MANILA – Christian Tio delivered Team Philippines’ first medal in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games after capturing silver in men’s kiteboarding at Club Nautica San Isidro in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The 16-year-old Filipino-Norwegian shared his place on the podium with Slovenia’s Toni Vodisek as they both finished behind gold medalist Deury Corniel of the Dominican Republic on Sunday.
Tio, whose mother Liezl is from Aklan province, was delighted to win silver after a rigorous training that saw him spending four weeks in the Dominican Republic and four weeks in Argentina.
“I am really happy to get the silver. I really thought that it is just a bronze,” Tio told ESPN 5. “I am speechless. I have been away for two months so I am really excited to go home and rest.”
Tio entered the final day of the competition on the fourth spot.
The Philippine representative qualified to the Youth Olympic Games after ruling the Iconic Kitesurfing Youth Olympic Qualifiers Asia-Oceania in Pranburi, Thailand in March.
Behind Vodisek, United States’ Cameron Maramenides and Corniel, Tio almost missed the podium due to the unfavorable weather that nearly canceled the final round.
Tio was one of seven Filipino athletes in the Games. Others were Nicole Marie Tagle in archery, Lawrence Tan in fencing, Yuka Saso and Carl Corpus in golf, Jann Nayve in table tennis, and Nicole Oliva in swimming./PN
