Christian Tio is a kiteboarder who won the first medal for the Philippines in the Summer Youth Olympics. He was the second Filipino athlete to qualify for the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He clinched the sole berth contested for the boy's twin tip racing event at the Asian qualifiers in Pranburi, Thailand on March 18, 2018.
At the age of 17, he competed his first Olympic Games. He competed in the IKA Twin Tip Racing event at the Club Nautico San Isidro. Several of the races where cancelled but Tio was able to secure a silver medal. Both of Christian Tio's parents were professional kiteboarders who influenced him to take up the sport at age 7. He developed his skills in his native Boracay and trained under his father until February 2016; his fathers death. He was later mentored by Fabio Ingrosso of Srilankakite, a kiteboarding school in Sri Lanka.
He has competed and won multiple times at the Kiteboarding Youth Cup competing in the U19 (under-19) category at age 15 in the 2016 edition where he won third place. In the previous iterations he competed in the U17 category.
At the age of 17, he competed his first Olympic Games. He competed in the IKA Twin Tip Racing event at the Club Nautico San Isidro. Several of the races where cancelled but Tio was able to secure a silver medal. Both of Christian Tio's parents were professional kiteboarders who influenced him to take up the sport at age 7. He developed his skills in his native Boracay and trained under his father until February 2016; his fathers death. He was later mentored by Fabio Ingrosso of Srilankakite, a kiteboarding school in Sri Lanka.
He has competed and won multiple times at the Kiteboarding Youth Cup competing in the U19 (under-19) category at age 15 in the 2016 edition where he won third place. In the previous iterations he competed in the U17 category.
GAMES
2018 Summer Youth Olympics, Buenos Aires