Amani Fancy, Team GB’s newest recruit, is just 15 and already set to be a rising star in the world of figure skating.
Leaping into the limelight as one of Team GB’s newest and youngest members, I talk to Amani Fancy about what it takes to succeed in the sporting world.
While most teenagers at 15 are in full time education and full time Facebook stalking, Amani trains 6 days a week, Sundays being the day of ‘regeneration and recuperating to start again on Monday’. At such a young age, Amani has already been chosen to represent Great Britain in the Junior Youth World Championships and Youth Olympic games.
Amani has landed nearly all of her triple jumps. She has a truly expressive style and performance quality that lifts up the crowd and as well as being physically talented her presence is felt throughout the stadium- her smile is infectious.
Whilst in Milan, where the Youth World Championships were underway I met up with Amani in a small restaurant in town. If she weren’t a skater, she says, she would want to be an author or a journalist. But Amani is still a normal, vivacious and energetic teen. “I’m in love” she admitted over dinner “with Harry Styles”.
Growing up in Oman, Amani started taking skating lessons after a friends birthday party and since the age of 8 has trained in the UK , Dubai, Germany and the USA whilst also being able to concentrate on homeschooling. But even though it may all seem glamorous, Amani has been concussed three times which doctors have warned could lead to serious problems in the future.
How is your lifestyle different from most other 15 year olds?
Well firstly I’m a GB figure skater, so I train 6 times a week, which means the ice rink is my second home. I also sleep way more than any other teenager because it gives me mental energy for skating which helps me a lot on the ice. But even though I train non-stop I do have a life outside skating and I try to spend as much time as possible with my friends who have such a positive influence on me.
As you know there’s so much support for young athletes in GB seen in the Olympics, is there much backing behind winter athletes?
Oh definitely, I love skating for my country, its such an honour. We get quite a bit of media attention and I love the people who take time to support me whether it’s back home or at the rink when I’m skating. But as much as I love representing GB, I’m there to get on the ice, listen to the music and not stop dancing ‘til it stops.
How many hours do you train a week?
I train 6 days a week, Sundays off for regeneration and recuperating. I do about 16 hours on the ice a week and about 1-2 hours of off-ice training every day. I also have to do cardio work and stretching as well as a lot of mental work like meditation. But even though its tough exercise it’s all worth it in the end.
(Suddenly, I make a mental note to go to the gym on Monday.)
How do you prepare mentally for competing?
It’s definitely the biggest part of skating in my mind and my couches mind. It’s something I want to improve on though, to make sure I stay as confident as I can. I find that belief in oneself when doing any sport is the key to success and a lot of thinking and imagining the sport in your mind makes you do it much better when you come to train.
What about food- Do you have to stick to a healthy regime?
I can’t eat carbohydrates often, and I have to have dinner early so I’m not bloated. So I do stay away from a lot of rice, pasta, pizza, bread…but chocolate…no I could never stay away from that. I do not care what anyone says, chocolate is a part of my life….Will my coach read this interview?
For someone at university wanting to take up a sport, why should they start skating?
You get so much out of ice skating. It’s a sport but also a form of mental relaxation and expression. You can enjoy the coaching, your friends with you, you learn to do things you thought you could never do like jump and spin. In a way by starting to ice skate you go beyond your physical boundaries and try and do what you might have thought was previously impossible. You’re in a cool environment, a social one too and you’ve got music which you can do whatever you want to it- let out every single emotion.
It’s clear that you’re going to be on the GB figure skating scene for some while now. What’s the next goal?
Olympics 2018 Team Great Britain!
From meeting Amani it was clear that mental strength, hard work, determination and pushing your physical boundaries is key to success in sport. Being focused on a particular sport has also been shown to lift your spirits considerably, create a positive aura and help concentration academically too. Not only that, but its incredibly fun, so take advantage of Nottingham Ice Arena’s public sessions or you could even join Ice Skating Society! The ice rink is only 20 minutes from campus by bus.
For the time being, Amani is continuing to train at a high level in a small German town with three ice rinks, perfect for her state of mind and training.