2022 is going to be quite a year! As we head to the Beijing Olympic Winter Games and the ISU World Championships, the International Skating Union (ISU) brings back its #UpAgain campaign celebrating the unbreakable spirit that drives athletes to compete on ice.
The new campaign video features some of the best ice skating athletes in the world. It includes Short Track Speed Skaters Wu Dajing (CHN) and Arianna Fontana (ITA), Figure Skaters Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) and Anna Shcherbakova (RUS), as well as Speed Skaters Erin Jackson (USA) and Sven Kramer (NED). Social media sensation and former competitive Figure Skater Elladj Baldé (CAN), Figure Skating Coach Michelle Hong (USA) and the ever-popular Starr Andrews (USA) also contribute to the message of hope.
They demonstrate that it does not matter who you are or where you are from, whether you are at the start line or center ice. It’s is all about the power of your jump, the speed of your stride, the grace of your glide. So – when the moment comes – tell yourself “you got this” and show the world this is how we get up again!
#UpAgain
The emotional and inspiring #UpAgain campaign, launched in November 2019, is based on one simple principle: we must overcome life’s challenges to achieve our full potential. When the pandemic hit, and the world faced one of its biggest ever challenges, the campaign took an even greater meaning. The ISU has continued to encourage people to stay strong, support one another in creative and mindful ways, and get #UpAgain together.
As part of the initiative, the ISU published some amazing and heartening #UpAgain stories, highlighting how some of the world’s best Skaters beat adversity on and off the ice to get back #UpAgain:
- Ice Dancer Piper Gilles (CAN) detailed her grieving process after losing a loved one
- Speed Skater Håvard Lorentzen (NOR) shared how he overcame a serious injury
- Synchronized Skating Team Paradise (RUS) discussed how their world came crashing down in 2018
- Elise Christie opened up about her battle with mental illness
During the season 2020/21 season, a series of This is #UpAgain Documentaries were released that portrayed life for competitors in Figure Skating, Speed Skating and Short Track bubbles.
TV presenter Elma Smit hosted the monthly #UpAgain Show on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel and welcomed some global ice Skating stars such as Brittany Bowe (USA), Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) and special guest, Milk. The Liu brothers (HUN) were interviewed, Speed Skater and Dutch household name Ireen Wüst shared her story, and Figure Skater Nathan Chen (USA) talked about his first Olympic experience.