Delivering her first flawless performance of the season at the BMO Central Ontario Sectional Championships in Innisfil, the 11-year-old figure skater now had to play the waiting game — watching with bated breath as 18 more juvenile ladies took to the ice in hopes of besting her 30.01 score.

None did, and seemingly endless anticipation was replaced by jubilation.

“It was really exciting,” said the pre-teen skater of becoming the Milton Skating Club’s first-ever qualifier for the junior national championships, set for early February in Calgary. “I’m really happy about having the chance to represent my club.”

Having taken top spot in the pre-juvenile ranks last year, Madelyn was favoured to be in the championship hunt once again — and lived up to those expectations by nailing all three of her double-double combinations for the first time ever to top the 30-skater field.

She won by just under two points to secure the one and only berth to Calgary.

“What was incredible was her composure under pressure, and to perform her first clean program of the season when it really counted was fantastic,” said coach Nancy McDonell-Lemaire. “Madelyn’s exceptionally talented, very positive and extremely competitive.”

Added the national championship-bound youth, “Hearing my friends and family cheering me on helped me to stay focused and give one of my best skates (in competition) yet.”

Also part of an especially tight juvenile division, Hayleigh Bell took sixth-place honours — falling just four points shy of third — while Julia Mogus matched that placing with a personal-best effort in pre-juvenile. She was denied a top-two finish by less than a point.

Fellow pre-juvenile skaters Thyra Andersen and Jordyn Harper placed 18th and 20th respectively.

Delivering strong long programs in the 83-competitor pre-novice class, Athena Zorzi and Julia Cenedese were both able to move up significantly after rather modest starts.

A personal-best long program score of 39.04 allowed Athena to finish 24th, while Julia ended up 37th.

This marked the local club’s biggest representation ever at the sectional championships.