Teaching an Olympian – Michael Martinez an ordinary student growing up

As the only Filipino Olympian in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Michael Christian Martinez is fast becoming a celebrity. But the 17-year-old figure skater was every bit a normal student growing up.

"He never had conflict with anyone, very amiable and accommodating," said Elizabeth Carandang, head teacher at the Muntinlupa School for Child Development. "Even after he was beginning to win locally, he remained the same, even until he graduated."

Martinez was raised in suburban Muntinlupa. He walked to school, which was two blocks away from his home.

"In elementary, he was always around," recalled Carandang. "He was very quiet, simple, always happy, but he wasn't really an academician. He was an average student."

Years ago, there were only two malls in the area. In the basement of a nearby mall in Las Piñas, Michael saw the ice skating rink.

Taking a liking to skating was expected. Kids who walked by stopped for a second or two to peek at the skating classes. At that time, having one's own skates often cost as much as tuition, and classes weren't cheap. But for the determined, the prospect of gliding through the ice was there for the taking.

Soon enough, Martinez started to excel on ice. The other facets of his life needed to be rearranged to accommodate training and competitions.

"He would study on his own," Carandang shared. "Whenever he was around, he'd take his exam. We would tutor him."

So how did Martinez become an Olympian? They let him be one.

He shuffled between the Philippines and the United States for training with his mother by his side.

"It was a lot of encouragement on our part," said Carandang, who added that Michael maintained good relationships with his teachers. "Every time he'd come in for remedial [lessons], they'd spend a lot of time chatting and encouraging each other."

And what did Martinez do before flying to Russia and making history? Something every Filipino boy should do for their teachers.

"Before he went to Russia, he passed by. He gave me a chocolate cake." - AMD/HS, GMA News