Boy has big skates to fill
Fang Zaien, 6, is looking to follow in the footsteps of his mom－national figure skating champion Yao Jia
On a skating rink at a recreational center in Beijing's Olympic Forest Park, dozens of children glide, jump and spin. Fang Zaien is the shortest and, comparatively, the most clumsy among them.
Fang, 6, began figure skating when he was 4 and has already passed the international level one test for the sport.
His mother, Yao Jia, said that few boys choose figure skating, but he was inspired by her, as she was a national figure skating champion in 1999 and competed in many international competitions.
She is now tournament director for the figure skating events at the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics, responsible for event organization and coordination during the Games.
