166 quotes found
"At 13, I was fearless. I looked at everything so positive. When you're older and been through it all, you know how bad it can get. There is a fear of failing."
"As a child, I'd wonder, 'When I die, will people still remember me 1,000 years later?' And without the gold medal … Well, the Olympics are the ultimate achievement in my sport. At times I think, 'Why should I push myself all those long hours in the rink?' But then I think, 'How will I ever know how good I could have been?' I want to be the Michael Jordan of my sport."
"It's incredible. Nine? Wow. I just remember winning my first one, getting the medal and the plate, the pin with the diamond for first place. My ninth title, I have no answer for that because I never thought it would be possible."
"I’m not intimidated by anything, except maybe PETA standing outside with a bucket of blood."
"The results are something I can't control, so I can't say 'damnit, I didn't place in the top three today.' I can't control any of that. I just skate. And my goal was to show my heart, to take them on a journey with me so they can feel me."
"I want people to be taken away to another planet when they watch me skate. I want them to be transported into a dream world."
"Out of ugly, I think the most important thing to do in life is to make something beautiful."
"If he doesn’t want to skate to music that’s pretty and wear a pretty costume, then go rollerblade or skateboard or do one of those extreme sports."
"I’d love to see a 6-foot-2-tall, skinny man doing a halfpipe on figure skates."
"There are some things I keep sacred. My middle name. Who I sleep with. And what kind of hand moisturizer I use."
"[About her vegan diet] I guess I'm a very compassionate person so hearing about animal abuse kind of triggered something in me that maybe I should try it… I'm really into health and fitness and wellness, so this kind of tied into it. I thought I was just going to do it until the (2010) Olympics, but then I didn't go to the Olympics, and then I ended up liking it so much, I think I'll be a vegan for the rest of my life. … My energy is so much better, I don't hit that wall at 2 o'clock or 3 o'clock in the afternoon, I sleep well, my skin is better, everything just feels well. And it transfers into my attitude, everything in my life has just become a lot calmer, everything I'm putting in me is clean and genuine and organic and in turn, the way I live my life has started to follow that path."
"I am not the type of person who thinks in terms of "if only" or "could have, would have, should have". It is what it is and everything happens for a reason. When a person thinks "if only I would have known such and such" it shows a certain amount of fear or lack of trust that everything is as it should be. I try to always do my best and if I look back and think I didn't do my best, then that is the only thing I acknowledge and then try to change. One of my favorite expressions is, "Everything is okay in the end and if it's not okay, it's not the end.""
"Although I am not as strict a vegetarian as I once was, I do continue to choose to eat more like a vegetarian than not. I would call myself a "conscious eater". It all started with my desire to be as lean and healthy as possible as a teenager around 17-years-old. With more education, as well as trial and error, it also turned into an expression of my attempt to show compassion for all living things."
"I'd rather skate naked than wear fur."
"I don’t know if race made it more difficult, but definitely it made me stronger, knowing that I [had] no excuse [for] making mistakes or being kind of so-so, because maybe I [wouldn’t] be accepted as a white person [would’ve been]. But if [I was] better, they had no choice but to accept it and say, ‘She did so well.’"
"I think that’s the beauty of the Olympics. There’s always a story. There’s always someone you’re invested in. There are so many Olympic moments that resonate with people all across Canada, and I think that’s the beauty of it. We’re just one of those stories and we’re grateful for the support we’ve received."
"We know that as soon as our competition is done there’s another Canadian taking their place at the starting line or waiting to race. I think that’s what’s so powerful is that we’re just part of something bigger than us."
"They're a once-in-a-generation talent, that you don't see often."
"Simply put, there will never be another Virtue and Moir."
"So Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir solidified their legacy as perhaps the best ice dancing team the world has ever seen."
"We are best friends! I think our personalities balance one another extremely well — plus we know how to interact positively and productively with each other. We work hard at maintaining our partnership, but to be honest, it's just what we've come to know and depend on. I hardly remember my life without Scott!"
"This friendship and this bond that we share is, to us, the No. 1 priority."
"Our partnership is so much more than that, and in a lot of ways it’s so much better."
"It is a tough act to follow, for sure. As I’m hearing him talk through some of the things I’m realizing why our partnership works, because we both think the world of one another. Scott is the most disciplined, driven athlete I’ve ever met. There’s a fierce competitor deep within and the passion and the raw talent that is there — the ability to move and hear music and interpret it — is unlike anyone else I’ve ever seen on the ice. And I think because he wears his heart on his sleeve people feel so drawn in and captivated by his performances. He’s generous, thoughtful and extremely insightful. He’s able to understand the glide of the blade differently."
