Ukrainian skating sisters back to 'doing what they love'

Two Ukrainian sisters are pursuing their dreams of becoming competitive figure skaters after fleeing a warzone.

Both Tetiana, seven, and Anna, six, competed at a national level, before leaving Kyiv for Wiltshire in May.

They are now training at The Link Centre in Westlea, Swindon, which offers free memberships to refugees living in the town.

Mother Natalia said she was "very happy" to see her daughters skating again.

She told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "It's a new opportunity for us."

"We are in safety and it is very good," she added.

In Ukraine the sisters used to train before and after school.

They have already competed in their first national UK competition and are being coached by Great Britain figure skaters and British Pairs Skating champions, Christopher Boyadji and Swindon-born, Zoe Jones.

Training twice a day, five days a week, the duo recently competed at Young Stars, a national competition in Sheffield.

Tetiana reached 29th in the level two girls category and Anna came 18th in the beginner's class.

Seven-time British pairs skating champion, Mr Boyadji, said it was "amazing" the girls, who had arrived with little English, were able to "continue to do what they love", especially with everything going on in their home country.

Lending the girls costumes from her own children, Ms Jones said that while they "skated a lot back home up until the war started", it was a "big deal to start going again."

"With a new country, the system was very different. They were very nervous," she said.

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