Music: {allcanada} NGUYEN HEADLINES CANADA'S WORLD JUNIOR FIGURE SKATING TEAM

Sunday, February 26, 2012

{allcanada} NGUYEN HEADLINES CANADA'S WORLD JUNIOR FIGURE SKATING TEAM

MINSK, Belarus -- Nam Nguyen, who turned heads at the Canadian senior figure skating championships last month, headlines Canada's team at the world junior championships.

Nguyen, a native of Burnaby, B.C., made history last year in Victoria by becoming the youngest competitor to win the Canadian junior men's title at the age of 12.

He moved up to the senior ranks this season and finished seventh at the national senior event last month in Moncton, N.B. He also made his debut this year on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, winning bronze in Romania.

Liam Firus, of North Vancouver, B.C., will also compete in men's singles.

Kaetlyn Osmond, of Marystown, Nfld., is Canada's lone women's entry.

Canada has three pairs teams competing in Katherine Bobak and Ian Beharry of Guelph, Ont., Margaret Purdy of Strathroy, Ont., and Michael Marinaro of Sarnia, Ont., and Hayleigh Bell of Acton, Ont., and Alistair Sylvester of Stratford, Ont.

Canada's two ice dance teams are Nicole Orford of Burnaby, B.C., and Thomas Williams of Okotoks, Alta., and Andreanne Poulin of L'Ile-Bizard, Que., and Andre Servant of Vaudreuil, Que.

Some 207 skaters from 52 countries are competing in the championships which begin Monday with the preliminary round for ice dance, men's singles and pairs.