Getting to Know Canadian Armenian Figure Skater Tina Garabedian

Canadian Armenian Ice Dancer Tina Garabedian (Source: National Olympic Committee of Armenia)

BY TALIA BACHEKJIAN

MONTREAL (Horizon Weekly) ”” Tina Garabedian is no ordinary 18-year-old girl. Besides school and personal life, she trains multiple hours a week to be able to accomplish her dream: representing Armenia in the 2018 Olympics as a figure skater. It is thanks to her loving family and supportive friends that she has the strength to continue. We both attended l’École Arménienne Sourp Hagop and I recently had the opportunity to get to know her a little better through this interview.

Talia Bachekjian: Tell us a little about yourself: when did you first start skating? What attracted you to this sport?

Tina Garabedian: My name is Tina Garabedian and I am 18 years old. I attended l’École Arménienne Sourp Hagop until the 7th grade but had to change to a sports-study program to help my skating schedule. I am currently at Cégep Gérald-Godin in the sports-study program with a focus on business. This allows me to miss days from school for my international competitions. I started skating at the age of 5 thanks to my mother. She loved how graceful Josée Chouinard, Canadian champion, was and wanted her daughters to learn the sport. As years passed by, my love to this sport grew stronger. I used to freestyle (skating alone) until the age of 14 when I joined my sisters’ synchronized skating team in “Les Pirouettes Junior”