Philippines at the 1972 Winter Olympics

Last updated
Philippines at the
1972 Winter Olympics
Flag of the Philippines (1936-1985, 1986-1998).svg
IOC code PHI
NOC Philippine Olympic Committee
Website www.olympic.ph
in Sapporo
Competitors2 (men) in 1 sport
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Winter Olympics appearances (overview)

The Philippines competed in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan with two athletes who competed in alpine skiing. The country was also the first tropical nation and Southeast Asian country to feature in the Winter Olympics. [1] [2]

Contents

Alpine skiing

Cousins Juan Cipriano and Ben Nanasca represented the Philippines in alpine skiing. They were adopted as teenagers by a family in New Zealand and were part of a development team funded by the Swiss government. [3]

Men
AthleteEventRace 1Race 2Total
TimeRankTimeRankTimeRank
Juan Cipriano Giant Slalom1:58.0051DNFDNF
Ben Nanasca 1:54.59482:11.61464:06.2042
Men's slalom
AthleteClassificationFinal
TimeRankTime 1RankTime 2RankTotalRank
Juan Cipriano DNFDNFDNF
Ben Nanasca 2:07.697?43DNFDNF

To commemorate the first participation of the above Filipino athletes in the first Winter Olympic Games in Asia, a leading Manila film company, Sampaguita Pictures and the Vera-Perez family behind it, filmed a feature film, Winter Holiday, on location in Sapporo and around the Games. Winter Holiday was a musical film which starred the most popular duo of singing film stars in Filipino movies at that time--Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz; and also the above-named skiers, Ben Nanasca and Johnny Cipriano, in minor roles playing themselves. The film debuted at the Manila Film Festival that year. [4]

References

  1. Chia, Nicole (19 February 2018). "Winter Olympics: Even outsiders can break the ice". The Straits Times. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  2. "Cool Runnings: a history of warm weather nations at Winter Olympics". South China Morning Post. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  3. "Olympian part of Youthtown history". Stuff. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  4. "Video". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2025-03-26.