NEWS RELEASE
OLIVIA OLIVER
*************************
Sixteen-year-old Innisdale Secondary School students Olivia Oliver and Joshua Andari are heading to Europe this summer to compete for Poland in the ISU Junior Grand Prix Figure Skating events in Courchevel, France (Aug. 21-24) and Gdansk, Poland, (Sept. 18-21).
Last season, at her first attempt, Olivia qualified for the Junior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, with her previous partner Peter Paleev and because of her success Olivia and Josh have been chosen to represent Poland at these two Grand Prix events.
Olivia, who has dual Canadian/Polish citizenship was born in Poland, but lives with her family in Barrie and Josh is from Chatham, Ont. Six months ago, Josh moved to Barrie and with Olivia they train full-time at the Mariposa International School of Skating, attending Innisdale through the highly acclaimed co-op program with Mariposa.
Although they have only been training together for three months Olivia and Josh are excited by the prospect of the upcoming figure skating season and their goal is to win the Polish Junior Championships later this year and qualify for the World Junior Championships being held in Tallinn, Estonia, March 2020.
Olivia has always worked to help children in need. Five years ago, aged 11, she broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest spinner on ice, clocking an incredible 342 RPM, at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland. In doing so, Olivia raised over $20,000 to make wishes come true for sick kids in Poland.
This season Olivia and Josh are launching their own new charitable cause Skating for Young Heroes. The Young Heroes are children who have a terminal illness or life-limiting condition. When they competes in Gdansk, Poland, 10 sick kids and their families will be invited to watch them perform and to have a professional photo session with the young Polish team. Afterwards, Olivia and Josh will present the children with their “wish gifts”; laptops, smartphones, gaming devices, rehabilitation equipment, toys, etc., and then the children and their families will be treated to dinner and a night in hotel.
“Skating for Young Heroes will combine our passion for skating with our passion for helping children less fortunate”, said Olivia and Josh. “And we can’t wait to begin our new journey together – and make great things happen."
*************************
