Staff Writer
What were you doing when you were 15 years old? I’m going to guess you weren’t representing your country at a home Olympics. But that’s exactly what 15-year-old Russian figure skater Julia Lipnitskaia is doing, and, despite her age, she’s making even the most experienced athletes a little bit nervous of just how good she is.
Some fifteen year olds these days look like they’re actually twenty five. Julia Lipnitskaia is not one of those fifteen year olds. Her tiny frame and young face could make you question whether a little girl has somehow gotten lost in the ice rink. Her moves on the ice, however, make you realise that age really is just a number.
Courtesy of Getty ImagesCurrently competing in the team skate event, she took to the ice in front of a home crowd screaming her name to perform the technical short routine. Like a seasoned professional, she wowed the crowd with a series of intricate spins and jumps. Her performance was so impressive, she has been likened to superstar Tara Lipinski, who was 15 years old herself when she took the gold at the 1998 Nagano Games. She remains the youngest individual gold medallist at the Winter Olympics.
Lipinski, who is now retired, is at the Games, and watched Lipnitskaia’s routine, saying “I have been saying the whole year that she is a dark horse. I loved the energy and and the fight in her.”
Lipnitskaia also spoke following her performance. “All the cheering was unusual,” said the talented youngster. “It was a real pleasure for me. I’m glad I made it pleasurable for the spectators, and I’m glad I got my team into first place.” (Huffington Post)
Courtesy of Getty Images“Of course there was a bit of worry, but, thank God, I coped well with everything I had to do. I knew I had to be calm,” said Lipnitskaia (LA Times).
After Lipnitskaia helped out by finishing first in the short section with an impressive score of 72.90, the Russian team are currently leading the team competition. The team competition, which is debuting in Sochi, will conclude on Sunday (Feb 9).
When it comes to a star like Julia Lipnitskaia, it almost stops mattering what country your allegiances lie with – you find yourself rooting for her. An inspirational role model for youngsters everywhere, she embodies the idea that working hard leads to great success. May she continue to entertain, amaze and capture hearts for the rest of the Sochi Games.
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