MANILA — Figure skater Diane Gabrielle “Gaby” Panlilio hopes to make the country proud when she competes in the International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix in Richmond, Canada this week.
Panlilio is the only Filipino entered in the tournament to be held at the Minoru Arenas on Sept. 12-15.
A total of 24 countries are joining the competition, with host Canada having the most number of entries at 15, followed by the United States (14), Russsia (11), Japan (10), and Australia (9).
Panlilio has trained for two months in the United States under Korean Ryu Jong Hyun in preparation for the Grand Prix. Ryu is one of the coaches of Olympic champion Kim Yuna.
Panlilio, who will turn 15 on Sept. 30, also has a new program designed by Karen Kwan, a sister of former US skating legend Michelle Kwan.
“My only expectation in the Grand Prix is to be able to execute on my new program in preparation for upcoming events in October and November,” the 10th grader at St. Paul’s College in Pasig City said in an online interview on Tuesday.
“Whatever comes with the good program execution will help boost my confidence. I hope to at least finish ahead of all SEA skaters,” said Panlilio, who left for Canada with her mother, Jennifer, and coach Dale Marcus Feliciano on Monday.
The tournament in Canada, which is the first Junior Grand Prix this season, will also gauge Panlilio’s skills as she is also preparing for the SEA Games, which the Philippines will host next year.
After Canada, she is set to compete in the Asian Junior Championships next month in Hong Kong and the Nationals in November in Manila.
Panlilio is the youngest Filipino and Southeast Asian skater to participate in the World Junior Grand Prix in Riga, Latvia last year.
She won the Philippine National Figure Skating Championship in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016, and was a silver medalist in 2013, 2015 and 2017.
Panlilio won the gold medal at the Ice Skating Institute (ISI) World Ice Figure Skating Challenge in Anaheim, California (2012) and the Asian Juniors Figure Skating Challenge in Hong Kong (2012-2015).
She was overall champion at the 2014 Southeast Asian Trophy in Bangkok, Thailand and finished fourth at the ISU World Development Trophy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in the same year.
She also won the Southeast Asia Challenge in Cebu City (2017) and placed third in the same tournament held in Bangkok, Thailand (2016). (Jean Malanum/PNA)
