Ice dancer Mikhail Ajam from Thornton and his partner Felicity Chase have been selected to represent South Africa at the Junior Grand Prix in Bangkok and Budapest this year – the first time in many years that the country will be participating in ice dance.
The two, who train at the GrandWest ice rink in Goodwood, are the only South Africans chosen by the SA Figure Skating Association to compete in both events, taking place in August and September.
Ajam (20) started skating at the age of eight with the ambition to play ice hockey, but soon got bitten by the figure skating bug and it has been his sport of choice ever since. The sports science student has competed as a solo figure skater, as part of a synchronised skating team, and now as the male half of an ice dance couple.
Worked overtime to prepare
“I am immensely honoured that we’ve been selected to represent our country at the Junior Grand Prix,” he said. “We’ve trained for so long for this opportunity to compete against the best in the world and we’re working overtime with our coach to prepare.”
Their coach, Tiana Stanton, said the two were undergoing extensive training to ensure that South Africa can be proud of them.
“They have increased their ice time and lessons to include additional edge and power workouts over and above all the technical ice dance choreography that they have mastered. These are two very dedicated and hard-working athletes who are very deserving of our support,” she said.
Ice skating is a niche sport in South Africa and there is no official financial assistance available. The skaters are responsible for their costs and have launched a fundraising campaign to cover their trips to Thailand and Hungary.
Shern Allelly, General Manager of Ice Station at GrandWest, said they are very proud of the solo and dance couple who have been selected by the National Figure Skating Association to represent the country at the Junior Grand Prix. “It’s the first time in many a year that we have a dance couple going to high-level competitions. The couple still train regularly in the ice rink at GrandWest,” says Allelly.
The ice dancers have just returned from Bangkok and will be leaving for Budapest on Sunday 17 September.
