Martinez finishes 28th, bows out of contention in Pyeongchang 2018

MANILA, Philippines – Despite a flawless routine Friday, Filipino Michael Christian Martinez failed to advance to the freeskate competition in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The 21-year-old Martinez posted a total score of 55.56 in the men’s single skating short program — 26.04 for technical elements and 29.52 for factored program components — which is good for 28th place.

Here's how the judges scored Michael Martinez's short program routine pic.twitter.com/tu4jO3GViS

— Olmin Leyba (@olminleyba) February 16, 2018

But it wasn’t enough for Martinez to move on to the freeskate round as only the Top 24 out of 30 competitors gain the right to advance.

The 2014 Sochi Olympian confidently took the rink as the sixth performer and skated to Vanessa Mae’s “Emerald Tiger,” turning in an error-free number. But it was a performance that hardly stood out from the highly competitive field.

Martinez appeared to play it safe and took minimal risk in his routine, with broadcast commentators describing his footwork as “basic.”

The 2015 Asian champion, who missed outright qualification to the Pyeongchang meet, earned the ticket after the re-allocation process. He joins Filipino-American alpine skier Asa Miller, a qualifier, in the lean Philippine delegation.

Martinez is the first Filipino to represent the country in the Winter Olympics. He is likewise the first skater from Southeast Asia and the first athlete from a tropical country to make it to the quadrennial sports meet.