What's It Like To Win Olympic Medals?

Three speed skating Olympic medalists are competing in Chesterfield this weekend at for the America Cup 1.

The contest is considered one of the stepping stones to the 2014 Winter Games. Sat., 11 a.m. and Sun., 9 a.m. at IcePlex in the Valley, across Hwy. 40 from .

Speed skating records are up to nearly 30 mph on the ice, using just thigh muscles and great skill.

The trio of Katherine Reutter, Travis Jaynor J.R. Celski described what winning in the 2010 Vancouver games means for them, and how they keep motivated for 2014.

• Katherine Reutter, 23 - "It's all about making yourself better, it's absolutely not about the admiration. It's about accomplishing new goals and setting new heights for yourself. The feeling is you just worked for this your whole life, and it worked out, that's the feeling." She won two medals at the 2010 Olympics, silver in 1000m and bronze in Women's Relay and endorses Red Bull in a new contract.

• J.R. Celski, 21, – "It's crazy how two or three weeks (of the Olympics) can fuel the fire for four years, that's a long time. I don't think any of us do this for the reward, I think it's because we love to do the sport." Celski took a 1-2 year break from the sport after the 2010 Games. "I'm fully focused now. There's a very short amount of time in our lives to be the best at this sport that we can be." He took two bronze medals in the 2010 Olympics with the U.S. team.

• Travis Jayner, 29, –"We always want to steadily improve. You always want to get better. Coming off the games, it's such a high of lifelong goals, how do you refocus? I try to focus my attention on my individual efforts. You have to keep pushing. You can't let your guard down." He won bronze medal 5000m Relay at the 2010 Olympics.

• Coach Jae Su Chun – U.S. National Team Short Track Coach since 2007 said he thinks champ Simon Cho, 19, could be back in play by December, after recovering from an injury.
• Emily Scott, 22, - Springfield, MO native; five-time inline world champion, she's looking to make the speed skating team for 2014.

Read another Patch article about world-class speed skating.