Groseclose puts Phl bid in motion

GANGWON, South Korea — The Philippines sends speedskater Peter Groseclose out Saturday in the 1,500-meter short track as competitions in the Fourth Winter Youth Olympics Games get going at the 12,000-seat Gangneung Ice Arena.

Although it is his weakest event, Groseclose has vowed to go the extra mile.

“To be honest, it is my weakest distance, but I’m not bad at it, I’m more of a sprinter and this is more of an endurance race,” said the 16-year-old Washington DC-based Groseclose on Fridat.

“But I will do my best and I can be competitive to it,” added Groseclose, who had to skip Friday’s opening ceremony so as not to tire himself for the first of his three events in these games.

The games opened simultaneously at the GangneungOval and Pyeongchang Dome on Friday with freestyle skier Laetaz Amihan Rabe as the lone flag-bearer during the parade.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan and chef de mission Ada Milby attended the opening ceremony.

‘Short track is very unpredictable.’

Groseclose is coached in the United States by Simon Cho but is being handled here by John-Henry Krueger, who clinched a speedskating silver for the US at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics.

“Short track is very unpredictable. So as a coach, I want him to focus on every race just one at a time and not thinking too far down the road,” said Krueger, who also shared the mixed team bronze medal as a naturalized athlete for Hungary in Beijing two years ago.

“If that’s a good race, that’s great. If that’s bad, we have to focus on the next,” he said. “There’s no point looking far down the road as the field is too competitive.”

Host entries Jaehee Yoo and Yousung Kim are the favorites for the gold in the field of 33 bets.

“The general consensus is (host) South Korea is the most powerful team in the World Cup junior competitions, but I’m really glad and ready to compete against them so let’s see,” Groseclose said.

The 1500m — the longest in speedskating — is disputed among four to six athletes over a 111.111-meter oval. The event starts at 11 a.m. (10 a.m. in Manila).

“These Youth Olympics happen once in a lifetime, they happen every four years and I’m glad to have this opportunity to get an experience and be part of this event,” said Groseclose, who will also see action in the1000m on Sunday and 500m on Monday.

The third athlete on Team Philippines, Avery Balbanida, is arriving here on 25 January ahead of the cross-country skiing events on 29 and 30 January.