Special Olympian Pursuing Gold

By Kelly Sharp

The BC Special Winter Olympics are not until next February in Kelowna. But 14 year-old Darlene Jakubowski is going along ways to be ready for the provincial competition, 495 kilometers to be exact. Darlene and her mom Leona just completed there third road trip to Prince George for private figure skating lessons.

 Allison Atkins and Alex Sergueev of the Prince George Figure Skating Club are providing the Fort St John skater with plenty of one-on-one instruction.

“They have been phenomenal,” said Leona Jakubowski, who has watched Darlene steadily improve on her figure skating program.

Earning a silver medal at a qualifying event earlier this year in North Shore is incentive enough for the Fort St. John skater to strive for gold at the 2007 BC Special Winter Olympics.

Darlene began club skating seven years ago. According to Leona Jakubowski the sport of figure skating has done wonders for her daughter off the ice. The thought process needed to perform a figure skating routine has helped develop a more alert Darlene in the classroom.

“Darlene skates four days a week in the morning,” said Leona, it makes a difference at school.”

The Fort St. John grade nine student skates off the ice with a big smile. She can’t wait until the weekend to perform in front of a crowd at the Williston Skate competition at the Kin Centres in Prince George.

“They really spoil us kids,” said Darlene.

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us