I worked as hard as I could. I was always the first one on the ice, and the last one off.

I was passionate. I found something that I loved. I could be all alone in a big old skating rink and nobody could get near me and I didn't have to talk to anybody because of my shyness. It was great. I was in my fantasy world.

My coach was a great politician, so he did most of the work. He was good.

To be the world's best, you have to beat the world's best.

I was just ice skating. I had no concept of that. In those days you couldn't see the judges. I was this little person on the ice and they were just people that would stand around the boards.

You see the fairy tale - four minutes of glory at the Olympics. I thought my life would be cake after that.

My parents didn't have a lot of money, but we never knew that. They really did the best they could.