Most other competitions are individual achievements, but the Olympic Games is something that belongs to everybody.

What was really funny is that as I got older all those guys who called me a sissy in junior high school wanted me to be their best friend because they wanted to meet all the girls that I knew in figure skating.

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

That's what makes the Ryder Cup in golf so much better than the Masters or the U.S. Open. To be a part of something that is not about personal achievement, but about representing everyone and sharing it with the whole country, it's wonderful.

Most other competitions are individual achievements, but the Olympic Games is something that belongs to everybody.

Everything that I've ever been able to accomplish in skating and in life has come out of adversity and perseverance.

But I never really thought that I would be extraordinarily successful at skating, it's just something that happened, you know.