FIGURE SKATING – CROSS-COUNTRY

Interview and pictures by Leslie Tan. © Red Sports

Alexandria Wong, of Methodist Girls’ School (MGS) is a figure skater and a runner. The 14-year-old athlete will be in Secondary 3 in 2008 loves nature, adding to the pleasure of her cross-country training through woods and trails. A lover of animals, Alexandria is also most comfortable when she is surrounded by books and libraries and Borders Book Store are her favourite haunts. Her sporting exploits have also put her into the final round of the Singapore Sports Idol contest. Red Sports recently caught up with her for an interview.

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Alexandria Wong, MGS. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports


Red Sports: You are the pre-novice champion this year at this year’s National Figure Skating Championship. Can you give us an idea of your training regime for figure skating?

Alexandria: I was training almost everyday in preparation for the Nationals 2007. As it is difficult to train in a crowded rink, I usually train in the evenings from 6 to 10 pm. I have however cut down on my training days and time at the rink as I am working on striking a balance between sports and academics.

Red Sports: You also ran for MGS in cross-country and came in 4th. How did you balance training for both? Did they conflict or were they complementary?

Alexandria: I stumbled upon running quite by chance. I topped my cohort during the *endurance beep test in school when I first joined Methodist Girls’ School as a secondary one student. I was invited to run in a cross country race with the school team. That was my first ever run apart from the NAFA tests in school. I did not know what a race was like, I just followed the hundreds of girls under 17 and placed 51st. In the year that followed, I trained twice a week with the school team and then three times a week when the National Cross Country 2007 Championships was near. I placed 4th out of 279 in this race.

*The endurance beep test is a test where there are two posts approximately 10-15 m apart. Each time the beep sound goes, one has to run to the other post before the next beep sound is sounded. The interval between the beep sounds then gets closer and closer and one has to run faster and faster to reach the other post in time. My PE teacher tells us that one has to reach level 9 in this test in order to qualify for the S-League and I was at level 8 in my test.

Cross country training is demanding and I had to make adjustments to my figure skating training schedule. On the two days which I have cross country training, I would not skate because my legs ache too much. I schedule my ice skating lessons and practice on the days when there is no cross country training. I still try very much to keep Sunday free, but when skating competitions are near, this is not always possible.

I am thankful that my passion and opportunities are in figure skating and cross country. Cross country training builds stamina while skating training builds endurance and determination. In cross country training, I push myself to run faster and longer. In figure skating training, I push myself to drill, jump, fall, get up and try again. The combination of stamina and determination stemming from both sports therefore complement each other. I am also fortunate that my cross country coach has taken the trouble to come to the ice rink to watch me train on ice, to better understand what I do and helps strike a balance in my training.

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Alexandria on her way to the Pre Novice Championship win at the 6th National Figure Skating Championships held in 2007. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Red Sports: How long have you been involved in sports?

Alexandria: I started figure skating when I was 6. In year 2003 when I was 10, I was sent by the Singapore Sports Council and the Singapore Ice Skating Association to train in Sydney, Australia. I am now 14 and so have been involved in this sport for 8 years. I am still very young in running having only chanced upon the sport less than 2 years ago. I started swimming from as young as 4 because water safety is of paramount importance to my mum. I played tennis throughout my primary school years.

Red Sports: Who is your biggest sporting influence?

Alexandria: Gymnast-diver-hurdler Eileen Chai. She is a very versatile sports woman and I admire that tremendously. I wished I knew how she juggled so many different sports training concurrently. I often tell myself that it is not impossible for me because Eileen Chai has proven that it is possible. I continue to strive, looking at Eileen Chai as a role model.

Red Sports: If you weren’t a figure skater or cross-country runner, what sport would you have tried?

Alexandria: This is a good one. I would really like to do all sports if I had the time. In Raffles Girls’ Primary School, I was in the school tennis team and had represented the school in the inter-school tennis tournaments every year. I also feel that I have a natural flair for table tennis given the time and opportunity to train in the sport. I thoroughly enjoy playing street soccer and football although my mum totally forbids it for fear that I would injure my ankle which would affect my skating and cross country activities. Wushu and silat are sports which I would really like to do but have not had time nor opportunity to learn.

Red Sports: If the opportunity ever arose, would you ever consider being a full-time athlete for Singapore?

Alexandria: Definitely. I am a member of the figure skating national team. I am a four-time national champion – 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007. I did ask one of our school physical education teachers on how athletes could be chosen for the cross country national team. Given the opportunity, I would want to run and skate for my country.

Alexandria is in the final round for the Singapore Sports Idol contest. You can vote for her at the following link:
http://www.teamsingapore.com.sg/publish/teamsingapore/sportsidol/phase2/cat/alexandria_wong.html

If you vote, you stand to win a travel package for 2 to the Beijing 2008 Olympics Games (terms and conditions apply). Uncle Les also wants to go!