WITH THE OLYMPICS BEGINNING ON THURSDAY, WERE CATCHING UP WITH
OLYMPIANS OF OLYMPICS PAST. >> NATALIE IS IN PYEONGCHANG.
>> ITS BEEN HARD TO BELIEVE
ITS BEEN MORE THAN TWO DECADES
SINCE KRISTI YAMAGUCHI COMPETED
AT THE WINTER GAMES IN ALBERTVILLE, FRANCE, WINNING A
GOLD FOR TEAM USA.
SHE OPENED UP HER HOME TO ME.
SHOWED ME WHAT HER LIFE IS LIKE TODAY AND TOLD ME WHO SHE HASKE
TODAY AND TOLD ME WHO SHE HAS HER EYE ON GOING INTO THESE
GAMES. ITS BEEN 26 YEARS SINCE KRISTI
YAMAGUCHI SKATED HER WAY TO
OLYMPIC GLORY.
6:40 IN YOUR LIFE WAS COMPLETELY
CHANGED.
>> I THINK THATS ONE THING THAT
MAKES SKATING SO EXCITING
BECAUSE ITS JUST INTENSE AND
ITS QUICK.
ONE LITTLE SLIP CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLACING OR
NOT PLACING.
NOT PLACING.
>> TAKE ME BACK TO THAT GOLD
MEDAL-WINNING PERFORMANCE. DID YOU KNOW IN THAT MOMENT THAT
YOU HAD WON?
>> I DID NOT KNOW.
I SKATED REALLY WELL.
BUT I HAD TO WAIT AND SEE IF IT
WAS ENOUGH.
WAS ENOUGH.
SO, IT WAS REALLY, LIKE, PINS AND NEEDLES, JUST WAITING THERE,
YOU KNOW, THROUGH EACH SKATER
THAT COMPETED.
THAT COMPETED. >> Reporter: THOSE OLYMPICS
WOULD BE HER FIRST AND HER LAST.
YAMAGUCHI MADE THE SURPRISING
DECISION TO PASS UP THE 1994
WINTER GAMES, INSTEAD, TURNING
PROFESSIONAL.
PROFESSIONAL.
>> I KNEW IF I WENT BACK IN LILLEHAMMER THAT THE PRESSURE
WOULD BE IMMENSE.
AND IT WOULD LITERALLY BE THE
ONLY FOCUS, WOULD BE TO COME
HOME WITH THE GOLD AGAIN.
>> Reporter: TWO OF HER
TEAMMATES WHO WOULD GO ON TO
COMPETE IN LILLEHAMMER, TONYA
HARDING AND NANCY KERRIGAN.
WHAT WAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP LIKE
WITH TONYA AND NANCY?
>> WE HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
AT THE OLYMPICS, WE WERE
ROOMMATES.
ROOMMATES.
WE WERE PRETTY CLOSE.
>> Reporter: THE RECENT MOVIE "I
TONYA" IS BASED ON HARDINGS LIFE AND THE ATTACK ON KERRIGAN,
IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THOSE
GAMES.
GAMES.
>> WHAT KIND OF PERSON BASHES IN THEIR FRIENDS KNEE?SON BASHES IN
THEIR FRIENDS KNEE? >> Reporter: HAVE YOU HAD A
CHANCE TO SEE THE MOVIE "I,
TONYA."
TONYA."
>> I ACTUALLY HAVE, YES. I WATCHED IT LAST WEEK..
I WATCHED IT LAST WEEK. >> Reporter: WHAT DID YOU THINK?
>> ITS A MOVIE.
THE ACTING WAS GREAT IN IT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS SO IMPRESSED
WITH HER SKATING.
I ENJOYED IT.
YOU KNOW, I JUST TOOK IT WITH A
GRAIN OF SALT, KNOWING THERES
ARTISTIC LICENSE AND WHATNOT.
>> Reporter: YAMAGUCHI IS
FOCUSED ON THE FIGURE SKATING
COMPETITION IN PYEONGCHANG.