"We’re still working on it, we still do a lot of work to improve our communication, our efficiency together, to understand one another’s different preferences. It’s evolved over the course of two decades, for sure. Having spent so much time together, we realize it’s a unique dynamic but we’re so appreciative of what we have. It’s a special partnership. We still really enjoy skating together and I think that’s why we still are."
"Tessa is a perfectionist in all ways. For example, her hair always has to be perfect for an interview or competition, she makes me look goofy next to her."
"Tessa’s hilarious… I think it’s one of the things that gets overlooked because she’s always so pulled together, but she has the best sense of humor. It’s been the joy of my life to have as many laughs as we’ve had along the way."
"I’m motivated every single day to go to the rink because of what she brings. I know that she brings her best every day. With brilliant people, with being so creative, it’s hard to imagine you’d just be so steady. That last thing, that’s the consistency."
"I would never even think about skating with somebody else. The whole reason I wanted to come back to skating was to be close to Tessa again, and to share those moments."
"We're very proud of our business relationship, it's been very special for 20 years. Who can say that? It makes me shake my head sometimes driving to the rink, because I'm still excited to see Tessa at the arena for warmup. Who enjoys going in to work every day? That's ridiculous."
"I screwed up the first competition and she stayed with me. That's when I knew I'd found the one."
"I don’t think revenge is enough to fuel the fire it takes to go to an Olympic Games and be successful."
"これから試合が始まったら、羽生は地震のせいで成績が落ちた、なんてことにはしたくない。もちろん自分が被災者の代表であることの誇りは絶対に失いはしないけれど、「地震のなかで頑張った」「地震のせいで頑張れなかった」ではなく、普通の選手として、何も関係なく戦えるだけの力をつけたいんです。"
"今はとにかく、一日一日を大事にしたいと思う。何気ない日常の一日一日、アイスショーの日々、練習の日々、試合の日々をすべて大切にしたい。そんなことを、あの日を境により強く感じるようになりました。"
"「あって当然のもの」なんてないんだな、ということを、よく考えます。今、自分がここにいること。自分の家が、まだ無事に建っていること。そばに家族がいてくれること。どれをとっても当たり前のことなんかじゃない。本当に偶然、幸運に恵まれて存在しているものだということ。一度はいろいろなものを失いかけたことで、改めてそう考えるようになりました。まだ17歳のちっぽけな僕ですが、価値観を大きく変えられてしまう……東日本大震災は、そんな出来事でした。"
"震災があってからちょっと変わったかなって思います。やっぱり自分は周囲を支えようとする立場だと思われるんですよ、メディア的な部分でも。自分の演技を通じて応援できれば、という感じに。でも逆に僕がすごく支えられていたなって感じたんです。"
"自分は被災者なのかスケーターなのか、ということにすごく迷っていた時期もあったんですけど、どっちでもないのかなという気がしました。明確な答えはまだ出てないですけど、スケーターとして本当にいろんな方に支えられてるなと感じています。"
"実際こうやって金メダリストになりましたが、僕一人が頑張ったからといって復興に直接つながるわけではないので、すごい無力感というか、そういうのを感じますし、何もできていないんだなと思います。一生懸命やって五輪で金メダルを取れたのはありますけど、やはりここからまた五輪の金メダリストになれたからこそ、スタートなんじゃないかなと思います。ここから復興のためにできることがあるんじゃないかなと、今思っています。"
"震災後初めて、津波の被害のあったところまで行き、石巻の中学校を訪問させていただきました。全校生徒の前でスケートの話をしたんですけれど、それより金メダルを持ってきているということにまず、中学生たちがすごく喜んでくれたんです。そして、僕に会っただけでもすごく笑顔になってくれました。生徒の皆さんの笑顔から、被災した方々、本当につらい経験をしてきた方が元気になってくれたということを、教えてもらったというか、肌で感じさせていただいたことが初めてだったので、すごく嬉しかったんです。僕自身が一番感動し、僕自身が元気になったなって思います。"
"試合でうまくいかなくてもあまり落ち込まないのが僕の特徴です。逆に失敗した試合のあとは100%モチベーションが上がります。"
"いつも心を開いているんです。心を開いていなければ何も吸収できないし、おもしろくない。心を開くことが成長の原動力。"
"目標を書くなら大きいほうがいい。具体的に書いたほうが達成しやすい。けっこう理数系です。"
"I really love to skate, I really love to perform. I want to skate for my fans. I never feel like a champion. I'm always a challenger."
