Kristi Yamaguchi
Kristi Yamaguchi
Kristine Tsuya Yamaguchiis an American former figure skater. In ladies' singles, Yamaguchi is the 1992 Olympic champion, a two-time World champion, and the 1992 U.S. champion. As a pairs skater with Rudy Galindo, she is the 1988 World Junior champion and a two-time national champion. In her earlier figure skating days, her youth partner was Michael Teves. In December 2005, she was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. In 2008, Yamaguchi became the celebrity champion in the sixth...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionFigure Skater
Date of Birth12 July 1971
CityHayward, CA
CountryUnited States of America
The good feeling I get from contributing rivals anything I felt on the Olympic stand in Albertville.
I didn't want to skate for someone else or for certain marks.
Winning in women's singles felt surreal. I felt that everything I had done - the hard work, the tough times - was all worth it.
One of my mottos not only just in skating but in life in general and I try to enforce it as well, is like no regrets and just like going for it.
I don't mind the sparkle - I think it's kind of a tradition in skating. I don't think the men really need sparkles, but for the women it's part of the glamour of our sport.
I never wanted to feel I hadn't worked hard enough.
I feel like I missed out on the regular high school social life, but that's the way I chose to be.
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.
I've always worked closely with the designers and whoever's making the costumes. Comfort is the last thing you want on your mind when you're competing. In an ideal situation, you'll have something where you'll put it on and you're fine and you don't have to worry about it at all.
Probably a few weeks after I was born I started having casts put on my legs to straighten them out. After that corrective shoes and with a brace in between.
Training for the Olympics was a lifelong endeavor and took many years.
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.
Everything that happened in '92 was more than I had dreamed of... winning the U.S. title for the first time and then doing so well at the Olympics... It seemed to wrap things up so perfectly. I couldn't help thinking, 'How could I top that?'
There are two or three performances in your life that are absolutely on, where all the planets are lined up for you and you feel you're invincible.