Between the artistry, the thrill of watching fearsome athletes hurl themselves into epic jumps, and the costumes (oh, the costumes!) it's no wonder figure skating has made many a fangirl.
On the eve of a new Olympic Games, one that's already seen its share of skating-related drama here in the U.S., we're taking a moment to reflect on the beloved champs of our youth. These are the ladies who made it all look so easy that we developed a twisted sense of our own skills and ate it, many a time, at the local rink trying moves we had no business trying. (Unfortunately, as we soon learned, most of us cannot execute a perfect double axel and triple toe loop.)
Here are eight figure skaters from the Olympics past that were true stars -- girls and women we loved for their strength, their guts and their showmanship -- and where they are today. (Otherwise known as a trip back to a time when Olympians didn't weirdly cover their skates with sheer hose -- a look ESPN says is thankfully fading away.)