MICHELLE KWAN

I don't really remember a time younger than 5 years old that I didn't have skates on because all I can remember is every day, tying up my skates and a big smile on my face, excited to go on the ice.

I got a call this morning, and it was from Nancy Kerrigan, wishing me luck. She wished me luck and sent me all her good wishes.

To represent your country is an honor and a great experience.

I had dreamed of being at the Olympics since I was 7 years old.

I always thought after 2002 that I'd hang up my skates and turn professional and just go on tour and do shows. But I don't know when it is enough. I mean, I still enjoy it. I'm the luckiest girl alive that I get to perform in front of thousands of people, do what I love doing.

I was so worried about winning, it was as if I was caught up in my own web.

Sometimes my body is aching, but I always think, 'Why am I in this? Why do I love it so much?' That's what makes me persevere, that's what makes me keep on going.

Because I'm pushing my body so hard already, the last thing I want to do is have music that's really too strong, in my head.

As an athlete, I've always been very proud to represent the United States.

There's a lot of emotions that always come out after a skate of a lifetime. I always start crying because there is so much buildup to that competition.

I'm a big eater.

I would just love to be able to give back to figure skating.

You can always say, 'I wish I had landed that triple flip better, or I wish I didn't fall.' They're not regrets, just mistakes.

Skating has given me so much that it's priceless.

When I was younger, I always dreamed of being a legend, to be remembered in figure skating.

Skating takes up 70 percent of my time, school about 25 percent. Having fun and talking to my friends, 5 percent. It's hard. I envy other kids a lot of things, but I get a guilt trip when I'm not training.

What I love the most is getting on the ice and just popping in a fabulous CD and skating - all by myself, the rink completely empty, just me and the music.

I actually prefer soothing music - and maybe that's the skater in me.

I want to see how far I can train. I have to see how far my body will go.

As I've gotten older and grown more independent, I think for myself, and that's how it should be.

The biggest lessons I learned were probably the times where I had the biggest setbacks and the biggest challenges - when I had the biggest jumps forward and lessons learned.

There were days I forgot my school clothes, and I would actually go to school with skating tights and a little skirt. It's very embarrassing... I definitely had to be comfortable in my own skin, and my mom taught me that.

A few years after I finished skating, someone asked where my medals were. I'm like, 'In a suitcase somewhere.' Now they're nicely displayed in an ice rink, but medals don't really mean that much. It's the experience, the story of the skating, the love.

The Olympic Games is one of those moments that you remember forever, from the moment that you step foot in the country that you're competing in to the Closing Ceremony.

I was improving in the sport at age 10, 11, when I was getting my triple jumps - and it was suddenly very isolating. I was doing really well in competitions, and it felt strange because people that were my friends became almost jealous.