History on Ice
/“The essential thing in life is not so much conquering as fighting well.”
-Baron Pierre de Coubertin, reviver of the Olympic Games, the Modern Era
This week, another first in Philippine sports history was achieved when Isabella Gamez and skating partner Aleksander Korovin become the first ever (“Filipino,” wink-wink) Pairs figure skaters to have competed in the ISU 2023 World Figure Skating Championships in progress at Saitama, Japan. (Notice, strangely, like 1972, this is in Japan again.) It also made them the first pair from Southeast Asia—to represent the region at a bonafide International Skating Union (ISU) world championships.
The first-ever Pairs figure skaters to represent the Philippines at a world championships, Isabella Gamez and Aleksander Korovin in their Philippine Skating Union jackets.
This development is about as historic and ground-breaking as the Jamaican men’s bobsled team (the movie “Cool Runnings”) getting Olympic time at Calgary 1988—non-winter athletes coming from a tropical country like the Philippines which normally sends warm-blooded boxers, runners, weightlifters and billiards players to international meets.
Of course, the femme half of the history-making pair accounting for the Philippine connection, is Isabella Gamez. She is, yes, once again, a Fil-American, but this time, she and Aleksander (from Russia) will be skating under the auspices of the Philippine Skating Union (PSU).
Pairs, Not Ice Dance
For those not aware of the distinction between Pairs and Ice Dance, they are two different disciplines. “Pairs” is the older, more acrobatic category of the two. Among the other easy-to-spot major differences between the two partnered ice disciplines are:
1. At first glance, when you see the woman significantly smaller than her male partner, then it’s usually Pairs. Because the man has to lift the woman overhead several times, it is therefore ideal for the woman to be petite and the man broad-shouldered and strong in order to execute those aerial routines safely. Until they were banned from international competition last year, most of the Russian Pairs skaters doggedly adhered to this template because it produces the best results.
2. In Ice Dance, both partners are closer in height to each other because it looks good and at times don the more frou-frou costumes. There is no need for in-the-air acrobatics of derring-do (although there is some), and inventive choreographic interpretation of the music is the primary criterion of Ice Dance.
3. Of the two disciplines, Pairs is the more daring with the man throwing the woman into the air and/or lifting her above his head with one arm. Dance allows less gravity-defying lifts that may look as dangerous but are supposed to be safer.
4. Listen to the commentary from seasoned commentators. If you hear terms like “throw loops,” “side-be-side salchows,” “star lift,” or the scary “death spiral,” then you are watching Pairs. In Dance, “twizzles” is its unique, Dance-dedicated term not found in Pairs, as are “choreographic line” and “serpentine step” sequences.
Florida-Born and Bred
As noted, Isabella is Fil-Am, having been born and raised in the Sunshine State. She is the youngest of five daughters of neurologist Dr. Gerardo Gamez and his wife, Victoria Webb Ramirez, immigrants to the US since the 1980s. Of course, Dr. Gamez, being a successful physician, helped finance daughter Isabella’s figure skating dreams a long way at the start since it is an expensive sport.
Isabella began her skating career at the early age of six, as a singles skater for US Figure Skating (USFS). In 2015, age sixteen, Isabella switched from Singles to Pairs with US partner Griffin Schwab and placed ninth at the 2017 US National Championships, in the Juniors category. That partnership did not last long, and the dissolution was quick and mutual.
Going International
By 2017, Isabella moved to Montreal, Canada, for her training and there, her new coaches hooked her up with Spanish skater Tón Cònsul. Because of her family’s Fil-Hispanic connections, it was easy enough to switch and skate with Cònsul for Spain. At the 2018 Junior World Championships, the young Spanish-Filipino pair finished in 13th place. Cònsul, however, quickly decided to retire from competitive skating thereafter.
Having spent time and vacations with family in the Philippines, Isabella always knew that she wanted to skate for her parents’ country—but how and when could it happen?
Back in Canada, the connection was realized via Edrian Celestino, a Fil-Canadian men’s singles skater who was already being sponsored by the PSU. Isabella reached out to PSU and at the same time, her coaches had lined up a new Pairs partner in Canadian David-Alexandre Paradis. The PSU was most enthusiastic in sponsoring a competitive Pairs team, ready to move into the Seniors level. Thus the pieces fell into place for the Philippines to have its first serious Pairs figure skating team.
Flags of Convenience
Switching flags for athletes with dual citizenship or bi-cultural backgrounds is common practice for those who come from countries with very deep ranks in certain sports (i.e., the USA, Russia, Canada, China for Pairs Figure Skating). By switching flags to another nation, one avoids the “traffic jam” in the powerhouse nation’s ranks and assures one of getting into a slot for the major competitions, even though one still has to meet certain minimum qualifying scores.
Isabella with David-Alexandre Paradis as Seniors, representing the Philippines at the 2019 Finlandia Trophy.
For that 2019-20 season when the new Gamez-Paradis team made their competitive debut, the duo raises the Pinoy flag as the first competitive Pairs duo for the Philippines (and Southeast Asia), starting with several Challenger Series competitions. That was a start; however, the next target still was qualifying for Worlds.
