MANILA, Philippines - Short track speed skating is in the SEA Games calendar as one of three sports to be played on Aug. 30, the last day of competition in Kuala Lumpur, and Fil-Am contender Kathryn Magno is optimistic of a podium finish in the 500 and 1,000 meter events. The other sports in the schedule on the final day are diving and weightlifting.
Magno, 27, is the only Philippine entry in short track speed skating where six gold medals are at stake in the men’s and women’s divisions. Because she’s a single entry, the Philippines will not compete in the 3,000-meter relay.
“I feel good,” Magno told The Star. “I’ve worked very hard to prepare for this. I learned a lot skating against Olympic and world champions at the Asian Winter Games in Sapporo this year. There were 93 skaters from 17 countries. I’ve realized the importance of off-ice training. Over the last two months, I trained six hours a day, four in the gym and two on ice, six days a week. I know it’ll be tough in K. L. One of the favorites is Malaysia’s Anya Chong. I’m prepared to race her. I’m excited and ready.” Chong, 23, was born in Singapore and competes for Malaysia. She’s a former figure skater like Magno. In 2013, Chong placed second in the junior class at the ISU World Development Short Track Speed Skating Trophy.
Magno, who was born in San Jose, California, to Filipino parents from Isabela, was introduced to skating by her mother Nelly at the age of five. Her first ice sport was figure skating and in 2008, she took the silver at the Philippine Nationals. A year later, she performed in two Junior Grand Prix in France and Austria. But after graduating from the Art Institute in Sunnyvale in 2012, Magno decided to focus on a career in graphic design. Then, two years later, the lure of the ice brought her back to skating.
“I missed the ice,” she said. “So when I went back, I thought of trying something new, short track speed skating. I love challenging myself and I missed the training for competition. So with the help of Mr. (Pocholo) Veguillas (Philippine Skating Union president), I got to represent the country in speed skating at the Asian Open in SM Megamall in 2014. In my first competition, I took the bronze in the 500, 1,000 and 1,500-meter events. Last year, I won the gold in those three events at the Tri-Series Southeast Asia Cup in Singapore.”
Magno said she picked up valuable tips to improve her technique from 1994 Winter Olympics 500-meter gold medalist and 1995 world champion Ji Hoon Chae of South Korea. Her father Rudy will be her coach when the competition reels off at the Empire City Ice Arena in K. L. on Tuesday.
Magno said she has no regrets leaving figure skating for speed skating. “I wanted to focus on only one event, either figure skating or speed skating,” she said. “It’s kind of lonely in figure skating because you’re on your own unlike in speed skating where there’s a face-off. I enjoy the competitive vibe in speed skating. It’s not subjective like in figure skating. Right now, I’m training a group of Filipino skaters, some as young as nine years old, with the SM Group’s support. I think the Philippines has a bright future in speed skating.”