Loena Hendrickx fought her way back from injury to secure a silver medal in Sheffield – her 4th medal at the European Championships. In this A-Z interview, get to know the Belgian skater, who will be attending her third Olympics in Milano next month.
Most Used App?
Instagram.
Bedtime?
10, 10:30
Comfort food?
Well, it’s my breakfast, actually. I’ve started eating it a few months ago, and it’s like a mashed sweet potato with egg whites, and then I can make pancakes of it, and with a nice topping with peanut butter and a banana, it’s very good. So it feels like a treat, but it is actually healthy.
A Dream of yours?
My dream is participating at my third Olympics. It’s something that’s about to come true, hopefully, if everything works out well. And after that, my biggest dream is to become a mom.
What have you enjoyed about England?
I think the fans here are very loud, like, the crowd was very loud and very supportive, and that was something I really felt during my performance, and it was just an amazing feeling.
Favorite Fan Encounter?
I think that was a long time ago, back in 2018, 2019. It was from a Japanese fan, and it was one of my first fan mail, and she asked my favorite Disney character. And that’s when the cat Marie became my lucky charm and also my stuffed animal and the tissue box. So I think that’s the nicest thing, because it was my first real big fan and also like the first big present I received by mail.
Favorite Genre of music?
I just listen to pop music, what’s on the radio and nothing really special, but I also like the more emotional songs, the powerful songs.
Holiday memory?
The first thing that comes to mind is when I got my medal at the World Championships in 2022, that was like the first big medal. And after that, I immediately went on vacation the next day. And I got a call from the King when I was in my bikini at a swimming pool – and it was the 1st of April. So I posted it online, and no one believed me, but I was actually calling with the king in my bikini!
Biggest Inspiration?
First, of course, my brother, because I grew up with him and I saw the work he puts into everything and all the effort. Because of him, I started watching the big competitions, like Europeans, Worlds, and the Olympics.
Just a little more…
[We forgot to ask Loena a J! But she gave us a J in the second part of her answer about her inspiration.]
I think Joannie Rochette also showed me that she was mentally very strong after what she went through at the Olympics, and she still got a medal. That was just very inspiring, and something I will remember forever.
Karaoke song?
I think Celine Dion. It’s All Coming Back to Me. That song just has a special place in my heart and I think that’s always the first song that comes up in my mind.
Language you’d like to learn/speak?
I’m not so good at studying languages, but if I really would choose one, it would be Japanese.
Movie-night favorite?
The Greatest Showman
Do you have any Nick-names?
Not really, but at the ice rink, it’s a funny story, because a friend of mine, after I qualified a spot for the third Olympics, she bought, like, letters, and it was Qeen instead of Queen, she forgot the U. So now my nickname on the ice rink is Qeen instead of queen.
One Book or Movie you recommend?
I just recently finished reading a book and it was The Housemates. I will watch the film when I am at home.
Skating Performance you wish you could have seen?
That must be the performance of Nathan Chen at the Olympics. I was there, but I wasn’t able to watch him.
Quote you live by?
Do what you love and never give up.
Favorite Restaurant?
I like to eat sushi, so every sushi restaurant is good.
Favorite Season?
Of course it’s summer. I hate the cold, so I don’t know what I’m doing in figure skating, but no, I really like to have the switch from the cold ice rink to a very hot summer day, and enjoying the pool, so summer is my favorite season.
Training Day Essentials?
Our rink is super cold, so I always bring a heating patch, so I can put it in my pants, so I get a little warmer. So that’s an essential in my rink…
Who or what do you think is Underrated?
That’s hard, I think [Anastasiia] Gubanova.
Dream Vacation destination?
I like to travel, and I really want to go to Thailand one time, but also like Australia, New Zealand.
Your Whereabouts on a day off?
Most of the time I’m super exhausted, so I think it will be just at home watching TV, cuddling with my boyfriend and my dog.
An eXperience that changed you?
I think the injury I got in 2018. Because it was the first injury on my ankle, and I couldn’t compete for a long time because of that and several different injuries, and that is when I really tried to appreciate my life more, because before I was, just going to competitions, and I was still young, and I thought, it’s normal, my brother was doing those competitions, so I had to do them as well, and it was very easy to qualify and everything. Then I got injured, and everything was very unsure. I also saw a lot of skaters on the same level as I was at that moment, but they never could come back from injury. So I thought if I ever come back, then I really have to enjoy it. The love of skating was more there at that moment, and I really appreciate everything I did after that. And that’s what changed me.
A Year that you would like to visit if you had a time machine?
That’s difficult. Because I must say, in one month is the Olympics. So I already know what to expect. And also, I think the year after, because I’m still unsure what I’m gonna do, and feeling how my body will be, and if I can continue or not. And what if I don’t continue, what happens? So that [short-term] future makes me very anxious.
What is your Zodiac sign (and your big 3), and do you believe in the zodiac?
I’m a Scorpio. But I never believe those things. I’m not really interested in that.
Read our previous A-Z interviews:
A to Z with Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel
A to Z with Loïcia Demougeot and Théo Le Mercier
A to Z with Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps
A to Z with Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez
A to Z with Yuka Orihara and Juho Pirinen
A to Z with Júlia Sylvía Gunnarsdottir and Manuel Piazza