"フィギュアスケートは、1人で大きなリンクで滑ることが出来て、皆さんがそれを見てくださるので、それがすごく特別だなって思いますし、他の競技だったら1人だけを見てくれるということがあんまりないかなって思いますし、後は何か表現したいことを表現するっていうことが出来ないかなって思うんですよね。だからフィギュアスケートはすごく特別だなって思うし、フィギュアスケートがすごく好きだなって思います。"
"I bet my life to skate, everytime. I think, that's the mission of my life. That's why I was born here. [...] I was born for my skate."
"He's a lucky charm for me, but kinda like a coach, because he always watches my performance and he's always with me for every competition. I'm really glad to see his face."
"いろんな方々が僕の演技を見た時に勇気を感じたとか、何か幸せになったとか、そういったことを言ってくれて、それが自分にとってのスケートのモチベーションだと思ってますし、それが僕が今スケートを最後までやり通す意味になってるなって思います。"
"えっと、まあ、チャレンジャーっていうことを言われますけど、でもいつも他のスケーターの良いところを追いかけてるし、他のスケーターに対してチャレンジしたいなって思ってるし、だからいつも自分はチャレンジャーだと思っていて、だから今シーズンの世界選手権でも先シーズンの世界選手権でも何も変わらないかなって思います。"
"I try to find challenges after every competition and overcome them the next time."
"僕は僕。羽生結弦以上でも、以下でもない。ありのままの自分が出来る事を、五輪でもしっかりやりたい。"
"逆境は嫌いじゃないので。弱くなってる自分がすごく嫌なんです。それは本当に嫌いですけど、でも弱いというのは強くなれる可能性があると思ってるんで。"
"次のもう一個の課題を克服するチャンスが来たっていうのは、それはもうただただ、いつも思うように、こんな恵まれたことはないですよ。"
"明日の自分が今の自分を見たら胸張っていられるように、そんな今を過ごし続けたいなという風に思ってます。"
"毎回毎回、被災地とか、津波の被害があったところとか、通るたびにすごく思うんだけれども、僕の言葉なんかじゃ絶対表せないし…言ってみれば部外者だから、僕たちは。人の心に踏み込んじゃいけないところって絶対あるんで…。でもこういう風景を見てる時に思うのは、本当に何ができるかなってことはいつも思います。[...] 本当に僕たちは今生きている中で逆に何を残せるんだろうってすごく思うんですよね、本当にいろんなものがなくなってしまったからこそ。”"
"努力はウソをつく。でも無駄にはならない。"
"プレッシャー大好き、崖っぷち大好き、ヤッホーイ。"
"自分がすべきことを集中してやっていけば、自ずと道は開かれてくると信じているので。"
"It’s thanks to Javi, if I beat my pressure. When I feel nervous, he’s usually talking about something funny. So I think, I owe what I won to him."
"自分の中で特にこれになりたいというのはないけど、アニメとかは好きだし、なんかとにかく劇的に勝ちたいという気持ちはすごくあります。"
"I am an athlete, and as an athlete it’s normal to keep challenging to do more and more."
"Honestly, sometimes I’m feeling like they treat me as a celebrity or an idol, but I’m not quite that. But I understand they’re all here to support me and I appreciate that passion."
"My strength is, I’m able to really analyze myself and have that image and try to match that with the physical skating."
"それがあるから絶対幸せが来るんだっていうのをひたすら待ってました。「明けない夜はない」。"
"実現するために苦労がたくさん必要だなって思えるようなものでした。"
"難易度と芸術 のバランスというのは本当はないんじゃないかな、芸術は絶対的な技術力に基づいたものである、と僕は思っています。"
"たとえばバレエとかミュージカルとかもそうですけれども、芸術というのは、明らかに正しい技術、徹底された基礎によって裏付けされた表現力、芸術であって、それが足りないと芸術にはならないと僕は思っています。"
"特に自分からコメントを常に発信したいなとは思ってないし、何よりも、自分がたくさんの方々に愛してもらってるのはすごく分かってるので…うん…あのー、何だろう？ 特別自分から何かをしなくてもいいかなという風に思っています。"
"I will never forget your performance. Thank you for allowing me to come to Toronto. I’ll respect you forever. Ganbatte, Javi, vamos!"
"I managed to win twice, but the Olympics are something special. The Olympic Games are what every athlete and figure skater wants to win. Winning them makes you a true champion."
