A selection of eight skaters is training and fine-tuning their routines to represent Panama in the 2021 Pan American Club and Nations Figure Skating Championship, which will take place from April 12 to 25, in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador.
The Panamanian team is made up of a select group of young talents under the age of 14, award winners in previous competitions.
Ana Laura Aizpurúa, Camila Alvarado, Ana Elisa Britton, Valeria Corcione, Camila García de Paredes, Galit Pinzón, Bábara Royo and Gabriela Sossa, will be the Panamanian representatives in the Ecuadorian event, under the technical direction of coach Nadia Cruoglio.
These skaters are part of the Panamanian Artistic Roller Skating Club (CLUPPART) and have the respective endorsement of the Panamanian Skating Association (APP).
Panamanian skaters will compete in the espoir and cadet categories, in free, compulsory dance, free dance and quartet modalities .
The Panamanian team is training under the biosecurity measures imposed by the health authorities to prevent the spread of the new
coronavirus. The skaters have made of the masks, alcohol gel and temperature measurement, part of their implements to train.
"It has been a very difficult year for everyone," said Judith Fernández, president of CLUPPART, referring to the suspension of sports activities due to the
Covid-19 pandemic. "We are resuming our work plan and trying to get a track with a wooden floor for our skaters to prepare," she added.
The Pan American Club and Nations Figure Skating Championship was postponed twice due to the pandemic. It is expected that this time around 400 skaters from countries such as the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Ecuador, Chile, Panama and Colombia will compete.