For someone who, three weeks ago, didn’t know she would compete in these Olympic Games, the wait for 16-year-old Cheltzie Lee has been a long one.

Lee gained the 30th and final place in the Olympic figure skating field and was instantly on a plane to Vancouver.

Now she’s been in the Village and spent a good amount of time practicing, including at the venue for the competition, the Pacific Colisieum, Lee is ready for a great performance on Tuesday night (Vancouver time).

Thirty skaters will take to the ice in the short program with the top 24 moving through to the free program on Thursday night.

Quite simply, it will be the best of the very best with advancement through to the second night of competition a remarkable achievement in itself.

Lee’s mentor Kylie Fennell believes her young skater is in a great frame of mind ahead of the competition.

“She’s feeling really good actually and her work on the ice since we’ve been here has been top class,” Fennell said.

“It’s been a long wait but she’s ready to go,” Fennell added.

The Koreans are expected to dominate the event however Fennell agrees that reputations and expectations can often be a skaters Achilles heel.

“Everyone feels pressure and sometimes when you are expected to do well you can be a bit tense and that tension shows under the spotlight of competition,” she said.

So how about Cheltzie’s nerves and expectations?

“I’m sure there will be some nervousness there beforehand and it’s the Olympics so you would expect that – but she is a very level headed girl,” Fennell said.

Damian Kelly
AOC - Vancouver