Faith, family are priorities for 16-year-old Olympic figure skater

Published: 2006-02-06

BEL AIR, Md. (CNS) -- Sixteen-year-old Olympic figure skater Kimmie Meissner may dazzle audiences and judges with her triple-axel jump, but off the ice, the high school junior is about as grounded as they come. Shortly after the U.S. figure-skating championships in St. Louis in mid-January, in which she scored a second-place spot and a follow-up appearance on NBC's "Today" show, Meissner spent a Wednesday night with her parents, Judy and Paul, dining at Ruby Tuesday's in the Baltimore suburb of Bel Air. After dinner, the young 5-foot-3 skater, wearing pink sweats, stood in front of a toasty fire and talked about studying for an upcoming algebra exam. While her rigorous practice schedule leaves no time for signature high school moments such as the school prom, participation in clubs or even lunch with friends, the teenager still leads a relatively normal life. She goes to church on Sundays -- the family belongs to St. Ignatius Parish in Hickory -- and she goes running with her dogs, watches television and snuggles at night with her cat, Ozzie.

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