Shiven Bodasing Proves South Africa Belongs on International Ice
Good Things Guy | 11.02.2026 12:12
Balancing a full-time career with elite-level training is no small feat, yet Shiven Bodasing has turned that demanding schedule into a defining international triumph.
Western Cape, South Africa (11 February 2026) – The lights dimmed, the music swelled and a skater from Cape Town stood poised on international ice as the opening notes of Nessun Dorma filled the arena. When Shiven Bodasing finished his final spin, something felt different. Minutes later, it was official. South Africa had just claimed the top spot at the International Adult Skating Festival.
Competing against 68 skaters from across the globe on the 31st of January, Shiven ranked highest in the artistic division and secured the overall Jury honour, a remarkable achievement for an athlete who built his career from scratch just a few years ago.
We first featured Shiven in November, when he was juggling life as a candidate attorney, his background in animal welfare and a rapidly rising skating career. Back then, Germany was the dream. Now, he returns from a global stage not only with gold, but with proof that South African skaters belong in the conversation. He performed two contrasting programmes at the festival. His artistic classical piece set to Nessun Dorma focused on balletic lines, fluidity and emotional storytelling, captivating judges and earning him a nomination into the draw for the prestigious Grand Jury Prize. His second programme, skated to Barbara Pravi’s dramatic “Voila”, demanded sharp precision, intricate footwork, powerful jumps and commanding spins. Together, they showcased both elegance and strength.
Standing on that ice after both performances, the victory meant far more than medals.
“Honestly, it’s amazing,” he reflects, “but more than that, it’s affirming, the sacrifices, the injuries, the brutal schedule are all worth it, the proof is in the pudding and what comes to you when you let passion lead.”
That passion is not poetic. It is practical. It looks like a 4am alarm clock. It looks like a heavy training bag packed with changes of clothes. It looks like arriving at the rink at 5am to warm up properly before stepping onto the ice at 5:30, because at a competitive level, you cannot simply start skating cold. Injuries happen that way. Shiven explains that mornings include activating muscles, sometimes adding strength work before either a technical lesson or solo training where he drills elements repeatedly. After one or two hours on the ice, he heads to the showers, changes and begins a full workday. Evenings often include gym sessions, stretching or additional strength training before he finally gets home close to 7pm, unpacks, repacks, eats, showers and sleeps. Then he repeats it all again. On double-session days, he skates again in the afternoon.
“The challenges faced were not only on the ice, but off the ice too in the lead up to this festival,” says Shiven. “Balancing insane schedules and a full-time job with the training and demands of everyday life thrown in makes winning this prestigious adult competition even more meaningful.”
Training alongside South Africa’s top female figure skater, Gian-Quen Isaacs, has also played a defining role in shaping his belief in what is possible. Watching her compete internationally as the only athlete from Africa at the recent Four Continents Championships reinforced something powerful.
“She is Phe-no-me-nal!” he says without hesitation. “There is no other way to describe her and her skating… she’s nothing short of breathtaking, and she didn’t have it easy, she’s a fighter.”
For Shiven, her presence on global ice is a reminder that the issue is not talent. It is access. Funding remains the steepest climb. Figure skating is expensive, from ice time and coaching to equipment, choreography, travel and competition entry fees. For adult athletes, especially, sponsorship opportunities are scarce.
“Yes, that really and truly is the only obstacle standing in our way,” he explains. “I basically work, to skate. Financially, it’s an expensive sport, but it’s not for nothing, it’s about bringing that proudly South African gees to the world and showing them that we are here too!”
He points to the startling reality that Gian-Quen was the only African competitor at the Four Continents Championships and that it has been around 30 years since South Africa last competed in figure skating at the Winter Olympics.
“Do we not have the talent, or do the athletes not have the support? I promise it’s the latter!”
With his eyes firmly set on the ISU International Adult Competition in Germany, Shiven has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help fund travel and competition costs. His current total stands at R23,385, with a goal of R100,000. For him, this is not simply about another event; it is about flying the South African flag in spaces where it has rarely been seen.
“I firmly believe that the athlete’s job is to put in the work and train hard in order to perfect their craft and the quality of their skating,” he says. “But that can only get you so far when measured against the enormous wall of financial challenges you face trying to live your sporting dream.”
His recent international victory shifts the narrative. It proves that when South African athletes are given an opportunity, they deliver. It shows that adult sports are not a hobby or an afterthought, but a serious, competitive pursuit worthy of support. It opens doors for skaters who may never have considered international competition possible.
The ice in Germany is waiting. The music will rise again. And if this international win has shown us anything, it is that when passion leads and hard work follows, a South African can stand at centre ice, hear their name called as champion and know that this is only the beginning.