Covid, Invasions and Hurricanes
When the 2020 season wound down, Covid reared its ugly head as a global pandemic. This created enormous travel and training difficulties for Isabella and Paradis, causing them to split up. Also, Paradis wanted to go the coaching route.
But Isabella did not give up easily. In 2021, Isabella returned to Florida and trained with a new coach, Marina Zoueva, closer to home. Zoueva, normally a coach for ice dancers, had also found a new partner for Isabella. It was Aleksander Korovin, a seasoned Pairs skater, born 1994, from Pervouralsk, Russia. There was, of course, an adjustment period.
Of that time, Isabella recalled: “. . . he (Korovin) has a very strong European-Russian technique, and I had a very bold North American technique (for) which we had to find a common ground. We really took the time those (first) two years to meet in the middle for our skating and . . . really, really had to be patient (with) our contrasting techniques . . . we had to understand each other’s nerves and emotions and what we’re like.”
And taking on a new partner in 2021-22 with a Russian passport no less was particularly challenging.
Timing Is Everything
Before Korovin could officially be recognized for skating under another flag by the ISU, he had to be released by the Russian Figure Skating Federation (RFSF) first—just as Isabella was in skating for Spain and then, the Philippines. The RFSF, however, made Korovin, Isabella and the PSU wait nearly two years before releasing Aleksander.
In February 2022, Beijing hosted the last Winter Olympics. A few days after that, Russia attacked Ukraine without provocation. This was the same playbook Russian president Vladimir Putin launched two Winter Games earlier in 2014 when after their hosting of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, his army grabbed the Crimean part of Ukraine. In the intervening Olympic Games, with Russia becoming even bolder with massive drug cheating moves, the international sports powers become disinclined to put up with any more Russo nonsense.
Because of the wholesale drug cheating scandals (starting with London 2012) perpetrated by Russian sports officials and the pursuant chaos that caused in the re-awarding of as many as 78 cases of corrected placements—followed by the unconscionable invasion of Ukraine, the IOC, FIFA and other sports federations levied their own bans on Russian athletes. And the whole tragedy for the Russians was that they didn’t really have to cheat because they were, as in their Soviet past, already fielding the best trained athletes in the world.
Isabella recalls: “. . . While waiting for Aleksander’s release and sitting out Covid (spring 2022), we decided to spend time in Manila. I was very glad to introduce him to the PSU, PSC (Philippine Sports Commission), the local skating community and all the best spots of the Philippines, including the food! We then returned last December (2022) for Philippine Nationals in the middle of our competitive season . . . and were honored to be the first (and only) Philippine National Champions for Senior Pairs.”
Just think how far things have progressed. Nearly seventy years after Filipinos were treated to their first ice show, the Holiday on Ice revue at the 1953 Philippine International Fair in Luneta, with European and Japanese skaters owning the outdoor spotlight no less, here now was one of their own—a “long-lost” daughter returned home and, out of necessity, partnered with a taller pro from a distant, frozen land, going through their own daring paces on native Philippine “ice” (at enclosed state-of-the-art ice rinks at SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall), hoping for a shot at the big time. Were Korovin a full-blooded Filipino, one could almost say the circle would have been complete.
With those developments, more than ever, the belated pairing with Isabella and being sponsored by the PSU, could not have been more fortuitous as it opened up new opportunities for all involved. Timing was everything. (The PSU and PSC are the team’s full-time sponsors now.)
Trivia note: aside from the ice rinks for the imported ice shows—which are not open for public use—and before the SM ice rinks, the first public Filipino ice-skating rink was at the Araneta Center in Cubao, 1967-68. (That rink then became Nation Cinerama in October 1968, and today, the site of the Manhattan Parkview condos.)
Related ice story: When Filipinos Had Holidays on Ice — Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora
G-K’s International Debut in Late 2022
Just as the new Gamez-Korovin (G-K) pair was all set to make their debut at the 2022 Finlandia Trophy in early October, hurricane Ian hit Florida so hard that their home training arena, Hertz Arena in Estero, was quickly “de-iced” and converted into a relief shelter/emergency center. It seemed the only things missing G-K’s way were pestilence and a plague of locusts!
But the show had to go on. So in the final few days leading up to Finland, the G-K team scrambled for alternate arrangements to get even a few extra hours’ training in. The next closest available ice rink was some 90 miles up the road, just outside the Tampa area. Travel was an extra 1.5 hours each way from Fort Myers and the team had to settle for whatever “ice time” was still available.
By October 4, it was Espoo, Finland “here we come.” Here is the Long Program to G-K’s international debut at the 2022 Finlandia Trophy in October -- (3) 2 Isabella GAMEZ / Aleksandr KOROVIN PHI FS Finlandia Trophy 2022 - YouTube
Considering everything else the new team had to contend with, the pair finished a respectable 9th place. But G-K soldiered on and ten days later in France, at the Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur, they emerged in second place! Nonetheless, winning silver—the first medal ever for a Filipino team in Pairs Figure Skating—on only their second outing (although in a very narrow field of only seven couples) was astonishing and again, set a record of sorts for new partners.
At the 2022 Trophee Metropole France, winning the silver medal.
