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CNN Live At Daybreak

Jim Shea Feels Grandfather Was With Him On Gold Medal Run

Aired February 21, 2002 - 05:43   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Back to Skeleton for just a moment. Jim Shea says he is sure his grandfather helped him win that gold medal.

Tom Rinaldi of CNN Sports Illustrated caught up with Shea after Wednesday's race.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM RINALDI, CNNSI CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a ride that can either end in severe bodily injury or, in this case, in gold. Jimmy Shea, going into the last turns of the race, just technically speaking, how do you make up time very late in the race like you did to win the gold?

JIM SHEA, GOLD MEDALIST: I really think it was, you know, maybe a little experience, a lot of confidence and, you know, a lot of belief. I mean I had a lot of family support out here and, you know, I just believed in myself.

RINALDI: America's first third generation Olympian. I know you made the ride and you had your grandfather Jack's funeral card in your helmet. Do you feel like his spirit was with you, Jim?

SHEA: Absolutely. Absolutely. You know, he was -- he was definitely there for the ride, you know. And he was there to see the victory with me. And, you know, he really shared the experience when I won the gold medal for the glory of the United States.

RINALDI: Finally, Jimmy, you kept kind of your leg injury quiet. You didn't really tell anybody about that. What did you have to come through to ultimately earn the gold?

SHEA: Well, you know, in the beginning of the summer they put about -- about 400 stitches in my legs and removed a bunch of cysts. And last month -- it actually started about two months ago -- it started back up again. And I couldn't warm up during practices, and it was very difficult. I'd lose a lot -- if I walked around for more than five minutes I'd lose the feeling in my toes. And I just -- I just thought it would be better to keep it quiet, that way I couldn't use it as an excuse.

I think that if I told everybody about it, they'd be saying, "Oh, you're just copping out." So that's the way I played it. And I'm happy I did it that way.

RINALDI: Jim, congratulations, really. A gold medal for Jim Shea, just like his grandfather Jack. Now back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Thanks a lot. By the way, Shea carried his grandfather's gold medals with him on the podium for his own gold medal ceremony.

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