Figure skater glides to victory

“Skating is the vessel into which I pour my heart and soul.” This beautiful quote holds true for 12-year-old Nadia Bergh who aims for perfection each time she glides on ice. The little figure skater was inspired to take up the sport after watching her babysitter gracefully stake at a young age.

Speaking to the SUN, the talented Grade 7 learner said, “I love skating because there is always the next challenge. It isn’t like a game that can be completed. Once you mastered your single jumps, you work on doubles. When you master your doubles, you start working on triples. I love setting goals for myself and skating allows me to keep pushing forward. It is a very hard sport. Skaters make it look so easy, but it is probably the toughest sport to master. I have had so many skating injuries from hurting my hip and back, getting a concussion, fracturing my wrist and multiple bruises and cuts. At competitions, we have to keep on performing with a smile even if you get hurt and that is hard.”

Her favourite skating move at the moment is the axel, which took her two years to master. A recent inter-provincial competition in Gauteng was the most enjoyable one for her so far. Aside from performing wonderfully at the event, she also enjoyed interacting with other skaters who she met over the years. Nadia trains at the Durban Ice Arena three to four times a week. This includes lessons with her coaches, Heather Ashley, Dean Fox and Victoria Andrews who assists with choreography and off-ice training.

When asked if she chooses her own costumes, she said, “My coach and I decide together which music and costumes will work best. I get to choose the options of what I like and then my coach, Heather, makes the final decision based on what she knows will work best. The hardest part of figure skating is when I have to train my mind to stay positive and keep on getting up when I struggle to perform a new element. I am now busy perfecting double salchow, double loop and double flip jumps.”

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At competitions, Nadia is judged on both technical elements such as jumps and spins, and performance aspects including skating skills and artistic components.

“During competitions I only have 2 ½ minutes to complete the set of required elements and be judged on it. I am in the pre-novice section where we are required to do seven elements, four jumps, two spins and one sequence. Each element has a value and we get judged between -5 and +5, +5 being perfect with extra difficult, -5 is a fall rotation not completed and 0 being base which is the element as it should be. It is not only physically tough but also mentally. I need to have my mind right and be fit enough to get through all my elements in 2 ½ minutes. It seems short but mentally it is long,” she added.

Professional figure skater, Alina Zagitova is her inspiration because; she skates with so much character and in a unique style.

“My goal at this stage is to get my SA Colours. I am working with my coaches to qualify for this and hoping to represent my country at an international skating competition in the next year. I would like to see figure skating recognised as an official sport and not just a hobby. I am very blessed that my school, Kuswag Skool supports my skating and recognises my achievements, but this is not the case for all my skating friends,” she said.

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While she is unable to skate due to the lockdown, Nadia is still keeping busy and said, “I have been very busy with keeping up with my schoolwork. We are given projects, assignments and tests and I like to do well at school. I also do off-ice training that the ISU is offering on their YouTube channel, and have been doing Pilatus too. In between, I help my mom with housework, making TikToks or I do digital art for fun.”

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