Preloading

15-Year-Old Tara Lipinski on the Reason She Went Pro

Aired on 05/05/1998 | CC
Olympians must often make sacrifices in pursuit of their dreams. For instance, figure skater Tara Lipinski and her mother, Patricia, had to live near a training facility in Delaware and later Detroit, Michigan, while her father was bound to Sugar Land, Texas, by his job.

Only a few months after winning gold at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, Tara decided to turn professional, a controversial decision driven, she told Oprah during her Oprah Show appearance later that year, by a desire to spend more time with family and make sure she developed a close relationship with her father. Here, Tara candidly explains her thinking on the subject and opens up about her priorities.