Q&A
You are trying to become an Olympian in both the winter and summer Olympic Games. Can you do them both?
I always loved speed skating, but to become an elite-level athlete takes a lot of time and sacrifice. I started cycling and really enjoy it. I will try it for the next Olympiad (2004 in Athens, Greece). I want to put everything into the 2002 Olympic Winter Games to be held in Salt Lake City.

How can you stay motivated for something that is several years away?
Being an Olympic athlete has meant a lot to me. I've been in sport so for long that it encompasses my whole life. Sports allow us to grow so much as people and to learn about life. I've learned things from skating that I'll take with me the rest of my life.

We don't have to reach any particular level to get something out of sports. We learn to be part of a team, how to accept criticism from a coach, or how to deal with opponents. We take on challenges that require us to reach deep inside. I'm always challenging myself and setting goals and being persistent.

How do you challenge yourself?
I love to challenge myself and I always have. I always love to prove people wrong. And when I reach a level of accomplishment, I think, "OK, now that I'm here, how fast can I go? How much stronger can I get?"

What do you think about the programs for girls in sports?
This is a great era for girls and women in sports, especially. Look at what the U.S. women's hockey team did in 1998. Look at what the U.S. women's soccer team did by winning the World Cup. Or look at what the U.S. women's Olympic basketball team did in its dominating run to the 1996 gold medal. Girls don't have to be cheerleaders to be involved in sports. There are solid programs for girls now, and that's a good thing.

The Olympic Spirit in YOU!
Pick your three favorite women in the 2000 Olympic Games. You can find more information about the athletes by using the links on the Gateway to the Summer Games site.

List three attributes of these Olympians that make them great athletes. Apply those attributes to you and your favorite sport. How can those attributes help you do your personal best in your sport? Develop a plan to try to use those special traits to help you achieve your best in sports and in school. Write down the key parts of you plan, and check your progress against the plan.

More Interviews

Akhnaten Spencer-El Alison Dunlap Anna Kozlova Barb Kunkel Chris Witty Dominique Moceanu Dan O'Brien Hunter Kemper

Jimmy Pedro Kevin Han Lindsay Davenport Laura Wilkinson Lisa Fernandez Mark Ruiz Ruthie Bolton-Holifield Tom Malchow

With thanks to Bob Schaller. For more great stories about Olympians, ask your librarian about The Olympic Dream and Spirit, Vol. 1,2, and 3, with Mr. Schaller, and Awaken the Olympian Within compiled by John Naber.