The Sochi Olympic Games have been a bumpy ride; from reports of horrid conditions by athletes and members of the media to the ups and downs in the actual games, it will be an event remembered for decades to come. For one analyst, it’s been a dream come true.

Former Olympic figure skater Tara Lipinski, who has been providing commentary on this year’s events on the ice with the flamboyant Johnny Weir, says that it’s a one-in-a-million opportunity that she’s grateful for.

But the games have also been a chance for her to revisit her own successes; when she was just 15, she took home the gold medal in figure skating and quickly became a media darling with her charm and poise.

“I was obviously beyond elated,” she said this week after being handed a photo of herself captured in the moment she found out she would be taking gold. “I think I just felt a lot of relief. Because there was just so much pressure leading up to this — years of training. Then the months right before the Games were very stressful and that week in the competition I was so nervous. I don’t know what I was doing. Obviously I was losing my mind screaming.”

Lipinski isn’t just a talented athlete; she made headlines earlier this year when she performed a routine called “The Big Lipinski”, which was based on “The Big Lebowski” and saw her skating in a ratty bathrobe, carrying a White Russian. It’s clear that her sense of humor is as sharp as ever, especially when she’s analyzing for NBC with Weir; the duo have captured the attention of just about everyone this week with their witty commentary and hilarious banter.

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