FIGURE SKATING: He spends his life on ice, so it’s little wonder that Aussie figure skater Brendan Kerry is feeling ‘chilled’.
“I’m just kind of relaxed, I’m feeling good, everything’s feeling easier and better,” Kerry said after his last day of practice before competition.
“The triple axel is feeling good, my combos are good, and I’m enjoying the feeling of just being out there and skating.
“When I first got here I was trying to prove a point and trying to make everything more than it needed to be, so I had a few issues, but now I’ve just chilled.”
And with a good draw for tomorrow’s men’s Short Program, which will see Kerry skate 10th and take to the ice in warm up group two, the 23-year-old says he’s ready to show the world what he’s got.
“When it comes to competition, less is more for me,” he said.
“So I’ll be keeping to myself before I skate, just keeping my head down and avoiding all the distractions. I know I just have to do what I’ve been doing in practices.”
https://twitter.com/AUSOlympicTeam/status/963975058141020161
As a highly regard skater on the international circuit, Kerry comes into the Games on the back of some strong results. He became the first Australian male figure skater to reach the podium of an ISU Challenger Series event when he took bronze at the 2017 Lombardia Trophy in Bergamo, Italy, and he placed fifth in the 2017 Asian Winter Games.
“I think I’ve just grown into my skating, and I have actually made the sacrifices and the commitment to be an elite athlete now,” Kerry said. “I actually feel like I deserve to be here this time.”
And he says he’s also been buoyed by the strong skating of long-time friend Harley Windsor, who together with partner Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya, made history in the Pairs Short Program yesterday.
“I was proud of him, I thought he did a really good job,” Kerry said. “I don’t know what else you could hope for but to skate clean at the Olympics.
“So now it’s my turn to hopefully do Australia proud.”
Kerry will skate his short program tomorrow on Day 7 (February 16).
He needs a top 24 finish to move into the free program on Day 8 (February 17).
Katherine Firkin
olympics.com.au
