Dan suffered his first major setback when at the ripe old age of 11 he lost a race at the National Speedskating Championships in St. Paul, Minnesota. Like many a fallen star, Dan took it in stride-crying for the better part of 300 miles while his father, Harry, drove him back home to West Allis, Wisconsin. Harry had this sage advice for his youngest and most talented son, "Dan's there's more to life than skating around in circles."

At first puzzled by his father's remark, Dan later started to understand what he meant. While always one to set high standards for himself, Dan also began to learn how to keep things in perspective. "It's a lesson I've never forgotten," says Dan.

In 1984 as an 18-year-old at this first Winter Olympics, Dan finished fourth in the 500 meters, .16 seconds away from a bronze medal. Not bad for a rookie, but in a country which judges its Olympic winners and losers heavily on the medal count, Dan's accomplishment went unnoticed, unmerited and, in the eyes of many Americans, was viewed a disappointment .

The favored speedskater at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada, Dan needed all the courage he could gather when, on the day he was to race in the 500 meters, his sister Jane died from leukemia. That evening Dan readied himself as best he could in hopes of winning the race for his sister. One hundred meters into the race, Dan fell. He fell again four days later in the 1000-meter race while on a world record pace.

The 1992 Winter Olympics brought more disappointment as Dan finished fourth in the 500 meters and 26th in the 1000.

Dan's last shot at an elusive Olympic medal came in 1994 in Lillehammer, Norway. Again the favorite in the 500, Dan was on another world record pace when the unfathomable happened again, a slip in the finals.....no medal.

Four days later Dan skated his last Olympic race, the 1000 meters, where he finally put to rest the Olympic jinx-racing to a world record and the Olympic Gold.

As the national anthem played and the American flag rose in front of him, Dan Jansen stood proudly with his Gold Medal around his neck. He looked skyward to the heavens and saluted, "This is for you, Jane. I love you."

It is also a salute and a tribute to people everywhere-whether chasing the Olympic Gold or in pursuit on one's own dream- that in order to achieve goals one must learn to persevere, to overcome adversity, to never give up and to always strive do your best.