Kennesaw Figure Skater Heads to Minsk

A Kennesaw native is going for the gold halfway around the world as the Junior World Figure Skating Championships commence today in Minsk, Belarus.

freshman Tim Dolensky heads to the world finals fresh off a second-place finish last month at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, CA.

The 19-year-old exercise and health science major hopes to redeem himself after a disappointing finish in the 2010-11 season, during which he placed fifth in the Eastern Sectional Championships and failed to advance to the U.S. Championships.

“I was pretty disappointed,” Dolensky said in an interview with KSU. “I expected to make it, but I slipped up mentally a little bit during my program and it cost me.”

Dolensky, who has been skating since he was 6-years-old, also happens to be an accomplished musician. He plays violin and piano and will again be skating to his original song, "Windfall," during his short program.

“For my short program, I actually wrote and recorded the music myself. I played the piano part and then layered in some strings,” Dolensky said. “Music has always been an important part of my life."

“Tim Dolensky personifies the definition of a true Renaissance man,” said Kennesaw State President Daniel Papp. “He is an accomplished musician, athlete and scholar. All of us at Kennesaw State are rooting for him to go all the way in Belarus!”

Dolensky, along with fellow Americans Jason Brown and Joshua Farris, will take the ice on Thursday for the men's short program. The top qualifying skaters will move on to the free skating event on Saturday.