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CNN Live Saturday

Winter Olympics Renew Public's Interest in Ice Skating

Aired February 23, 2002 - 17:26   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Have you ever dreamed of taking home the gold? Well, if you have you're not alone. Every time the Winter Olympics roll around, there's a renewed interest in becoming a star, especially an ice-skating star. CNN's Michael Okwu has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is a face of Olympic victory today, somewhere here, the face of Olympic gold tomorrow. Well, you have to hope.

The story has been the same for decades. Every Winter Olympics would-be figure skating champions begin strapping on their skates.

SID MORGAN, SKYRINK FIGURE SKATING DIRECTOR: The international overall worldwide market after the Olympic games brings a lot of interest and a lot of anticipation and eagerness to learn the sport. Sometimes for our rink, it can be as much as 25, 30 percent increase in business.

OKWU: The Skyrink in New York's Chelsea Piers now enrolls more than 1,000 people in its basic level program every week, learning the lingo.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is a twizzle (ph). You're seeing it from the wrong end, but that is a twizzle.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Am I going to live my whole life watching the Olympics every four years and saying, gee wouldn't I like to do that. Finally, it's time to shut up and do it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're watching every night and we come in "I can do that."

OKWU: Many dream of becoming the next Sarah Hughes or Michele Kwan. That's where sisters Nancy and Lucy Kwotch (ph) found inspiration, though they're hardly beginners.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Watching the Olympics in 1998 from Nagano, watching Michelle Kwan. She inspired me to skate and just watching her flow across the ice is just beautiful.

OKWU: You'll find most beginners sliding, straddling, surrendering to the ice because it's cool down there, or just because it beats skating. Sometimes young legs just don't seem to be made for the ice. Sometimes they do.

It's the little things that can make a champion. I strapped on my skates for the first time, me on the left, trying to look cool.

IDENTIFIED MALE: I think you could realize that dream in about four and a half years, sure.

OKWU: Why am I seriously doubting that? The folks at Chelsea Piers say a half hour session with a coach, including renting skates and admission, can cost more than $100. This year, right now, no one seems to complain about paying. Mostly they're playing at winning Olympic gold.

Michael Okwu, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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