Women's Skating Champion Becomes Citizen
Media Release - DPS 14/2000
Champion figure skater Stephanie Zhang was granted Australian citizenship in a ceremony in Brisbane today.
At only 15 years old, Steffi is ranked the number one junior and senior woman figure skater in Australia. She is expected to be a future Olympian for Australia - possibly even at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
Stephanie was presented with her Certificate of Citizenship at a ceremony at Ice World, where she trains, by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs' Queensland State Director, Christine Sykes.
"It is pleasing to welcome this new citizen into Australia at the start of what promises to be a very successful sporting career," Ms Sykes said.
Stephanie and her mother Ya Jie Wang came to Australia in 1995 to investigate the possibility of training and competing here and Steffi was immediately identified as having exceptional talent.
Stephi and her mother, from Harbin in China, liked Australia so much that they decided they wanted to stay.
"We were here for training and we really liked it," Steffi said.
She was granted a sporting visa on the basis of her distinguished talent and later Steffi and her mother became permanent residents.
"Now that I have citizenship, I can skate for Australia."
Steffi recently represented Australia at the World Junior Championships in Germany where she came twenty-fifth in the world.
Her next big competition is the Australian National Junior and Senior Titles in Perth, which starts on July 29. "If I win in seniors, I could get a chance to go to the World Championships early next year Vancouver," Steffi said.
17 July 2000
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