British youngster skating for Spain storms ahead of competition to win top spot

Eight-year-old Summer Jones from Manilva on the Costa del Sol has finished first in her age group at the World Open Inline Figure Skating championship

Anthony Piovesan

Manilva

Friday, 12 July 2024, 14:54

Barely six months after trying on her skates for the first time and practising in the local square of her hometown in Manilva, British youngster Summer Jones has won an international competition.

The eight-year-old was selected by Manilva Skating Academy to represent Spain at the World Open Inline Figure Skating Championships in Fasano in Italy's southern region of Puglia last week.

Not only was she the youngest competitor, but she blitzed her rivals during the final on 5 July to finish first out of 13 girls in the 8-9 age group. Summer was awarded 12.47 points for her skating routine to The Bluebells' song Young at Heart. Second place was awarded 12.31 points, while third place finished with 10 points.

Summer's mother Louise Jones described her daughter's victory as "unbelievable".

"It sounds terrible but I didn't expect her to win because she's only been skating for six months and she was the youngest in her category," she told SUR in English.

"Summer is competing against girls who have been doing it for four years so I was thinking she was never going to win and then she did and I was shocked."

The British expat from Manchester who now lives in San Martin del Tesorillo, just outside Manilva, said her daughter has only just started understanding the magnitude of her victory in the past few days. "She's very much taken it in her stride and I don't think she initially realised just how big it was," Jones said.

"She asked me, 'am I the best skater in the world?'" and I've told her she's not but for people in her age group she's been judged as one of the best and she's understanding that now."

Louise purchased Summer a pair of skates for her sixth birthday in December 2022, but she didn't start using them until her seventh birthday last December. She noticed her daughter's talent immediately and enrolled her at Manilva Skating Academy.

"On Summer's first day they couldn't believe how good she was and they asked to me 'are you sure she's never skated before?' and I told them she hadn't"

Following last week's win, Jones is now searching for other local competitions to help nurture her daughter's talent.

"She's obviously good and it would be good for her to continue to explore skating, but ultimately continue having fun and you can see just how much she loves it once she puts on those skates."

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