SHES BECOME A FRIEND AND MENTOR
TO KAREN CHEN.
THE TWO WOMEN ARE FROM THE SAME
HOMETOWN.
HOMETOWN.
>> THAT FIRST DAY, I WAS COMPLETELY IMPRESSED, SEEING HER
FOCUS AND HER DETERMINATION.
IT WAS KIND OF LIKE, OOH, I SEE
A LITTLE BIT OF ME IN HER.
>> Reporter: YAMAGUCHI NOW LIVES
JUST 30 MILES FROM WHERE SHE
GREW UP WITH HER HUSBAND, BRETT
HET
HET
HETIK HETICAN, A FORMER PROFESSIONAL
HOCKEY PLAYER, WITH HER
DAUGHTERS AND THE NEWEST FAMILY
MEMBER, A RESCUE PUP NAMED TANK.
WHATS LIFE LIKE FOR KRISTI
YAMAGUCHI?
YAMAGUCHI?
>> I ADORE MY TWO GIRLS.
AND I LOVE BEING A SOCCER MOM, WATCHING THEM PURSUE THEIRMOM,
WATCHING THEM PURSUE THEIR AMBITIONS.
AMBITIONS.
>> Reporter: HER YOUNGEST
DAUGHTERS AMBITIONS ARE ON THE ICE, WHERE SHE IS TRAINING WITH
HER MOMS DOUBLES PARTNER.
>> I TRY TO STAND BACK A LITTLE
BIT AND BE A CALM SKATING MOM.
>> Reporter: YAMAGUCHI SAYS HER
PROFESSIONAL SKATING DAYS ARE
BEHIND HER.
BEHIND HER.
BUT HER COMPETITIVE SPIRIT IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL.PIRIT IS
STILL ALIVE AND WELL. YAMAGUCHI WON SEASON SIX OF
"DANCING WITH THE STARS."
WHERE IS THE MIRRORBALL NOW?
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE DINING
ROOM TABLE.
ROOM TABLE. >> ITS TUCKED AWAY.
MY HUSBAND HAD TO MAKE SURE IT
WAS UNDERNEATH THE STANLEY CUP.
>> YOU HAVE YOUR OWN TROPHY CASE
GOING.
GOING.
>> YES.
>> Reporter: YAMAGUCHI SPENDS
HER TIME GIVING BACK, WORKING
WITH THE CHILDRENS LITERACY
PROGRAM SHE CREATED 22 YEARS
AGO, CALLED THE ALWAYS DREAM
FOUNDATION.
>> ACCESS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILY
PS
FAMILYS.
WERE HOPEFULLY THERE TO BRIDGE
THAT GAP.
>> Reporter: ONE OF THE MANY
WAYS SHES SHINING HER SPOTLIGHT
ON A NEW GENERATION.
GUYS, IF YOU COULD LOVE KRISTI
ANYMORE, SHES DOWN TO EARTH AS
YOU SEE THERE.
SHE HASNT CHANGED IN 26 YEARS. >> NO.SNT CHANGED IN 26 YEARS.
>> NO. SHE HASNT.
SHE HASNT. SHES JUST SO CHILL.
AND AT PEACE AND COOL.
>> AND HAPPY.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> SHE IS.
>> YOU USE THE WORD LOVELY.
>> SHE IS.
SHE REALLY IS.
>> I SHOULD LET YOU GUYS KNOW
THAT DURING THE OLYMPICS, SHE
WILL BE COVERING THE FIGURE
SKATING COMPETITION DAILY.
YOU CAN CHECK OUT HER SHOW,
"KRISTI AND COMPANY."
IT WILL BE ON NBCS DIGITAL
CHANNEL, THE OLYMPIC ICE SHOW.
AND CHECK OUT THURSDAY NIGHT,
THE COMPETITION BEGINS HERE.
THE TEAM EVENT ON NBC PRIMETIME.
OF COURSE, WERE ALL COUNTING
DOWN TO THE OPENING CEREMONY