Balbanida, last man standing for PH Team in Youth Winter Olympics

Photo: Avery Uriel Balbanida and coach Allison McArdle

GANGWON, South Korea—Avery Uriel Balbanida has the entire weekend to adapt to the Korean snow ahead of his first event on Monday in the Fourth Winter Youth Olympic Games

Balbanida, 16, is entered in the men’s sprint freestyle on Monday and 7.5-km classic skiing on Tuesday at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre.

He’s here with his Canada-based Australian coach Allison McArdle.

“It’s truly an experience that I want to save here and just like I said before, the chance to ski with the greatest skiers of my age is something of a chance I cannot pass,” said Balbanida, a taekwondo blackbelt who’s also into roller sports. “So I’m going to take my time and enjoy the moment.”

The 11^th grader at the All Saints High School in Calgary City stares at a start list of 80 skiers in his first event and expects athletes from Norway, Finland, and Sweden as his toughest foes.

But he vowed to give the competition his best.

“I want to try my best and I’m honored to be here,” he said. “Pressured? It will help me more to be motivated and it gives me more drive.”

Balbanida is the third Filipino athlete who qualified for these games with speed skater Peter Joseph Groseclose already having flown back to the US and freestyle skier Laetaz Amihan Rabe expected to return to Geneva on Monday.

Groseclose sustained a foot injury in the 500 meters while Rabe hurt her knee and didn’t start in her events.

McArdle told Balbanida to enjoy the moment as a young athlete.

“Just enjoy the experience of competing with the best young cross-country athletes around the world,” McArdle said. “We don’t have a specific goal, we just hope he tries the best he can and enjoys the competition.”

Groseclose, meanwhile, promised to gain from his experience here.

“I’m going to continue competing in the World Cups, Junior World Cups, and even the world championships,” he said. “And I hope to compete in the 2026 Olympics in Italy.”

“I got some good racing experience and this competition has refined my abilities,” he added.