Francis Ceccarelli is gearing up for the Winter Olympic Games after becoming the first Filipino to qualify for the competition

Francis Ceccarelli etched his name in Philippine sports history by becoming the first Filipino to secure a quota spot for the Olympic Winter Games. The 22-year-old alpine skier will compete in the event scheduled to be held on February 26, jointly hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy.

Born in Quezon City, Philippines, Ceccarelli was adopted by an Italian couple at the age of eight and moved to Italy after his adoption. Despite living and training in Italy, Ceccarelli chose to represent the Philippines on the international stage, a decision he has upheld since 2023. With his qualification, he becomes the fifth Olympic alpine skier in the country’s history.

“Since I started skiing, my Filipino identity has always been with me. It represents where I was born and where I’m from. 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 the international level,” Ceccarelli shared in a media interaction.

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Residing in Abetone, a small town in Tuscany’s Pistoia province, Ceccarelli was introduced to skiing through his family. His mother, a skier herself, was his first coach and biggest influence.

Having earned his ‘basic’ quota spot, Fil-Italian alpine skier Francis Ceccarelli is set for an Olympic debut at Milano-Cortina 2026. 🇵🇭

He becomes the fifth alpine skier to represent the Philippines at the Winter Olympics.#MilanoCortina2026 #ITsYourVibe pic.twitter.com/Ndsz1ntCC6

— Archive (@ArchiveInt) December 29, 2025

“I choose skiing because my mom’s family are skiers and because in Abetone, the principal sport is skiing. The first one who encouraged me to ski was my mom at ski camp. After that, I thought that skiing was really fun and with the passage of time, I decided to do skiing. I had many coaches, the first coach was my mom and now, my coach is Stefano,” he explained.

Ceccarelli’s journey to the Olympics has been marked by dedication, consistency, and international competition.

“I’m feeling good, and really proud of myself and for the people who support me. I’m really excited and ready for this Olympics season. I qualified for the Winter Olympics because I made many races and trainings before. Also because I started skiing before I knew the Italian language. I think the secret for all this is constancy and continuity.

“So I participated in many races internationally, like FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation). I made good results in FIS races in slalom discipline. I had the Asian Winter Games. I had a great opportunity to be on the podium but when you want to go further, it happens that you make mistakes,” Ceccarelli added.

With the Winter Olympics just around the corner, all eyes will be on Ceccarelli as he makes his maiden appearance on the world’s biggest stage for winter sports. Filipino fans will be eager to see if he can continue the country’s tradition of producing young athletes who shine internationally, this time on snow and ice.

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