South African Skater Showcases Superpowers on Ice

Photo by Thomas Laukat via Pexels

South African figure skater Matthew Samuel showcased his superpowers on ice in a clip that’s a testament to years of talent! Take a look:

Global (03 July 2024) — South African figure skater Matthew Samuels from Atlantis has a knack for making bold moves on the ice look effortless. But, that is the mark of a champion after all, and when you’ve called the ice rink home since you were six years old, years of effort do slowly start to blend in a hard-earned, effortless illusion.

A recent video of Matthew showcasing his superpowers on ice captivated the internet. In green and gold attire, Matthew races forward before doing something that those of us who still clutch to the ice-rink’s wall for dear life would probably pass out over if we saw it in person.

He backflips. And no, that’s not a fancy figure-skating term for something else. He actually soars into the air, skates flying, and flips his whole body like a kid on a trampoline. Except there’s no trampoline. Just cold, hard ice and heavy skates.

Take a Look!

@africanskater ♬ Hate It Or Love It – G-Unit Remix – 50 Cent

But this is a fitting a party trick for the established South African figure skater who was our Senior Mens National Champion for many consecutive years, as well as our Junior Champ for 2015 and 2016 amongst many other international accolades. Matthew’s skates have also taken him all over the world, including performances with the Disney on Ice Tour.

Seeing his talent even in short video format tells you all you need to know about how hard he’s worked and how far he’s come, and we can’t wait to se him backflip, ‘forwardflip’ and soar into more opportunities.

Meanwhile in other skating news from a different discipline where a South African stole the spotlight, teenager Harrison Brunicke has become the first South African in decades to make the National Hockey League (NHL) Draft—a moment for the history books that you can read all about, here.