Dubai: 7-year-old lives ice-skating dream without compromising on education

Dubai: 7-year-old lives ice-skating dream without compromising on education

The Kazakh national has already been selected to be part of the UAE National Ice-Skating Team

Published: Mon 2 Jan 2023, 1:59 PM Last updated: Mon 2 Jan 2023, 2:24 PM

Lyudmila Zykova may only be in Year 3 but she’s showing how she's a cut above the rest.

The Kazakh national has already been selected to be part of the UAE National Ice-Skating Team.

Although, she is not allowed to compete immediately given her young age and according to the UAE regulations, but she will be participating in international competitions as soon as she turns eight.

“I have already begun training with the other skaters in the national team, having secured special a KHDA approval to leave school early at 2pm to attend these training sessions. My school has fully been supporting and cheering for me, all the way,” says The GEMS Royal Dubai School pupil.

Lyudmila was born in Kazakhstan in May 2015 and moved to Dubai the same year with her family when she was two months old. She has been learning to ice skate since a young age.

“I first got interested in ice skating when I was three years old. I saw a competition on the television and loved it. So, I