 17-year-old Miller makes his first run at 10:15 a.m. (9:15 a.m. in Manila), along with 65 other entries, with the medal run scheduled at 1:45 p.m. (12:45 p.m. in Manila) on the same day.

Born and raised in Portland, Oregon to an American father and a Filipina mother, Polly from Santa Cruz, Manila, Miller reached the baseline qualifications to earn a berth in the Games after racing around the United States and gaining points in several international competitions in Sweden, Australia and New Zealand, to name a few.

His family and friends set up an online fund-raising campaign to finance his training and competitions abroad.

Along with his coach Eliot Bradford and father Kelly, Miller arrived in Pyeongchang a week before his event to acclimatize to the venue.

He suffered a fall on his first day of training at the piste, ski run of compacted snow, similar to the competition course, but quickly adjusted in the coming days.

“They are using radio units para makita yung porma or efficient skiing niya at ma-evaluate ni coach,” said Philippines’ chief of mission Tom Carrasco, who was with the six-man PH contingent.