Alexia Easom: Double gold, big dreams and the joy of skating

Balancing school, skating and a packed training schedule is no small feat. But for 9-year-old Alexia Easom, it’s all part of the journey. After claiming two titles at the 2025 SAFSA National Championships (one in singles and the other in solo dance), Easom says the wins were both joyful and humbling.

“I felt proud, excited and happy,” she says. “Winning at Nationals is always special. I was just glad I performed well.”

While she treats solo dance more as a developmental space to improve her skating edges and artistry, it’s clear where her heart lies: “My favourite is figure skating, because I like the jumping part.”

Easom’s versatility across disciplines reflects a broader commitment to mastering her craft. In fact, her background in ballet, strong coaching and an edge-focused training approach made the transition to solo dance relatively smooth. Still, each discipline requires its own rhythm. “Figure skating is more structured with a focus on building up to my big jumps,” she explains. “Dance is more about flow, movement and edge work.”

Her growing competition experience extends well beyond South Africa. In 2024 and early 2025, Alexia competed internationally, notching her first overseas win in Slovenia and breaking the 30-point mark for the first time.

“Some competitions went really well, others didn’t,” she says honestly. “In Sofia, I had a bad skate and felt really upset. But I learned that even great skaters have off days. That doesn’t mean you’re a bad skater.”

That mindset, mature beyond her years, has been shaped by experience, family and faith. A typical day sees her on the ice by 7am, schooling mid-morning, then a rotation of ballet, off-ice training, or conditioning in the afternoon. Evenings are reserved for family time, church, or Brownies (Girl Guides).

“There are hard days,” she admits, “but my family is always there for me. They encourage me and help me focus on the good.”

Looking ahead, Easom’s goals are ambitious. She wants to land her double axel in competition, win another international event and qualify for her first ISU solo dance competition in Paris. Longer term? She’s aiming for the Olympics in 2034.

And off the ice?

“I read a lot. I just finished the 11th book in my Diary of a Wimpy Kid set,” she says with a smile. “I also love playing darts with my family and hanging out with my friends.”

Though she doesn't name a specific role model, she watches Ilia Malinin when she can and follows South African skaters overseas. But perhaps her biggest inspiration is right at home.

“I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of my coach, Barbie Hawkes and my dad.”