Park City athlete to become first female Winter Olympian to represent the Philippines

Tallulah Proulx will be the first woman ever to represent the Philippines in the Winter Olympics. Photo: Courtesy of Tallulah Proulx

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City Ski & Snowboard athlete Tallulah Proulx punched her ticket to the Olympics and will be the first female athlete ever to represent the Philippines in the Winter Olympic Games.

Proulx has been skiing since she was three years old; though, a pivotal moment came in 2018 when Proulx’s parents learned about Filipino American skier Asa Miller, who competed for the Philippines at the PyeongChang Olympics at age 17. The possibility opened a door they hadn’t previously considered. “My parents saw that and were like, ‘How can we make this an option for Tallulah in the future?’” she said.

In 2019, the family relocated to Park City and Proulx enrolled at Rowmark Ski Academy, where academics and training were integrated into her daily schedule, before transferring to the Park City Winter Sports School to allow for more intensive competition and travel.

“That was probably the only feasible way that I would be able to have enough time and enough races and competitions to feasibly make the cut off for the Olympics,” she said.

Proulx credits Park City’s proximity to elite training facilities and coaches for helping her reach the international level. “Park City is just the perfect place for any skiing family,” she said.

Qualifying for the Olympics

Proulx competes under a Philippine license through the International Ski Federation (FIS), which allows her race results to count toward Olympic qualification for the Philippines. The qualification standard required five FIS scores averaging under 120 points in both slalom and giant slalom.

Her first full FIS season focused on volume — racing across the western United States and South America to accumulate results. The breakthrough came during her second season. A pair of standout giant slalom races at Sugar Bowl and Northstar in California secured her Olympic spot in that discipline, and strong early results in Chile put her within striking distance in slalom.

“I knew I was qualified for giant slalom instantly,” she said. “That was such a relief.”

Slalom qualification came down to the last qualifying race. After narrowly missing the standard in her first run, Proulx needed one last strong performance.

“I just told myself, ‘I need to go for it,’” she said. “If it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen.”

She finished just under the cutoff, qualifying by a fraction of a point. “When my mom checked the results in the car and told me I made it, I was shocked,” Proulx said. “We stopped at a bakery, and I remember thinking, ‘I’m glad this is a celebration cookie and not a consolation cookie.’”

Representing the Philippines

Beyond the personal milestone, Proulx said representing the Philippines carries special meaning. She learned after qualifying that she will be the first Filipina athlete — in any sport — to compete in the Winter Olympics.

“It’s so cool to represent this part of my heritage, especially somewhere where winter sports aren’t very well known,” she said. “I hope I can inspire other Filipinos, especially those living abroad, to get involved in winter sports.”

Proulx will depart for Italy on Feb. 3, with the opening ceremony scheduled for Feb. 6. She will compete in giant slalom on Feb. 15 and slalom on Feb. 18, with training in Val di Fassa and Cortina ahead of competition.

As she prepares for the biggest event of her career, Proulx says her primary goal is to enjoy the experience while representing her country with pride.
“This is my first really big competition, so I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself,” she said. “I want to ski my best, enjoy every moment, and hopefully make a positive impact while I’m there.”

From Park City’s slopes to the Olympic stage, Proulx’s journey reflects years of dedication, community support, and a trailblazing moment for Philippine winter sports.