Barrie figure skating champion combines her passion for skating with helping others

BARRIE, ONT. -

A figure skating champion from Barrie is giving back to the community in the best way she knows how.

Olivia Rybicka-Oliver, a 18-year-old Barrie resident and champion figure skater in Poland, has been dedicating her time to spending time with children with various ailments.

Rybicka-Oliver's idea originated from her parents, who run a charity granting wishes for terminally ill children. Her charity, called the Skating for Young Heroes Program, allows her to provide gifts to children and to dedicate some of her spare time.

"As someone who is very grateful for everything that I have, I love giving back to people and especially to kids who are sick," Rybicka-Oliver says. "A lot of the kids don't have the opportunity to skate or do any physical activity like I do."

Rybicka-Oliver, who started skating at just five years old, quickly developed a passion for the sport. She broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest spin on the ice at age 11, clocking 342 revolutions per minute.

Last week, Rybicka-Oliver and her skating partner, Joshua, placed in the top ten in the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Poland.

"I feel like even though I have a partner with me, I feel like it's just me against the world at that moment," Rybicka-Oliver says. "I don't think about anything else. Every other issue that I've been having that day or that week is just set aside and I'm able to focus on something that I really love and it gives me a sense of freedom," she says.

As for what's next, the skating sensation has her sights set on the Olympics.

"My dream is to go to at least one Olympics games and make it to the final at the Olympic games," Rybicka-Oliver says. "I don't know how it's all going to work out, but I know that I'm going to do everything I can to reach my goal of going there and doing really well there," she says.