It all started for Tamara Talaat Guindi when friends who no longer wanted it, gave Tamara a 10-pass card to Canterbury Olympic Ice Rink, with only four punches left on it. Her friend thought Tamara would like to try ice skating as she was sporty. At the time, she was a keen nipper at Coogee Beach and did gymnastics too. On Father’s Day, Tamara’s family decided to explore the ice-skating rink, for a bit of fun. Tamara took to it like a duck to water!
Tamara with her coach, Brendan KerryTamara was on the cusp of turning eight, so her Mum enrolled her in the Aussie skate school program. She progressed well through the ranks and was hand-picked by a coach for individual training sessions.
As time went by Tamara loved the sport, diligently practising every week and no matter how tired she was, she stood at the car with her skate bag, ready for the next session. Tamara proceeded up the ranks quickly and is now in the junior ladies’ level. By the end of this year, after rigorous testing of her jumps and spins, she will aim to reach senior ladies’ level.
Tamara’s coach, Brendan Kerry, himself a three-time winter Olympian believes, “Her most outstanding sporting achievement was her performance in the medal round at the 2022 Australian figure skating championships.
Not only was it nationals, but it was her only opportunity to qualify for the international scores that has allowed her to now represent Australia internationally from May 2023. For Tamara to deliver her best performance at the biggest event of the season when stress and anxiety is at their highest is one of the true representations of a strong athlete. As a coach, it has been my proudest achievement.”
This year she attended her first international competition, Hollins International Trophy, an opportunity for her to compete against international skaters. Later this year, Tamara will attend another international event in Kazakhstan and then train in China with specialist coaches.
Tamara is juggling the HSC at Sydney Secondary College, and still training 6 days a week to achieve her goals. Plus, her love of surf life saving continues, and she is the holder of the state and national gold medallist titles for beach relay in the under 19-year-old division. There’s no stopping Tamara when it comes to competing!
