Eliana Gandia, a junior, is carving out a path in a world of competitive figure skating, a sport she has pursued for seven years despite its physical and systemic challenges. In a recent interview with Eliana, she detailed her journey from a 7-year-old beginner to an experienced skater navigating challenges in her representation and recovery in New York City’s ice rinks.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
What got you into figure skating?
My mom wanted to make sure my sport was out of the ordinary, so I could stick out from the other girls when I got older. I tried ballet, which I stuck with for five years, and then I got into ice skating, which I’ve been doing for seven years.
How old were you when you first started skating?
I was 7 years old, and I had stopped skating when I was 9 after I got a concussion. Then Covid-19 hit so it was hard for me to ice skate. Time passed until I turned 13 years old and that’s when I got back into ice skating.
What is it like training as a figure skater in New York City?
It’s hard because as a girl who is not fair skinned it’s difficult to stick out among the other girls. The Black community tries to skate, but it’s not really convenient because people don’t really want to give time to Black girls to ice skate, or give time to students like me who need to practice.
What’s been the most memorable performance in competition?
It had to be last year. I think that was my favorite team because they showed me that it’s more to life than what I’m just viewing, and I got a lot of different perspectives from everybody on the team. The day of our performance we all broke down crying at the same time it showed me unity.
What’s the hardest part of figure skating that people don’t usually see?
The hardest part is accepting failure. I feel like in this sport as a Black girl I’m not supposed to fail, but I’m supposed to be as good as the white girl ahead of me with all the privileges. I just feel like accepting that sometimes you’re not always gonna win, or you’re not always going to be as good as the girl with more advantages than you. Always apply yourself and just pursue.
What advice would you give to other students who might want to try figure skating?
No matter how many disadvantages you face, strive to always stay resilient and persevere.
