FIGURE SKATING: Amelia Jackson has kept her Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) dreams alive after finishing as the highest eligible athlete at the 2015 National Figure Skating Championships in Penrith.
Jackson will now be hoping that Australia, who are currently third reserve for a spot at Lillehammer 2016, are awarded a quota to enable her to live out her dream of representing Australia at the second winter youth Games.
The 14-year-old from Brisbane produced strong performances in both programs to finish second overall in the Junior Ladies event.
“I was really pleased with both of my programs as I did everything I wanted to and almost scored a personal best,” Jackson said.
“It was really great as I had an injury at the beginning of this year and I hadn’t been going so well, so I was so relieved and happy to get this result.”
In what was an entertaining competition, Jackson was challenged by a number of other Lillehammer hopefuls.
“The field was very strong this year. A lot of the other girls had some really good elements and lots of high skills which ensured the standard was really high.”
Jackson believes it was her chance to compete overseas in Croatia and Slovenia this year that helped her to take a step up at the event.
“Those events definitely helped me for this Nationals.
“When you see other skaters doing really good stuff it makes you want to strive to do what they’re doing.”
While the chance to be national champion was a great motivation, it was the potential opportunity of representing Australia in Lillehammer that helped her get across the line.
“It was something that I’ve been aiming for a long, long time and has always been in the back of my head.
“I wanted to get there so bad.”
If Jackson does get the chance to represent her country in Lillehammer she believes it will be the crowning moment of her career to date.
“I really think it will be one of the once in a lifetime events that would be absolutely incredible.
“You could look back in 20 years and tell everyone that you had the chance to represent Australia – it would just be amazing.”
Australia will find out if they secure a quota position midway through January.
Along with figure skating, Australia is looking to take a team of 13-15 athletes in snowboard, alpine skiing, biathlon, cross country skiing, freestyle skiing, ice hockey (skills challenge), luge and short track skating.
The Lillehammer Games will be the second Winter Youth Olympic Games, following on from Innsbruck in 2012. The 2016 version will include many of the venues from the Winter Games in 1994 with 1100 young athletes from 70 nations competing in 70 events. It will be a competition and education experience they will never forget.
Matt Bartolo
Olympics.com.au
