The mother and daughter figure skating team of Patricia and Bianca Agunod Cheng raised the Philippine colors in the United States after winning 7 golds, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze from the 39th Annual Ice Sports Industry (ISI) World Recreational Team Championships in Missouri.
The Chengs joined the Missouri World Championships as a team although they competed in separate divisions.
Dr. Patricia Agunod Cheng, a cardiologist and graduate of the University of the Philippines Intarmed Program, won her five golds in Technical Freestyle, Artistic Program, Footworks, Rhytmic Ribbon, and Rhytmic Ball.
The 14-year-old Bianca Agunod Cheng, a Grade 10 student of Philippine Science High School where her mother also graduated, won the gold in Technical freestyle and Artistic Program.
The triumph of the mother and daughter tandem add to the list of accolades earned by Filipino figure skaters who have won international competitions such as Olympian figure skater Michael Christian Martinez in Slovenia and Olympian Asa Miller in South Korea. Young Pinoy figure skaters have also championed in Japan.
The Pinay figure skaters competed against ice skaters from different parts of the United States and the world in the international skating competition held in the City of St. Peters Rec-Plex rinks from July 22 to 27.
Dr. Patricia Cheng revealed to Good News Pilipinas that she returned to skating two years ago after being on hiatus from the sport for about 3 decades. She has since been training with coach Dave Alarcon while daughter Bianca is training with Kihyan Chua-Yap.
Asked why she is skating with her daughter, Dr. Patricia Cheng shared, “I would like to encourage mothers to take up the sport with their children. It is a great bonding tool and is a very good exercise – You use all your limbs, dancing skills, keeping your balance… It isn’t easy but you have to make it look easy.”
The two figure skaters from the Philippines reaped a total of 10 medals:
Patricia Cheng
- 5 golds
- 1 silver
Bianca Cheng
- 2 golds
- 1 silver
- 1 bronze
The mother and daughter figure skating team plan to again see action at 2020 edition of the ISI World Championships. There are also plans to join Skate Philippines in November this year.
With reports from Atom Pornel and Aurora Quadra-Balibay.
SEND congratulations in the comments below for our Filipino champions in figure skating, Dr. Patricia Cheng and Bianca Cheng!
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