Siao Him Fa’s Backflip Journey: A Decade of Advocacy Comes to Fruition
Siao Him Fa, a figure skater with a penchant for pushing boundaries, had a fascination with the backflip from his early days in the sport. His inspiration stemmed from watching the legendary performances of Bonnie Bonaly and the two-time Olympic bronze medalist, Philippe Candeloro.
The First Steps: Learning the Backflip
Two years ago, determined to conquer this banned element, Siao Him Fa embarked on a challenging journey. He began by mastering the backflip off the ice, which took a mere week and a half. Transitioning this skill to the ice, however, required just two more days.
The Mental Battle: Overcoming Fear
“The first day I tried, I had the harness on, and by the end of the day, I wanted to go without it, but I was too scared. The mental hurdle was significant; I wasn’t ready, so I didn’t land it. The next day, I felt confident and gave it a shot,” Siao Him Fa recounted. “Now every time I perform a backflip, I feel so happy. It’s pure joy.”
Advocacy for Change
Recognizing the transformative impact of this skill, Siao Him Fa became a vocal advocate for the backflip to be removed from the banned elements list. Throughout the previous season, he showcased the move on his Instagram profile, hashtagging it #Backflip4Everyone to spread awareness and gather support.
Historical Significance: The Return of the Backflip
The European champion’s advocacy has finally paid off. Beginning with the 2024-25 season, the backflip returns to competitive figure skating after a near 50-year hiatus. Though skaters cannot earn points for this element, they also won’t face any deductions. This change marks a significant milestone in the sport, allowing more skaters to explore and perfect this exhilarating move.
Celebration and Future Prospects
Siao Him Fa celebrated the news by incorporating the backflip into his competitive routines, often performing multiple backflips during exhibition galas. The skater’s enthusiasm is contagious, bringing an extra layer of excitement to the sport.
The Power of Persistence
Siao Him Fa’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and advocacy. His unfailing commitment to mastering the backflip and his efforts to make it a legal element in competitions have reinvigorated the figure skating community. This change not only entertains audiences but also encourages innovation and artistic expression within the sport.
Conclusion
The story of Siao Him Fa and the backflip serves as a reminder of the resilience and creativity found within the world of figure skating. As the sport evolves, with moves like the backflip taking center stage once more, we can look forward to seeing more skaters pushing the boundaries and delighting spectators with their incredible skills.
Siao Him Fa had been fascinated by the backflip since first seeing Bonaly and another French skater, two-time Olympic bronze medallist Philippe Candeloro, perform it.
Two years ago he decided to tackle the banned element himself. He started by learning the backflip off the ice, which took a week and a half. Transitioning it to the ice required another two days.
“The first day I had the harness and at the end of the day, I wanted to go without, but I was too scared. Mentally, it was hard. I was not feeling ready, so I didn’t land it. And the next day I was feeling, ‘OK, I’m ready so I will go for it’, and I did it,” Siao Him Fa recalled.
“I was feeling ready to learn it. And now that I do it, I feel so happy each time that I throw a backflip on the ice. I’m having so much fun.”
Siao Him Fa was one of the most vocal skaters in the campaign to have the backflip taken off the banned elements list. He continued to showcase the element on his Instagram profile throughout last season together with the hashtag #Backflip4Everyone.
The change that the European champion had been waiting for came ahead of the 2024-25 season. It marks the first season in almost 50 years that a backflip is allowed in competition. While a skater cannot earn points for it, there are also no points deducted.
Siao Him Fa celebrated the news by throwing a backflip into each of his competition programs and is known to do more than one backflip during exhibition galas, much to the delight of the spectators.
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