Local figure skater Gabriella Hurst placed third at her first national-level competition

Summing up her result in a single word, the young skater said she felt "good" after the competition yesterday, but was stressed while competing as the judges scrutinised her performance closely.

"I was really stressed," Gabriella said.

"You're judged on things like how your legs stretch and your take-offs and if your head's up, or if you arch your back and if your turns are right."

Adding to these sources of stress, the young skater's preparation for the competition was disrupted when her family moved from Cedar Vale to Cleveland late last month.

It was also a long day for the teenager, having to wake well before sunrise despite her round being scheduled for the middle of the day although she took all these in her stride and earned 42.6 points from the judging panel.

Following her success at the national competition, the young skater is allowing herself a brief reprieve before getting back into her training.

Gabriella has another round of solo competitions coming up in August, where she will compete in free dance, solo dance and figure skating.

The skater said she is also about to embark on a pairs partnership, which was something she had been waiting to do for a long time.

"Up until now it's just been me," Hurst said.

"We've been waiting for the other skater to climb up the levels."

Her mother said Gabriella's new skating partner was a good fit for her daughter.

"He has a similar build and skating style to Gabriella," Mrs Hurst said.

"He's another up-and-comer."

In the longer term, Gabriella plans to compete at the next national championships, and her efforts have received a big boost thanks to the Rotary Club of Jimboomba.

The Rotary Club paid all of Gabriella's expenses ahead of the competition, including her entry fees and uniform costs as well as purchasing her some new skates.

Mrs Hurst said she was particularly proud of her daughter's efforts.

"We're very proud of how far she's come in such a short amount of time," she said.

"Not many people take up skating and reach nationals in three years."