Michael Martinez announces his return to competitive figure skating as he marks 30th birthday

Michael Martinez has announced his return to competitive figure skating.

In a Facebook post on Monday, October 19, the figure skating star shared that he is marking his 30th birthday with a comeback to the sport.

“I had many options for my 30th birthday. Somehow, I chose Philippine Nationals. 😂⛸️ They say at 30 you’re supposed to start making wiser decisions. Anyway… I’m competing again. Good luck knees,” he posted.

Michael admitted that he did not imagine himself returning to competitive figure skating after years of not competing. 

“Honestly, I never thought I’d be making this announcement again. It’s been years since I last competed, and since then, life has changed a lot. I’ve been able to do other things, focus more on coaching, and help younger skaters with their own competitive journey,” he said.

Despite initially ruling out a comeback, Michael said the encouragement and continued interest from supporters eventually made him reconsider his decision.

“One thing I kept getting asked over the years was, when are you competing again? or Are you ever coming back? And my answer was always… probably not. But somehow people kept asking, and I guess a part of me also started wondering… why not?” he recalled.

After much consideration, Michael finally decided to return to competition, confirming that he will participate in a competition this November.

“So after a lot of thinking and a lot of convincing (and by a lot, I really mean A LOT 😂), I finally said yes. I’m competing again. I’ll be competing at the 2026 Philippine National Figure Skating Championships this November, and hopefully return to international competition in 2027,” he shared.

The Filipino figure skater also acknowledged the physical challenges of returning to the sport at his age, emphasizing that he is approaching his comeback with a different mindset.

“I know I’m already past what most people would consider a figure skater’s prime. I’m older now, my body definitely knows I’m older (a lot back pain😖), and I’m not expecting things to be exactly how they were before. And that’s okay,” he pointed out.

Michael stressed that his priority this time is to enjoy competing without putting unnecessary pressure on himself.

“This time, I really just want to enjoy competing again. No big expectations, no unnecessary pressure. I’m also keeping things simple. Not trying to recreate my Olympic days. Just training, skating, competing, and hopefully having fun doing it again,” he remarked.

While he remains uncertain about how far his comeback will take him, Michael expressed his excitement about returning to the ice and pursuing his personal goals.

“Of course, I still have a few personal goals I want to accomplish. 😉 But we’ll get to those eventually. For now, I’m just happy to be back,” he said.

He went on: “I honestly don’t know how far this comeback will go, and maybe that’s what makes it exciting. One competition at a time. Let’s just see what happens. See you at Nationals. 🇵🇭⛸️”

Fans online were quick to react to Michael’s announcement.

“Happy birthday and what a comeback!” one fan commented.

“Excited to see you in the ice rink. Missed your graceful moves and stunts. Welcome back,” another fan wrote.