Cover Charmaine Skye Chua performing at the 2024 ‘Carlos On Ice’ (Photo: SM Skating)
Charmaine Skye Chua performing at the 2024 ‘Carlos On Ice’ (Photo: SM Skating)
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Besides representing the Philippines in Turin, enigmatic figure skating champion Skye Chua has been making waves on and off the ice
From the likes of Olympian Michael Martinez to the iconic duo Isabella Gamez and Alexander Korovin, the Filipino figure skating scene is making its way to the global stage. Another rising star is Charmaine Skye Chua, representing the Philippines and her university at the 2025 FISU Winter World University Games in Turin, Italy. She is getting wide recognition as a content creator, GMA Sparkle artist, and national athlete. In this article, Tatler lists five things you may not have known about her.
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She got into skating when she was seven
Chua’s first introduction to ice skating was at five years old when she was mesmerised by skaters performing spins and jumps at SM Megamall. While she would explore other sports, such as swimming, basketball, and volleyball, her heart was set on skating. “My parents didn’t allow me to skate until I was seven. They thought I forgot about it, but the moment I turned seven, I brought it up again,” she shares. From there, her cousin would take her skating for fun, and her love for the sport would grow deeper.
“Skating is a big part of my life and I have no regrets. I wouldn’t be who I am now without it.”
She had her first competition when she was 10
In 2014, Chua joined Summer Skate—an annual local and recreational ice skating competition sanctioned by the Ice Skating Institute (ISI) held at the SM Rinks. While she didn’t win, Chua saw it as a chance to get better. “I had a lot of fun there, and I saw it as a way to develop myself. After that, I did more tests with the ISI and every time I would compete, I’d go up a level,” she says.
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She trains six times a week
As a national athlete, Chua trains at least six times a week on the rink with more strength and conditioning drills done alone off ice.
Currently, Chua is studying Sports Science at the University of the Philippines Diliman and is representing her school at the 2025 FISU Winter World University Games.
“It’s a new experience for me. I’ve been watching a lot of videos and I would have fan-girl moments… It’s like a mini Olympics for university students and I’m excited. It’s the first time that I’m going to be representing my university,” says Chua.
She’s a content creator and a Sparkle artist
Chua regularly posts on her Instagram and TikTok, showing her fans what it's like to be a professional figure skater and national athlete. She also stars in GMA's television drama series Hearts on Ice where she plays the character of Sonja Limjoco.
She competed at her first Nationals at 14 years old
At the 2017 Philippine National Figure Skating Championships, Chua joined the competition as an advanced novice. While she admits that she didn’t want to join at first, she landed her first-ever double jump just a few days before the competition—which she used to bag a gold medal at her national debut.
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About
Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.
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A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.
You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.
