NEW YORK, NY January 17, 2014 — COVER ATTACHED — In anticipation of the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Parade gathered figure skating superstars Dorothy Hamill, Scott Hamilton, and Kristi Yamaguchi, along with legendary short-track speed skater Apolo Ohno, for a candid chat. The beloved champions relive their best moments in the rink, and share what they’ve learned about the twists and turns of life after the Games. Below is a brief recap of where each star is today:
Apolo Ohno recently retired as the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian of all time, with eight medals (from the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Games). He brought his competitive streak to the stage on Dancing With the Stars. Ohno will be in Sochi as an NBC speed skating analyst.
On transitioning from Olympic athlete to regular life: "[It’s] probably the single most difficult thing for any athlete, and it’s ongoing. You are the best at your sport, but it’s not like you’re going to leave short-track speed skating and be the best at business. What has helped me is applying the attitudes that made me successful as an athlete to obstacles in normal life. My motto is, ‘Try to live with zero regrets.’"
Kristi Yamaguchi, also a Dancing alum, is now raising two young daughters with husband and former Olympic hockey player Bret Hedican. She will be in Sochi as the U.S. Olympic committee’s digital ambassador.
On the Olympic memory she will always carry with her: "The moment I won, and sharing the elation with my coach. But I also remember skating off the ice, thinking, ‘Is that my Olympic moment? Can I do it again? But, no, I don’t want to do it again.’ That’s the emotion that shocked me most—the relief that it was over."
Scott Hamilton, the 1984 champ, is now a dad and author who makes light of his "unique hobby of collecting life-threatening illnesses," including testicular cancer and a recurrent benign brain tumor. He will be in Sochi as a figure skating analyst for NBC.
On his view of what his parents did for him, now that he’s a parent: "I left home at 13. I have two sons. I’m not capable of letting them leave because I feel like I missed that time with my parents. My mother died when I was 19. It’s like, ‘No, I’m not going to sacrifice that time.’"
Dorothy Hamill struggled with depression after winning her gold in 1976. In 2009, she opened the Dorothy Hamill Figure Skating Fantasy Camp for adults, in Phoenix.
On what’s next, after achieving your dream relatively young: "In life, I have struggled with knowing that I’ll never be a world-class anything again. So I’ve tried to find a way to share the thing that I’m still most passionate about, ice skating. I’m frustrated that I’ve never found another passion. If somebody said, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’—I’m still trying to figure that out."
For more from these four champions, check out Sunday’s Parade, and to watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of their Parade photo shoot go to: http://bit.ly/1eKz92F
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