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'Tremendous honor' Lenny recalls his efforts in Sydney
The 2000 Summer Olympics was the coming-out party - as expected - for Lenny Krayzelburg. The transplanted Ukranian became just the fifth male swimmer to sweep the 100 and 200-meter backstrokes at the Olympics. From Los Angeles Krayzelburg reflected on his good fortune Down Under with CNNSI.com's Laura Okmin.
Laura Okmin: Lenny, you head to Sydney as a 24-year-old swimmer and you return as a 25-year-old gold medalist being portrayed as the American dream come true. Besides your birthday, how has your life already changed? Lenny Krayzelburg: Well obviously I've gotten a lot of media attention and my popularity has grown. Never before had anyone approached me in L.A. and say, congratulated me on what I had accomplished before the Olympic Games. But I've only been back for two days and already I've seen people coming up to me on the streets and congratulating me and telling me how good of a job I did back in Sydney. Okmin: I know you are probably tired of talking about your story, but it is a remarkable one. You had trained all your long life to become an Olympian in the Soviet Union. Then at 13 your parents come to America. How did your swimming dreams almost end at that stage of your life? Krayzelburg: Well basically the first few years of living in America, it was really tough to be able to train, go to school, work and learn the language. I felt that basically, I wasn't having fun swimming and I wanted to quit the sport. Okmin: Moving forward, your parents take you and your sister out of the Ukraine to avoid persecution as a Russian Jew. Now you are looked upon as a hero and a role model across the world. Is there some kind of irony in that, do you find? Krayzelburg: Well there's irony obviously. I have to thank my parents. But that was their goal, to bring me to a country that gives you freedom and gives you an opportunity to become whatever you want to become. And it is up to you to as an individual to be able to realize your dreams and strive towards them. Okmin: Standing in Sydney, looking at the American flag, listening to the words of the national anthem and wearing a gold medal, what was going through your mind? Krayzelburg: I was just reflecting back to the 11 years that I lived in America and all the hardships that I had to go through, especially the first few years here. But also a tremendous honor representing the United States as the greatest nation in the world. And being there to receive the gold medal is very humble and special experience for me. Okmin: If you had to pick out one single, unforgettable moment that you will treasure most from the Games, I know that's tough, but one moment, what would it be? Krayzelburg: You know, it might sound funny that it's not me personally, I mean my own performances. But meeting Muhammad Ali was definitely, probably the most special moment I had at the Olympic Games. Okmin: What are your future plans? You take a little time off, what do you do now? Krayzelburg: Yeah, I want to take a few months off and then get back into training and really re-focus and re-charge my batteries and get ready for another four years. I've been fortunate to be at this level and earn some interest from some sponsors such as PowerBar and other sponsors there who will help me stay focused for another four years and not worry about getting a job and just stay in full time training. Okmin: Your big problem at hand, where in the world do you keep three gold medals? Any decorating ideas yet? Krayzelburg: I'll just put them together with the rest of my medals that I have. To be honest with you, for me the most special thing is the memories that will last forever. That's going to stick with me in my heart for the rest of my life. Medals are just medals. Okmin: What a wonderful story. Three-time gold medalist Lenny Krayzelburg. Again, congratulations and thanks for joining us. Krayzelburg: Thank you, Laura.
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