Athena Calivoso Roberts, an 18-year-old ice skater, dreams of representing the Philippines in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, to a Filipina mother from Manila and an American father, Athena’s love for skating began at age 5 after watching a mesmerizing performance on TV. Her parents quickly supported her passion, buying her gear and sending her abroad for training and competitions.
Today, Athena is a world-class athlete, having competed in top events like the ISU Junior Grand Prix and the 2023 ISU Junior World Ice Dance Championships. She even won gold at the 2023 Spain Junior National Ice Dance Championship. Despite these achievements, Athena’s ultimate goal is to skate for the Philippines—a dream that faces a significant roadblock.
Citizenship Complications
To represent the Philippines, Athena needs a Philippine passport. However, due to bureaucratic issues, the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles couldn’t issue her one. They require a divorce decree from her mother’s previous marriage, which must be recognized by a Philippine court. Without this, her citizenship claim is stuck.
Her father, Michael, reached out to the Philippine Consulate in New York for help. There, Consul General Senen Mangalile and Vice Consul Paolo Mapula are now reviewing Athena’s case, including her competition record and medals. They’re exploring ways to prove her eligibility for Philippine citizenship, even considering her mother’s previous citizenship status when Athena was born.
A Dedicated Athlete
Athena’s commitment to her sport is undeniable. She trains rigorously in London, Ontario, Canada, with a schedule that includes six hours on the ice, two hours of dance lessons, and an hour of yoga or weight training—five days a week. Her mother, Sheila, describes her as brave, independent, and hardworking, balancing her training with online criminology studies at Saint Leo University.
Fighting for a Dream
Though Athena could compete for the U.S., her father explains that the competition there is intense, leading many skaters to represent other countries. For Athena, skating for the Philippines isn’t just strategic—it’s personal. She’s proud of her Filipino heritage and wants to be the first-ever ice dancer to represent the country in the Olympics.
The Roberts family, who runs a successful laundromat franchise in North Carolina, is reaching out to Philippine officials and sports authorities, hoping to resolve the citizenship issue. Michael believes that having Athena compete for the Philippines would be a historic and honorable achievement, both for her and the country.
“Being the first Filipino ice dancer in the Olympics would mean the world to her,” Michael said. “It’s a dream worth fighting for.”
