Olympic dreams
on the ice DON'T be fooled by the friendly smile and graceful moves of Cheltzie Lee as she glides across the ice this is one determined 13-year-old. The St Andrews figure skater, a member of the Sydney Figure Skating Club, is newest member of the national team from this area to compete at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival which starts on Wednesday, January 17, in Sydney. Lee, who is likely to be the youngest competitor in ladies figure skating at Baulkham Hills Ice Arena, doesn't see her age as a barrier to success. She travels from her home to Canterbury and Macquarie Ice Rinks six days a week, sometimes morning and afternoon, to train. Last year, she took out the NSW Championships and came second in the national titles, even though she was up against competitors as old as 18 who had international experience. The Youth Olympics will be Lee's first opportunity to impress on the world stage. More than 1600 junior athletes will travel from around the world to Sydney to compete in 16 sports for the Youth Olympics. "I can't wait, I'm so excited," Lee said. "The training is hard, very tiring, but it all pays off in the end." Lee joined the sport after deciding she liked it as a 4-year-old. "My dad took me to all these different activities, and I just really liked skating," she said. Lee said she had her eyes set on the 2010 Winter Olympics. She will compete in the Youth Olympics figure skating competition on Friday and Saturday, January 19 and 20. The Mt Carmel Catholic High School student said she had a good grip on her nerves before competitions. "I don't get nervous any more because I've been doing it for such a long time," she said. When she eventually hangs up her skates, Lee admits she'd like to be a coach and help the next generation of figure skaters. "I'd like to share my skills with other people," she said. However, those days are a long way off because Lee clearly loves carving out a name for herself as a figure skater. |
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