Originally published in WDVM TV – December 8, 2021
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WDVM) — Not many people can say they are a national figure skating champion, but 11-year-old Sofia Bezkorovainaya can.
The Alexandria native beat out 250 other competitors to claim the title of 2022 U.S. National Figure Skating Juvenile Champion.
“I was really, really happy because it was one of my biggest goals,” said Bezkorovainaya.
The national competition was just one step toward’s the young athlete’s dream to one day compete in — and win — the Olympics. It’s an ambitious goal, but not unrealistic, says her coach, Inna Volyanskaya.
“She’s not a regular kid. She’s a very talented kid,” said Volyanskaya.
It’s Bezkorovainaya’s work ethic that sets her apart, her coach says. She trains on the ice six hours per day, including an additional 2 hours of off-ice ballet training, and of course, school.
“I do Virginia Virtual Academy, and it’s very comfortable because I can just go on my break and do some school,” said Bezkorovainaya.
While Bezkorovainaya makes winning a national competition look easy, it took years of hard work and a lot of competitions.
“It was a long way. A year of preparation, and a lot of hard work,” said Volyanskaya.
The young figure skater also has dozens of medals from major national and regional events. No surprise, she took first place in most of them.
To learn more about Virginia Virtual Academy, visit vava.k12.com.
