Alexandria ice skater, 11, has eyes on Olympics after national championship title

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (FOX 5 DC) – A local skater who recently won a national championship has her eyes set on the Olympics.

Sofia Bezkorovainaya, 11, took her final step towards international competition, beating more than 250 skaters across the country, some as young as 13.

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“I stay in the morning for about two hours, then go home and do some school, then go back to skating for another two or three hours,” Bezkorovainaya said.

She wakes up at 5 a.m. everyday to train with breaks to do her schoolwork.

“I do classes online, Virginia Virtual Academy is really very comfortable,” she says.

She trains with her trainer Inna Volyanskaya, herself a former professional figure skater, five hours a day on the ice as well as dance and ballet lessons. Volyanskaya says Sofia has great potential and will go far in the sport.

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“She never gives up,” she said. “She always says, ‘Can I try this, can I try this?’ She is now asking if she can do triple axles.It’s not just me pushing her, she’s pushing herself.

Recently, Sofia won the title of 2022 U.S. National Juvenile Figure Skating Champion, marking the highest on record for the competition.

The national championship was just one step towards fulfilling his goal of someday competing in the Olympics.

“My hope is that she [enjoys] figure skating as she enjoys right now, ”Volyanskaya said. “This is my first hope. And second, of course, her dream comes true, and she dreams of competing in the Olympics. “

And for aspiring skaters, Sofia’s advice: “Don’t give up, believe in what you’re doing and go for it.”

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As for the next step for Sofia, she plans to set up a new, more difficult routine and prepare for the competitions in the new season.