Gold for local skater

By Jo Kennett

Mitchell

Dental Surgery

A 60-year-old Pottsville figure skater has won gold on an international stage in Germany and said she wants to inspire others to get out there and have a go no matter what age they are.

Heather Little won the major world adult figure skating competition at the International Skating Association Adult Figure Skating Competition which ran in Oberstdorf, Germany, from May 15 to 20.

Heather grew up in Victoria and competed as a junior skater, coming third in the Australian titles, winning a national event in New Zealand and dreaming of going to the Olympics, a dream only a handful of Australian skaters have ever realised.

“I skated competitively for 13 or 14 years until I was about 23 and then I started teaching skiing,” Heather, just back from Germany, told The Weekly.

“I came back to skating about four years ago just for fitness.

“With COVID I was stuck at home and then I got really into it again.

“I started competing again about two years ago in the adult division because I had so much time during COVID and I just loved it. It was a silver lining.

“I’ve done a few competitions at home including state and nationals. I came third in nationals which was 37 years old and over.”

Although Heather competed overseas as a junior, her trip to the competition in Germany was her first as an adult skater.

“We have to qualify to go; meet a certain criteria, get permission from Ice Skating Australia and be at a certain level,” she said.

“I’d be the strongest skater in my age category in Australia but in Australia the adult divisions begin at 18 and I mostly compete against 18 to 25 year olds.

“Overseas you have to be 28 to go so I was competing in the 58 to 67-year-old division.”

“I skated in the artistic category and came fifth but I won the figure skating by two points ahead of the next competitor so it was a pretty good margin.”

Heather, who trains on the ice in Brisbane several times a week, said it was “a bit of a surprise to win.”

“I wasn’t sure how I would go on the international circuit,” she said.

She said her main goal in life was to be an inspiration for adults, “to go out there and give things a go and don’t let age limit you.”

“It doesn’t matter how old you are, you can do a lot more than you think you can,” she said.

“That’s probably where I kick goals, being an inspiration to a lot of people to be fit and healthy and to pursue their goals.

“I like to encourage people to just go for it and give it a go and just have fun.”