Giving life to music through skating was something I wanted to be known for

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.

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

It's a level of strength and character that few of us can imagine; a grace under pressure that few of us will ever attain. It's why an Olympic gold medal would not have made us love or admire her more.

Then came the choreography... the impact of music and choreography tends to really emphasize an overall feeling of what you really want out of the program.

This is another kind of competition, but I'm being coached by an excellent team, and I've got a real strong competitive spirit.

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