Michael Christian Martinez, the lone Filipino contender to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics is set to receive $10,000 bonus or approximately P447,107 from businessman and TV5’s top honcho Manny V. Pangilinan or popularly known as MVP through MVP Sports Foundation.
Photo Credit: Michael Christian Martinez Facebook page
Michael Christian Martinez, the first Olympic figure skater from Southeast Asia made an outstanding performance and finished as 19th placer in the medal round of the men’s figure skating in Sochi, Russia with a total score of 184.25 points.
“Just emailed Mrs. Martinez that MVPSF (Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation) at request of @iamMVP (Manny V. Pangilinan) has authorized a bonus of US$10k in recognition of Michael’s historic performance,” Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes (@coachot) posted on his Twitter account on Saturday, February 15, 2014.
Chot Reyes who works with MVP Sports Foundation is the head coach of Gilas Pilipinas which is set to compete in the 2014 Fiba World Cup in Spain in August 2014.
“We’re hoping he makes it and some companies support him,” Maria Teresa Martinez, the mother of Michael Christian Martinez said in an interview. “Otherwise he will just have to stop. We cannot afford it anymore. It’s just so expensive and we can’t do another four years.”
According to the previous reports, the house of the 17-year-old Filipino athlete had been mortgaged in order to support him on the competition.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu won the gold medal, while Patrick Chan of Canada received the silver, and Denis Ten from Kazakhstan got the bronze during the comeptition.