"I'd like to overcome more barriers. I'd like to be in the position where, no matter what happens - even if they skate their free skate clean - if I skate clean, I will win."
"I want to be stronger. Maybe I need to become a Yuzuru Hanyu who is more Yuzuru Hanyu."
"Sometimes I can't explain or speak with words. It really feels a little frustrating. But in skating I can use all languages, for all the people. I can do a part of the performance for every country, every people."
"なんかこのプログラムは自分のプログラムで、もうこれで滑るのは本当に数え切れないぐらい滑ることになっているけれど、自分ではワインとか、チーズみたいなもので、今までこんなフィギュアスケートの形ってなかったかもしれないけれど、滑れば滑るほど、時間をかければかけるほど熟成されて、いろんな深みが出るプログラム。"
"そこに音楽があるから、フィギュアスケートっていう表現だったり、芸術だったり、技術っていうものがそこに生まれてくるのであって、音楽とフィギュアスケートっていうのがほぼイコールだと僕は思ってます。で、僕にとっては… なんて言うか、生きがいです。フィギュアスケートをやる理由です。"
"Costumes are important tools for me to express the story in my program. I also think that costumes are one of the things that serve to highlight the uniqueness of Yuzuru Hanyu, the skater. [...] People who see it, will feel that it has to be Yuzuru, it has to be this program and costume."
"It would be terrible, if no one expected anything from me. [...] Of course, I can't always deliver one hundred percent, but what I always try to do is: respond to their expectation at one hundred twenty percent level. That's why – when I fail to do so – the disappointment is huge, and when I [succeed], it's an amazing sense of achievement that no words can describe."
"It's not only me, who is serving this sport. Figure skating is a sport. Yes, there are shows, but we're athletes and competitors. You can't compete with only one skater. There are so many amateur skaters, who gather to compete. This is how figure skating as a sport is made."
"僕が見せたいスケートとか、僕が表現したいものとか、そういうものってやっぱり身体がないと何もできないので、まずは身体を大切に、そしてまわりも人も大切に、大事なものを僕は、スケートという大事なものを守れるように、しっかり胸を張って行動できることをやっていきたいと思います。"
"振り付け1つ1つに、今回はお客さんがいないのでなかなかコネクトすることは難しいですけれども、1つ1つにお客さんとつながるような振りが多くあるので、それもまたこのプログラムの魅力かなと思います。"
"女子と男子のスケートの違いについては、もちろん、その繊細さだったり、パワフルさだったり、いろんなものが違うとは思います。ただ、そのそれぞれのスケーターが素晴らしい個性を持っていて、その個性を出すことがフィギュアスケートのすごく魅力的なところだと思うので、全スケーターがみんな違うと僕は思っています。"
"なんか限界だなって感じはないです。ただ、この限界だなって思うかもしれない時期をどうやって乗り越えていくか。"
"確実にうまくなっているんで、羽生結弦。ふふ。普通にうまくなってるんで。[...] だから、あまりすごい限界だから辞める、みたいな感触はないですね。"
"できなかったら、できるまでやる。できるようになったら、完璧にできるまでやる。完璧にできるようになったら、何度でも、完璧にできるまでやる。"
"When Yuzuru is on, his jumps are sensational. When he's off, his falls are spectacular."
"Watch this footwork into the triple Axel on one foot. He doesn't even put the other foot down and then choreography on the landing. I want to see people to do that on a single Axel, let alone a triple. That is an incredibly difficult entrance."
"He went for the quads and he fell. He went for the triple Axel and he fell. Went for the Loop and the Lutz and he fell. [...] But still, the skating quality was there. What a character he is."
"He does have everything. He has exceptional skating skills, he interprets well, his spins are one of the best in the competition and when he's on, his jump quality is the best, too."
"Jumps like that, possibly, are dropped from heaven and he is just the right guy to catch them."
"You know, there are good skaters and there are great skaters and then there is Yuzuru Hanyu who is on a whole other level."
"It may not be an Olympic moment, but this is a moment that he's gonna remember forever. In front of the fans he cares most about."
"It looked like water, suspended in soup."
"Benvenuti sul pianeta Hanyu. Abitanti uno, LUI!"
"A genius in action and it's very probable, he's going to break the world record he set two weeks ago."
"Figure skating is not such a high profile sport, when you think of the greats of this year: Jordan Spieth, Floyd Mayweather, Messi, Ronaldo. This guy, in his sport, is as good as they are."
