Fil-Austrian skiing champ eyes Olympic Winter Games gold  

At the ripe age of 14, Marco Umgeher has already made a name for himself in the extreme sport of skiing.

The Filipino-Austrian skier placed first in slalom skiing at the Lower Austrian Championships organized by the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV) on February 14.

In January, Umgeher placed third in giant slalom Lower Austrian Championships and fifth in the slalom race of the Raiffaisen junior cup on the 17th.

GMA News reporter Mark Zambrano reported that Umgeher first reached the top for giant slalom skiing at Lower Austria as an eight-year-old in 2010.

Umgeher said it took a herculean effort on his part to secure his numerous wins.

"You have to focus on the race. And you train hard before you take part at ski races. You have to also train in summer for lots of concentration, coordination, and power exercises," he said.

His mother Gemma, who hails from Antique, said she prays daily for her son whom she and her husband Hannes are "very proud" of.

"Very proud ako sa kanya. I pray everyday na mabuti kalagayan niya at ma-wish niya ang pangarap niya sa bahay," Gemma said.

Umgher's sister Jessica is similarly ecstatic with her brother's achievements, but is quick to remind him that their love will always be unconditional.

"I always tell him that the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy whatever he does. It doesn't matter if he scored or not, we're always proud of him and always love him!" Jessica exclaimed.

The 14-year-old athlete hopes elevate his game one day by qualifying for and winning in the Winter Olympics.

"My biggest goals are to take part in the Olympic Winter Games and World Cup and I would like to win," Umgeher said. — Rie Takumi/ APG, GMA News