I started skating and I kind of liked it because I could run circles around the guys that wouldn't pick me to play baseball.

I started skating and I kind of liked it because I could run circles around the guys that wouldn't pick me to play baseball.

Without strength and courage it's really hard to perform at the highest levels of international figure skating, because you're alone on the ice and you only have seven minutes over two nights to prove yourself.

Adversity, and perseverance and all these things can shape you. They can give you a value and a self-esteem that is priceless.

Always try to maintain complete tolerance and always make an effort to give people more then they expect.

So as an amateur Olympic competitor I loved criticism, because it made me better. But now as a professional I don't really know how to channel it or where to take it, so I don't take it quite as well.

Each movement is only learned after you've perfected the one before it.