"And that's what makes a true champion: if you can land the jumps, when they are not quite right. That makes you extra special."
"Lane: It's like he's on a mission to be not just the best in the world but the best there has ever been. Browning: Too late, he already is."
"Yuzu skates in a place that most of us can only dream about."
"I do like that he occasionally shows us that he's human. Just throws in the odd fall here and there, because we need to be reminded, occasionally, that he is a human being."
"Definitely agile like a freshly born kitten."
"Very probably the best figure skate. Ever."
"Alors, nous sommes très fiers sur France Télévision cet après-midi de vous proposer ce chef d’œuvre absolu. Ce programme est à enregistrer dans toutes les écoles de patinage."
"That is everything you could ever want in a short program. The complete package. He balances the artistic score and the technical score like no one I have ever seen. The best ever. He has the jumps, he has those quads, he has the performance ability. It was perfection."
"The mindset to overcome this injury, to deal with all of that pressure is what makes him a true champion."
"他让我想起一句话。命运对勇士低语: '你无法抵御风暴。' 勇士低声回应: '我就是风暴。'"
"With one delayed single Axel, one triple Axel, Yuzuru Hanyu, double gold medalist, just gave a masterclass of what figure skating actually is."
"He's a two-time Olympic gold medalist, he's won the World Championships [...] He has everything. And what's all the more amazing that despite that he still [came] back and demonstrated improvement, not just sustaining his excellence but improving his excellence."
"I've heard that his programmes this year are hommages or testaments to some of his favourite skaters. [...] And that's interesting, because that makes you believe that – perhaps – he's a little reserved in his own estimations of himself [...] Perhaps he's not quite aware that he's everybody else's inspiration, he's everybody else's motivation to improve."
"Watch how he plays with the music. He is a master."
"There is no one like him. No one like Yuzuru Hanyu. [...] The rockstar does it again. And whatever it cost, the GOAT – the GOAT – delivers."
"This is not a world championship, this is not the Olympics, but I've never seen anything like this. [...] The maestro, the master, Yuzuru Hanyu, has won in Canada."
"He's his own mystical creature, that's for sure. [...] He also has this unmatched confidence that I think is very rare but also very prevalent in all the greats in the sport. Like that he knows he's the best and he wants everyone to know he's the best and he lives up to it."
"With Yuzu, we are everything, we are friends, we are team mates, at some point we have to be rivals. It’s like having a wife, your wife is your friend, your wife is everything, but it depends on the time. When we are on the ice, we are competing against each other but when the competition is done, we are friends again and we work together again."
"Yuzuru is a mystery and he will always be a mystery, because he likes it like that."
"I've done so many competitions and I've been in so many different atmospheres that at some point you kinda know what you have to do. [When] you skate in a competition in Japan after Yuzuru Hanyu, that teaches you a lot."
"Could he win without the big, giant tricks? Yes. But that’s not him. He’s willing to take the risk. He’s visualizing a greater win than last time. It wasn’t that magical moment you usually see at the Olympics."
"Never underestimate Mr Hanyu. That's for sure."
"He instantly at that time connected with a higher purpose of what he does. Yes, it's a sport. Yes, it's about winning. But for him it became about how he affected people emotionally, his ability to lift people, his ability to take people out of their troubles for a moment, and move to another place and find inspiration."
"He’s everything. He’s the skater, he’s the jumper, but quintessentially, he’s the performer. He seems to have the superpower to take all the pressure, all the expectations and all the lights and all the cameras, and somehow he’s able to use it as a competitor."
"I think he’s beautiful; he moves like a dream."
"He’s got this aura, this special presence that only he has. He’s so fierce on the ice, but in the kiss and cry he’s got his Pooh. That gap is what makes him attractive."
"I certainly have seen my fair share of great skaters over the course of my life and Hanyu ranks right up at the top with the best of them. [...] There is a contrasting sweetness and innocence backstage in conversation to the "killer" who comes out to skate. I have often said, you can see it in Hanyu's eyes when he takes his opening position."
"He’s the most complete athlete in figure skating, probably ever."
"For me he's number one. He's a great skater from a different planet. [...] When he skates, he has charisma. I like his jumps, I like his choreography, I like his spins. We have other skaters, they're good jumpers for example. But their choreography is not quite good, not enough to take the audience."
"You're the most complete figure skater of all time. Technical ability, artistry, but above all - above all - the ability to perform when it counts the most."
"He unzips his jacket to reveal his costume... it's like he redefines the sport of figure skating."
