MANILA – Team Philippines wrapped up its campaign at the 25th Winter Olympics with Tallulah Proulx placing 50th in the women’s slalom event of alpine skiing on Wednesday at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina, Italy.
The 17-year-old Filipino-American clocked 1:02.93 on her first run and then 1:05.55 on her second and last run for an aggregate time of 2:08.48.
It was good for 50th overall out of 95 entries. Thirty-one skiers fell out of contention in the morning session while 11 others couldn’t get to the finish in the afternoon run.
Proulx was 52nd out of 76 participants in the giant slalom.
“I fought till the end so I’m really proud of myself and my result today. For me, being the first Filipina at the Olympics is truly such a special moment. I feel so honored to be able to present an important part of my heritage on the biggest stage I’ll probably be on all my life,” said Proulx in a news release Thursday.
“It was honestly surreal. It was insane having people on the side chanting, ‘Philippines.’ I just felt so proud to be a Filipino at that moment and bear that flag with so much pride,” she added.
American Mikaela Shiffrin, 30, won her third slalom gold 12 years after winning her first in Sochi, Russia. She also won the gold in 2018 in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Shiffrin shone with a total time of 1:39.10 and was joined at the podium, at the same venue that hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics, by Switzerland’s Camille Rast (1:40.60) and Sweden’s Larsson Anna Swenn (1:40.81).
Meanwhile, Francis Ceccarelli hopes to be a better, stronger, and faster skier.
The 22-year-old, based in Abetone, Tuscany, with his Italian parents, saw action in alpine skiing’s giant slalom and slalom events the past week.
He was 54th among 81 entries in the giant slalom and did not advance to the second run of the slalom, where only 39 of 96 skiers survived the brutal test.
“It’s okay. Slalom is very difficult,” said the Quezon City-born Ceccarelli, who promised to work harder.
“Just never stop. Every day you can get really better. You can upgrade every day. And so, yeah, the next time, for the races, be better. Just push yourself harder – every day and every moment,” he added.
“I’m happy with my work here. Representing the Philippines for me for the first time is my honor. For my people, for my family, for the (team) members,” said Ceccarelli, who travelled five hours from Bormio to Cortina to lend support to Proulx.
Proulx and Ceccarelli will stay on for Sunday’s closing ceremony and will be joined by Philippine chef-de-mission Jezreel Apelar. (PNA)
