Junior Grand Prix | Istanbul, Turkey
September 6-9, 2023
Arrival to Istanbul ᎒
It was the first time since long that I flew again. Luckily it took only 3 hours and not over 10. I can’t sit still for a long, I need to move.
There was a storm in Istanbul and the landing was shaky which I really dislike but we landed safely. It took 30 minutes to get to the hotels where we faced a real chaos. Many skaters, including me, didn’t get their rooms booked. The organizers tried to help the situation as fast as possible, but by the time I finally got to sleep it was around 11:30 pm. What a start. 😭
Training Day 1 ᎒
Even if it was only a training session I was kinda nervous ’cause I wanted to skate clean and show everything I had. 😅 At the end I felt it went very well.
Competition Day 1 | Short Program ᎒
Before the actual competition we had another training session. I was ready and prepared, but in the warm up of my group I felt nervousness building up. I took some deep breaths to calm down but despite all the breathing exercises when I started my Short Program all the stress came back and I fell twice. It was shocking.
In the Kiss & Cry I was disappointed but I didn’t allow myself to sink in that. I had to focus my mind on the Free Skate and make sure to do my best.
Training Day 2 ᎒
The day started with sightseeing in Istanbul. I could’t really enjoy it. Only the Bazar was exciting enough to distract my mind. Later on the training went pretty good, I felt good and ready for the Free Skate.
Competition Day 2 | Free Program ᎒
I had to get up at 6:30 am. My training started at 8:00 am. So early. Despite that it was alright. I don’t like morning practices.
Then came the final step, the free program. The nervousness hit me again the moment I stepped on the ice. This time I didn’t fall but I couldn’t land my jumps cleanly. Almost all were overrotated. Sitting in the Kiss & Cry with my coach my emotions were rapidly changing. I tried to look happy and waving to everyone who watched me. I knew there were many kind people following me and cheering for me. But I knew my scores would be low. Far from my expectations, far from my goal to get to the Final. When I saw the scores I couldn’t believe my eyes. I didn’t expect to earn over 100 points. That at the end made me feel better and hopeful. 😊
After the victory ceremony I congratulated Rio, Minkyu and Daiya and my coach took photos of us so I’ll have those as a memory forever.
Saying Good-Bye to Istanbul ᎒
It was the last day of my first ever international junior competition. I was kinda happy that it was over. I wanted to go home and train in my home rink again. After this experience I got a new motivation. I watched skaters from other countries, not only from Switzerland, and saw their skating levels. It was so inspiring. Watching them skating filled me with new energy.
The flight home was nice and smooth with another shaky landing. I tried to think of how thankful I was that I could have this experience. But honestly, when we landed in Zürich I was so happy to be back home again. 😁
The hard work starts tomorrow. I want to believe I can make my dreams come true and I will work hard for it. With the experience I gained in Istanbul I know better what I have to face next time.
☙