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Tara Lipinski Describes the Joy of Performing on the Olympic Stage

Aired on 05/05/1998 | CC
Tara Lipinski knows a thing or two about pressure. At age 15, the figure skater became the youngest individual gold medalist in Winter Games history when she overtook Michelle Kwan, the favorite, at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Soon, however, she announced she would be joining the ranks of professional figure skating, saying she wanted a lifestyle that allowed her to spend time with family and go to school.

Her stunning final performance was still fresh in her mind when Oprah, during Tara's appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show later that same year, asked the young Olympian to describe what it was like competing on the world stage. Here, you can see a hint of awe and wonder in Tara's eyes as she looks back on the four minutes for which she had been practicing her entire life.