"It reminds me of when Michael Jackson was in his heyday, or meeting the Pope. People see Hanyu for the first time and they become hysterical or they’re moved to tears. It’s like their lives are complete. It’s crazy."
"[He] looks like he wakes up from bed and goes and jumps."
"Imagine being so good at something that people make it rain Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals on you."
"Obsessed with #yuzuruhanyu the best figure skater ever because he is as great an artist as athlete. The Baryshnikov of the Ice."
"seriously - just watched his exhibition skate - EXHIBITION! - and it was chilling. his relationship to the ice, to the music... it's simply inspirational."
"羽生結弦殿。あなたは厳しい修練と、人一倍の努力の積み重ねにより、オリンピック冬季競技大会個人種目における日本人初の連覇、フィギュアスケート男子シングル競技においても世界で66年振りとなる連覇を達成されました。この世界の歴史に残る快挙を、東日本大震災による被災、大会直前の大きな怪我という大変な困難を乗り越えて達成されたことは多くの国民に深い感動と勇気、社会に明るい夢と希望を与え、そして震災復興への力強いメッセージとなりました。"
"super heroes that can fly"
"For me, under-ice diving is like an energy boost, as if I was reborn. It is a sensation I can't compare to anything else, a very pleasant one. And I always long for it."
"It’s just skating, and I’ll survive, but at the same time, it’s hard because I’ve worked so long for this moment. It’s not the way I wanted it to go, but at the same time I’m telling everybody, you can fall and still get up and keep going."
"I had my dream Olympic skate [in the team event] and to me, I’ve been dreaming of that moment for such a long time, it made me feel like a superhero and superheroes save the day. And I wish I had said that we were all superheroes during the team event."
"There's... a stigma that says Asian Americans are more the nerdy type, so for me to be a part of this successful sports team... means a lot."
"My parents are super excited that they've produced an Olympian. I don’t think they ever would have imagined this would happen in a million years, so I hope I represent not only Team USA, but the Japanese-American culture and my family as well."
"A long time ago, a sports reporter wrote that I wasn’t strong in the free-skate, that I was more of a short program skater. And that bothered me because I work so hard every day just for a person to judge me on a couple of bad skates and deem me a bad free skater. That's absurd!"
"If you really put your mind to it, anything is possible."
"But I think a failure like that is always a learning experience. I feel like I’ve learned a lot about myself, and how to apply myself going into my next competition. It’s hard to skate like that, but I can only get better from here."
"Every time I put myself on the ice I get nervous. And getting reps is really important to me when I feel under pressure. So even in exhibition I might not be as nervous as when I compete, but having the confidence that I can land it under the spotlights, and when I can see anything, is really important to me. So I just try to do it as much as I can."
"There was always just that challenge of getting better, and every year having a new goal and getting a step closer to the ultimate dream. I really didn’t have the dream of the Olympics until I was maybe in middle school. And, at that point, it started to get a little harder. My life centered around skating—training before and after school. It was a huge time commitment for me and my family."
"I’d never skated just to win a gold medal before; I’d never put that kind of pressure on myself."
"Even as an athlete, I am constantly inspired and awed by the stories of Olympians. I was honored to have been asked to exchange ideas in the first charrette."
"In terms of my career, having the gold definitely changed my life. The Olympics are different, you know? They’re every four years and it’s such a small group. So for me, having achieved the gold, there’s a certain prestige that comes along with it, and responsibilities and things like that, you know, “master to your sport.”"
"Now is really the time to raise more awareness of what’s going on and to demand that things change. This younger generation is not afraid to speak out, I think they’ve given a lot of us courage to really stand up to what’s right, and I think that’s what we need to follow"
"Looking back, it's like, wow, those few minutes just made such an impact. We have that much time to kind of prove yourself. I think that's one thing that makes skating so exciting, because it's just intense, and it's quick, and one little slip can mean the difference between placing or not placing."
"Winning the gold opened up a lot of opportunities, other challenges that I wanted to take on and do in my life."
"The reward of putting a smile on a child’s face, who has to deal with so many challenges in life, is just beyond words. It's incredible."
"Everyday is a new day, and ultimately, I have to figure out what works each day."
"Never give up. There are always tough times, regardless of what you do in anything in life. Be able to push through those times and maintain your ultimate goal."
"It's not always an upward journey; there are always ups and downs. But in order to maintain that passion, you have to maintain that dream and that drive, and the Olympics for me was that dream and drive. I'm certain that will be the same case for many other young athletes."