What do you remember about winning the 1992 Olympic figure skating championship?
I remember watching the skaters, wondering what was going to happen. And then there was this incredible feeling of excitement and relief. Winning in women’s singles felt surreal. I felt that everything I had done—the hard work, the tough times—was all worth it.

Click here for more pictures of Kristi and her family.

How did you handle the pressure of competing?
The day and night before competitions, I would visualize my performance. I would run it through in my mind and watch the routine on the floor. I’d tell myself I’d trained and I was ready. Still, every single time, I’d be nervous, no matter what competition it was. Sometimes I didn’t want to go out there. I’d try to channel my nervous energy in a positive way into strength and endurance. It didn’t always work.


How did your parents nurture your talent without pushing?
Skating was something I really wanted to do; my parents knew nothing about it. They said they’d support me as long as I was trying my hardest and enjoying it. When I was slacking, they’d say, “Hey, this is taking a lot of time and energy for us. If you’re not going to try your best, maybe you don’t have to do this anymore.” That’s all I needed to hear. They let me and my coach develop a relationship. I felt like it was my activity and I was the one driving it.

What inspired you to want to skate?
I was born with clubfeet, and I had plaster casts on my legs from when I was a couple of months old until age 1. When the casts came off, I wore corrective shoes connected by a brace to turn my feet until I was about 2. The braces hurt my legs a lot, and I remember trying to walk with a bar in between my feet—I had to shuffle.


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