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Posted: Tue February 17, 1998 
On Feb. 10, Picabo Street won her first Olympic gold medal, in the Super G. On Monday, she finished sixth in the downhill. Street's feats in Nagano have been remarkable, considering she missed the 1996-97 World Cup season after having surgery on her left knee, which she blew out in a crash in December 1996. CNN/SI spoke with Street on Monday about her Nagano experience. Here is Part I of our interview. Come back on Wednesday for Part II.
CNN/SI: After you won the Super G, you grabbed a phone right at the finish line and called your mom. What did you say? Street: At first my mom didn't know why I was calling. As soon as I heard her voice I started to cry. I said "Mom!" I think she got nervous. She said "What's happening?" I told her that I'd won the Super G. She said "WHAT?! Oh, baby, that's great. I knew something was going on. I could feel it. I was up and I couldn't sleep. Wow, I'm so proud of you." Then she started to cry. I told her that I missed her and that I couldn't wait to come home and give her a hug and show her my medal.
Street: It's been wonderful. It's been everything that I expected. The only thing I didn't know was how satisfied I would feel. I truly thought I would win a gold medal and then another challenge would immediately arise. But it hasn't yet. I look up at the stars and I don't have a wish anymore because I just got it. It's a really peaceful, satisfying feeling inside. And I like it. I like how calm I feel. CNN/SI: Where are you going to keep your gold medal? Street: I'm not sure. My silver medal from the Olympics in Lillehammer is in a safe-deposit box at the bank. This one, I'll keep it with me for sure until I get home and then I'll probably put with the other one. But it's absolutely beautiful. It's wonderful. And it's heavy. It's a real medal. When Jean-Claude Killy placed it around my neck, I thought, "Oh, it's so heavy!" CNN/SI: What does it take to win an Olympic medal? Street: A lot of people don't think they could handle the work it takes to get a gold medal--the sacrifices that have to be made, the traveling away from home. The whole process is such a learning experience. But it's way worth it. The medal is just a material thing. It's hanging around my neck and who cares? But it's so much more than that. You could take this gold medal from me. I could never hold it in my hands again, but I will be a gold medalist for the rest of my life. I will have reached a goal, made a dream happen for me that I set out for when I was 10 years old. Tomorrow: Picabo talks about her sixth-place finish in the downhill and her plans for the future. Bob Der and Erin Egan, senior editors at SI For Kids, will be filing daily from Nagano. For a kid-friendly version of these reports, check out SI For Kids Online. Anything you want to know about life in Nagano during the Games? Click here to send your question to Bob and Erin, or e-mail siwriters@cnnsi.com. Be sure to include your name and hometown. Selected questions will be answered in upcoming columns. You can also send questions for specific athletes, and our fearless correspondents will do their best to get a reply.
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