Ms. Namita Nayyar:
At such a young age, you are out and making history. How are you able to balance your personal life and competing for figure skating?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
My family and I are very close and they help me balance my life. They make sure that on my days off I go out with friends or with them to do something fun. I also have some great friends from both skating and outside skating that I like to hang out with and then there is my brother, Zach who is my best friend. We train together both on and off the ice and drive to the rink all the time. We also like to hang out and watch horror movies in the basement of our house. All of this helps me to have a balanced life.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding figure skaters who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in this field?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
It’s ok to fall. It’s okay to fail. It’s not okay to give up. Failure is a part of the journey to winning. We all have moments where we face adversity and hardship and its one’s ability to persevere that make’s a champion. I have failed over and over again and that is why I succeed. It’s also important to dream and believe. You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them and if you put the work in, the results will come.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
How did you feel before and after winning the silver medal at the 2017 Four Continents Championships, becoming the first Canadian ladies’ single skater to land on the podium at Four Continents since 2009?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
Before the Four Continents Championships I felt really good. I just competed the month before at Nationals where I had two really good performances. I knew that if I repeated those performances a spot on the podium would be possible. After winning the short, I was really excited knowing that I could make history by winning the event. After the event I was a little disappointed in myself because I popped my triple loop which has been a good jump for me and cost me the gold. Afterwards, reflecting back I was really happy to have represented Canada so well at the Championships and to follow in the footsteps my idol, Joannie Rochette. It also gave me a lot of confidence going into Worlds as I felt it sent a message to rest of the World that Canadian ladies single skaters are serious contenders.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Who has been your greatest influence and motivator in your success in the field of your career in figure skating?
Ms. Gabby Daleman:
My parents. They have been there ever since I first laced up a pair of skates. My mom has attended almost all of my competitions and is a very strong individual who has helped me to become a strong young woman myself. My dad is my off-ice coach and he helped me to learn to have a very good workout ethic and to be not only a skater, but an athlete. Both of my parents still come and watch me practice whenever they can and help me emotionally, mentally and physically.
Another influence has been my coaching team. As I mentioned above. Lee, Brain and Tracy are great; they keep me focused and back to loving my sport.
Then there’s my brother Zach, my best friend.
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