Skating was the vessel into which I could pour my heart and soul

The ultimate goal should be doing your best and enjoying it.

Love your sport. Never do it to please someone else; it has to be yours. That is all that will justify the hard work. Compete against yourself, not others, for that is who is truly your best competition.

In 1968, in the midst of the tumultuous 1960s, the Olympics were much more than just another event

My sport taught me what I could do with my talents, whether in the rink or in the rest of my life

The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours.

I really loved what the guys were doing more than anything, how high they jumped, how effortless it was.