Two more competitions later, G-K scored 150.01 points (6th place) at the Challenger Cup in Tilburg, the Netherlands, securing their historic spot for the Philippines at the 2023 Worlds.
Here is the Short Program at Tilburg, Netherlands - Isabella Gamez & Alexander Korovin on Instagram: “WE DID IT! Isabella and Alexander completed a clean Short Program skate to earn their qualifying scores for the @isufigureskating World…”
Third Time a Lucky Charm?
Like the three colored fields/three stars on the Philippine flag, there were many “lucky third time” portents leading up to the historic quest:
1. Competing under the third and present flag, G-K qualified the Philippines for Worlds. (G-K’s qualification this year is also valid for the 2024 Worlds in Montreal, Canada.)
2. Gamez medals and makes that Worlds rung with her 3rd international partner. (Let’s call American Griffin Schwab a domestic partner.)
3. Gamez also is Korovin’s third competitive partner, the first two being Russian lady skaters.
4. By choosing to compete for the Philippines (with all its attendant difficulties), Isabella left behind three Fil-Am gals who reached the top of US skating ranks as Pairs skaters: Tai Babilonia (who actually won the 1979 Worlds title with Randy Gardner), Jessica Calalang and Amanda Evora, all stuck it out with US Figure Skating.
5. By this week’s Worlds, G-K filled in the 3rd slot (of the four figure skating disciplines)—Pairs. Previously, the Philippines has already sent Singles Men and Ladies entrants.
6. At these Worlds, the Philippines makes up the third Asian nation in the Pairs category, the other two being host Japan and one-time Pairs powerhouse China with only one couple each also. (The other 12 nations are North American, European and Australia.)
Grandpa Was an Olympian
On her mother’s side, Isabella’s grandfather is sporting-politico-media personality Freddie Webb. Grandpa Freddie was a one-time senator of the Philippines, actor and a member of the national basketball team which played in Munich 1972—hence, Isabella hopes to carry on the family’s Olympic legacy with the Winter Olympics at Milano-Cortina 2026 in her sights.
Even though Isabella just turned 24 and Aleksander 29, they are hoping that they have paired in time to qualify and peak for Milano 2026. Isabella would then be 27 and Aleksander 32, putting them just about at the upper and outer edge of eligibility and competitiveness. The long hours of training and dealing with injuries bear down on one’s athletic shelf life – while younger, fresher legs are yapping at one’s heels.
Then there is the question of Filipino citizenship for Aleksander. In order to compete for whichever (new) flag, IOC rules require that the athlete must carry the passport of the new country when s/he checks into the Olympic Village.
Because the Philippine Congress is known to be slow and stingy in granting Filipino citizenship to foreign-born males—as if it is even one of the most-sought after passports of the planet, Korovin and the PSU have already started his naturalization process this early—just coincidentally, three years before the Winter Games. For the sake of history, the Philippines hopefully gains a new, accomplished figure skating “son” in time for 2026.
Worlds and Milano-Cortina 2026 or Bust
It all began in 1908 when those first WC were held in the tsarist world of St. Petersburg, Russia, and today, for the first time that the Philippine flag is raised at the stadium, half of that couple, most paradoxically, is of Russian origin and training.
At press time, 23 couples (again with the numerology—23 pairs in year 2023) were slated to compete in Pairs. After the Short program, the top 20 advanced to the Long. Luckily, Isabella and Aleksander did not end up in the bottom three—hence, they successfully advanced to the Long/Free Skate portion. So it’s all a matter of history now in the record books.
Herewith the 2023 ISU world championships final scores, including those of Isabella and Aleksander’s (number 18):
Finishing no. 18 out of 23 at the first outing is no small feat. It is the highest ranking placement of any Philippine team across all disciplines at Worlds, and especially, they are right behind the Chinese couple. China used to be a powerhouse in Pairs but they are presently rebuilding their program. (Also note that while G-K moved up from #19 (Short) to #18 in the Long, Aleksander’s former partner, Alisa Efimova and partner, now skating for Germany, dropped from #7 in Shorts to final #10 spot.) There’s always next year at Montreal.
Our sincere thanks to Isabella and sister Justine for sharing many insights. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for Montreal 2024, Boston 2025 and Milano 2026.
SOURCES:
Personal communication/input from Isabella and Justine Gamez
Isabella Gamez - Wikipedia
Skaters Gamez, Korovin eye Olympic pair perfection (rappler.com)
Fil-Am pair skater, Russian partner make international debut | New Day - YouTube
ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023 (isuresults.com)
Myles A. Garcia is a Correspondent and regular contributor to www.positivelyfilipino.com. He has written three books:
· Secrets of the Olympic Ceremonies (latest edition, 2021);
· Thirty Years Later . . . Catching Up with the Marcos-Era Crimes (© 2016); and
· Of Adobo, Apple Pie, and Schnitzel With Noodles (© 2018)—all available in paperback from amazon.com (Australia, USA, Canada, UK and Europe).
Myles is also a member of the International Society of Olympic Historians, contributing to the ISOH Journal, and pursuing dramatic writing lately. For any enquiries: razor323@gmail.com
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