Home-grown star Vinceman Chong chases gold at Oceania 2025

Australia’s junior national champion, Vinceman Chong, will take centre ice this May as he competes for gold on home ground at the Oceania 2025 International Figure Skating Competition.

From May 26 to 28, nearly 100 elite athletes from more than eight countries will descend on The District Docklands’ O’Brien Icehouse for the Southern Hemisphere’s premier figure skating event.

Entry is open to the public at $3 a ticket, promising a breathtaking display of artistry and athleticism.

For 16-year-old Mr Vinceman, the event carries special meaning. He first fell in love with the sport at O’Brien Icehouse when he was just five years old.

“My older sister was invited to a birthday party there, and I went and attended with her. Ever since then, I hopped on the ice and fell in love with the sport,” he said.

Now, nearly a decade later, Mr Vinceman is back where it all began – only this time, as a national champion.

He trains six times a week, and often more, balancing a brutal schedule with school.

“I normally wake up at four every morning and then get ready and go to the rink. From there, I rush back home to get ready for school,” he said.

“Usually straight after school, I come home and do some gym and workouts, and then rush straight into my homework.”

Despite the sacrifices, Mr Vinceman says the exhilaration of skating makes it all worth it.

“My favourite part is going really, really fast around the rink or jumping. You get that rush of the cold wind, especially when you’re going really fast – it’s kind of exhilarating,” he told Docklands News.

“When you land that jump for the first time, it’s just like a rush of excitement.”

As Oceania 2025 draws near, Mr Vinceman is ready to create another unforgettable moment – this time, with the home crowd behind him. •