Philippine bets Proulx, Ceccarelli return to roots in Winter Olympics bid

MANILA, Philippines – From the tropics to the snow, the Philippines will send two foreign-based athletes to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina on February 6 to 17.

Tallulah Proulx and Francis Ceccarelli, both competing in alpine skiing, give the Philippines — a country with no snow and little winter infrastructure — two chances of winning its first-ever medal in the Winter Games.

Their stint marks the Philippines’ seventh overall stint in the Winter Olympics since 1972, and fourth straight appearance since 2014 in Sochi, where figure skater Michael Martinez represented the country.

Get to know more about the two Filipino delegates in this edition’s Games.

Tallulah Proulx

Proulx makes history as the first female and youngest athlete from Southeast Asia to compete in the Winter Olympics, according to the Olympic website.

The 17-year-old Proulx, whose father traces his roots to Eastern Samar, will race in the slalom and giant slalom, two of alpine skiing’s most technical events that demand razor-sharp precision on snow-packed slopes.

“I just want to go in with a positive mindset and represent the Philippines in a positive light and take away the whole experience, of course, and just enjoy it without having to put too much pressure on myself because I think I perform best when I’m, of course, happy and surrounded by such inspirational figures,” she told Olympics.com.

The US-based skier who grew up in Utah secured her Olympic berth by earning quota points in FIS-sanctioned events, setting up her first Winter Games appearance. 

Proulx competed in the Junior World Championships last year in Italy, an event that preluded the Winter Olympics.

“Once I switched to racing, my passion for the sport and the joy of it has remained unchanged,” she said in a previous interview with the Olympic Council of Asia. 

“Every day that I go out and ski, I come back feeling accomplished and thankful that I have such great opportunities in my life,” added Proulx, who’s set to face elite North American and European skiers. 

“[I hope] we can raise the profile of the sport back in the Philippines. I want everyone to know what fun alpine skiing is.”

Francis Ceccarelli 

Ceccarelli gets a unique chance to represent his home nation and play in his adopted country at the same time.

The 22-year-old alpine skier, who was born in Quezon City and adopted by Italian parents, will represent the Philippines when he debuts in the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, which is around three hours away from his home in Abetone, Tuscany.

Ceccarelli, who moved to Italy when he was eight years old, has been carrying the Philippine flag in international events since 2023.

“Since I started skiing, my Filipino identity has always been with me. It represents where I was born and where I’m from,” he told Olympics.com.

Ceccarelli, an Olympic Solidarity Athlete who received a scholarship from the International Olympic Committee, was the first Filipino to earn a spot in this edition’s Winter Games. 

He follows the likes of Filipino Olympic alpine skiers Juan Cipriano and Ben Nanasca (1972), Michael Turuel (1992), and Asa Miller (2018, 2022).

Ceccarelli also competed in the 2025 Asian Winter Games in the same event.

“It was a goal for me to ski for the Philippines, because it is not every day that we have a Filipino athlete skiing at international level.” – Rappler.com