I actually prefer soothing music - and maybe that's the skater in me.

Skating takes up 70 percent of my time, school about 25 percent. Having fun and talking to my friends, 5 percent. It's hard. I envy other kids a lot of things, but I get a guilt trip when I'm not training.

As an athlete, I've always been very proud to represent the United States.

And what is a gold medal? I'd never really thought about it before Nagano. Now I realize that it's a dream to strive for. I love my silver medal, because it stands for all my dreams and all I'm still capable of fulfilling

The one who wins all the time is great and powerful, but the one who had been trampled on and fallen is who I admire the most

Skating is in my heart, not my head

There's a lot of emotions that always come out after a skate of a lifetime. I always start crying because there is so much buildup to that competition.