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    Going for the Gold: Sarah Hughes
    Going for the Gold: Sarah Hughes
    Going for the Gold: Sarah Hughes
    Ebook97 pages1 hour

    Going for the Gold: Sarah Hughes

    By R. S. Ashby

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    About this ebook

    Ice Princess

    Sarah Hughes was born to skate, and she proved to the world with her dramatic gold medal victory at the 2002 Winter Olympics. But the road to Olympic glory was not always easy for this Long Island teen.

    Going for the Gold: Sarah Hughes is the amazing true story of a brilliant skater's Olympic quest.

    Here's what you'll find out about America's newest sweetheart:

    • Sarah's first time on the ice
    • How her family's support helped her through difficult times
    • How Sarah braved the rocky road to the Olympics
    • Sarah's hopes for the future
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateMar 1, 2011
    ISBN9780062035967
    Going for the Gold: Sarah Hughes
    Author

    R. S. Ashby

    Ruth Ashby is the author and editor of several titles for young readers, including Her Story: Women Who Changed the World. She lives in New York City.

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      Book preview

      Going for the Gold - R. S. Ashby

      INTRODUCTION:

      Hometown Hero

      I see her! I see Sarah!

      A girl in a pink jacket jumped up and down in excitement. She was standing along a parade route trying to catch a glimpse of her hero, Sarah Hughes—and there she was, coming down the street!

      It was March 10, 2002, Sarah Hughes Day in Great Neck, Long Island. Sixteen-year-old Sarah Hughes had just won the Olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating, and the town was throwing her a big welcome-home party.

      Gold ribbons and bows fluttered along the town’s main street. Arches of golden balloons rose into the sky. Mannequins in store windows wore gold medals around their necks. American flags flew everywhere.

      Store windows displayed handmade signs: CONGRATULATIONS SARAH AND FAMILY FROM GINO’S PIZZA! CONGRATULATIONS GOLDEN SARAH FROM THE PERSIAN COMMUNITY OF GREAT NECK! TEMPLE EMANUEL WELCOMES SARAH!

      A guy in a red suit and white beard held up his own poster: SANTA LOVES SARAH. Everyone, it seemed, had a special message to send.

      The owners of Sarah’s favorite neighborhood delicatessen, the Deli on the Green, made a display of her name spelled out in submarine sandwiches, and prepared a bouquet of gold roses just for Sarah.

      More than 60,000 people had gathered on this crisp windy day to show their love and pride. This wasn’t just any sports star. This was their Sarah, who grew up in their town and went to their high school. And now the kid who’d started her career at the local ice rink had gone and beaten the best figure skaters in the world. And not at just any old competition. At the most prestigious sporting event of all— the Olympics.

      In an interview with a reporter, one friend shared how it’s been really special to see [Sarah] develop from when she was young and [the Olympics were] just a dream, and a goal.

      Now the high school band was marching down the street. Sirens blared, and firemen waved at the crowd. Riding in a big cream-colored vintage Thunderbird, New York Senator Hillary Clinton smiled her biggest smile. Senator Chuck Schumer followed, waving enthusiastically.

      A Zamboni zigzagged down the middle of the street.

      And there—weren’t those Sarah’s brothers and sisters in that convertible? They looked just like her! Congratulations! the crowd yelled, shaking their gold pom-poms.

      But where was the champion herself? Sa-rah! Sa-rah! people started to chant.

      Finally the big moment arrived. Wearing a bright red coat and her giant gold Olympic medal, Sarah Hughes came into view. She was sitting on the backseat of a black Bentley with her coach, Robin Wagner, and her mom and dad, John and Amy Hughes.

      Waving and laughing, Sarah was having a wonderful time. Her trademark winning smile was broader than ever. She was so happy to share her victory with all her friends and family, who she described as all those people who I’ve known for years and with whom I’ve always shared my dreams and my goals and my skating.

      To Sarah, the past two weeks had been just like a dream. She still had to pinch herself to make sure it was all really true.

      It’s the greatest time in my life, she told reporters. So far. I can’t believe so many people watched me skate and shared the enjoyment I went through and so many emotions. I was happy to share it.

      What was really amazing was how she had suddenly become a role model for so many kids across the country. People say, ‘I want to be just like you,’ Sarah said in disbelief. I never thought anyone would want to be just like me.

      But they do. At the rink in New Jersey where she trained, Sarah wannabes announced that they, too, long to go to the Olympics someday. A sixteen-year-old said, It really paid off, all her hard work. That is the lesson for all of us. A thirteen-year-old skater on Long Island commented, This has taught me to always stay confident and do your best no matter what.

      But it isn’t just skaters who look to Sarah for inspiration. Everyone, young and old, believesher story has a special meaning for them. A twelve-year-old from Sarah’s hometown summed it up: It makes you feel like you can follow your dream, and you can win, too.

      Sarah Hughes, all-American hero, has seen her dream come true. How did she do it? How did she become the Golden Girl?

      CHAPTER

      ONE:

      Born to Skate

      It all started with a little girl in a yellow snowsuit. She was three years old, and she wanted to ice skate more than anything in the world. She took a few steps and splat! down she fell. Determined, she got up and tried again. Splat! She gave a big grin. Already, Sarah Elizabeth Hughes loved the ice.

      She was born on May 2, 1985, in the town of Great Neck, Long Island. Sarah was the fourth of six children, two boys and four girls. Her parents, John and Amy Hughes, had always wanted a big family. When he was a boy in Toronto, Canada, John’s parents used to care for foster babies. John got used to having lots of kids—and toys and diapers—around. Home wouldn’t be home without plenty of children. So first there was Rebecca, then David, then Matt, Sarah, Emily, and Taylor. The future Olympian grew up in a very full and busy house.

      From the beginning, the Hughes children were expected to excel in athletics and academics, just as their parents had. John and Amy met at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where John was captain of the ice hockey team. In 1970 the team won the national championship, and John thought about going pro. But when he didn’t make the final

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