By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Sheena Pia Solis from the Philippines
Photos = Sheena Pia Solis
Jeongseon l Feb. 18, 2018

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering, but fighting well.”
-- Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games

Meet the pride of the Philippines and the Philippine Olympic flag bearer Asa Miller. He had an overwhelming experience carrying the colors of his land and of its people during the Opening Ceremony and he braved the gaze and expectations through the loud cheers, admiration and support, finishing his second and final Olympic Winter Games.

Asa Miller ranked 70th in the men’s giant slalom event with a combined time of 2:49.95. At the young age of 17, this racer finished his first run in 1:27.52 to place 81st, and improved his time on his second run to 1:27.52, to place 68th. It was a stellar showing. Watching him race down the slope was breathtaking. Combining power, speed and grace, seeing him rise and soar was simply awe-inspiring.

Asa’s story, like most Olympic journeys, is touching and remarkable. This is his first Olympics and it exceeded typical standards, embodying and promoting true Olympic values, which motivate us at individual and organizational levels.

Through his hard work, perseverance and determination, he overcame obstacles and fulfilled his responsibilities as a Philippine-American Olympian. His multicultural background and his experience influenced him a lot and helped him to achieve his dreams. He has passion, understanding and heart, building friendships and ties with the rest of the world while bridging racial, cultural religious and political differences through his love and respect for sports, humanity and the Olympics.

Back on Feb. 14, the sun was shining much brighter and warmer than it is today. Miller woke up very excited and super optimistic, even with his fall the previous day. That morning, on Feb. 18, he knew in his heart that he was ready to race and conquer his own game.

As he reflects on his first Olympics, he shared how amazing it was to be surrounded by all the people up to whom he looks, being on that world stage, and knowing that he has all the support of so many people behind him. He absolutely loved every minute of it.

With focus and composure during the competition, Miller smiled and said, “Oh well, a lot of calm breathing, calm breathing,” while gesturing his hands and a bigger smile emerging on his face. He declared, “Take a second, calm down, breathe and kick out the gate!”

His future plans and goals are to race in college and then to come back for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. His valuable experience and lessons in his first Olympiad this year are definitely lifting his rankings, as he further improve his power and speed in his discipline for future Olympic Games.

Here is his inspiring and emotional message to the younger athletes and dreamers back home, in every corner of the world, and to his very loving and supportive parents.

“I hope that others get to do the same in the future, especially in winter sports, to continue competing and to get more and more athletes. I’m very thankful for all the support and I hope that my actions are an inspiration for others to achieve their dreams. Mahal ko kayo! Mabuhay! And of course, I’d really like to thank my parents. I appreciate them so much, especially for being with me the whole way. I love you, guys, to the moon and back. I'm not sure if there's a lot more to say, but I love you and thank you guys!”



He is truly proud, thankful and honored to represent the Philippines, his beloved mother’s homeland. His humility, courage, composure, resilience and confidence before and after his final race made him shine ever stronger. He is a born Olympian, a true Olympian in mind, body and spirit.

His mother is very proud of him. In between tears and emotions, she smiled and said, “I love you, Asa. I'm very proud of you.”

There were more words I wanted to say and questions I needed to ask, but I simply watched them and absorbed all the emotions around me in full awe and admiration.

The journey of our Olympian has been more wonderful and memorable because of the love and support of his family and team.  They too have their stories to share and valuable roles in shaping our athlete, and I am grateful for their genuine generosity and sincerity.

Miller's mother, Polly (nee Bisquera), a Philippine, gave her personal reflection about the PyeongChang 2018 Games and Korean values, heritage, food, traditions and people, as the hosts of the so-called "Peace Olympics," a part of history in the making:

"As a visitor and spectator, I believe Korea has done an amazing job hosting the Olympics. The venues seemed well run and events usually start on time. Delays are only caused by weather, which are uncontrollable. The volunteers are always very friendly and try to help as much as they can. I think their mastery of English and helpfulness gets better over time. I can’t believe how many volunteers there are!"

"The venues are spread out quite a bit. We have to really give ourselves one to two hours to get from one venue to the next. This might be the norm, though, in all the Olympic Games. Olympic transportation can be a challenge and require a trek, as well, but once you figure it out, it’s just a matter of waiting for the bus to arrive. It seemed as though you go through extremes in the bus: super cold outside, and then you sweat to death inside the bus."

"The events are super fun! It’s awesome to see people from everywhere cheering for their country’s athletes, as well as for others. We are all here to celebrate the sport and sportsmanship! It’s not only about medals. People are happy and excited to be here. It’s an experience of a lifetime, for sure."

Like everyone else, they would love to enjoy different Korean foods. “I actually wish that there were more Korean restaurants to which we could go. It might just be where we are staying. We are close to the Phoenix Snow Park so it might be more limited.”

The family is very adventurous and athletic, and they tried to go to the Olympic events that they generally wouldn't see in the Pacific Northwest. They live in Portland, Oregon, and of course their favorite is giant slalom. They also really enjoyed the aerial races. His mom said that they're, “Super cool!”



Here are his mother's tips and advice on raising a young athlete.

"Just be supportive. Enjoy watching them. Don't act like their coach. That's really hard to do. I still fail at it from time to time. I'm still learning and trying. Learn to keep your mouth shut at times. Understand that it's very much a mental as well as a physical game. Remember that they are still kids. They will do things in their own time. They will eventually learn what will work and not work. As a parent, I had to learn to let them do things on their own. It's easier said than done. My husband is so much better than I am at this. Like any Philippine mom, I nag but that doesn’t mean it works. Just be there to guide and not to dictate."

Last, but definitely not least, she shared how she was before and after the Games, and most importantly during the training and preparations, as parent of an Olympian.

"As a mom, I'm always nervous before a race, any race. Personally, I’m just really happy to see him do his best and finish, regardless of his result. I want him safe. I’m ecstatic at what he has accomplished. We are very proud of him."

"Miller, on the other hand, is his own worst critic, so he's always looking to improve and is not happy when he makes mistakes. I’m pretty sure he wished he skied a few sections better, but, I do know he's pretty happy that he finished."

"During the qualifications, we had many discussions about why mistakes and failures are just as important as successes. Miller had to work pretty hard to get here. Whenever he's getting too negative or being hard on himself, we have to remind him that everything is a process to improve and succeed; about the need to enjoy the journey, including the ups and the downs, and to not care solely about the end results or winning. Fortunately, Miller was able to manage it and keep on working toward his current goal."

"I’m pretty sure this cycle of physical and mental training will continue as long as he wants to remain in any competitive sport. His dad is so much better than I am in handling stressful situations because, like any mother out there, I get emotional. I pray the hardest."

"Miller still has more races planned after we get back and needs to figure out college stuff. So there's no rest for the weary. Our race has only just begun."

Thank you, Miller, for signing these PyeongChang 2018 ski caps for my children and our continued support and prayers will be with you always.

Congratulations, and god speed.

wisdom117@korea.kr

* This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.