Peggy Fleming went into the 1968 Olympic Games as the favorite. The pressure was high. The tragic plane crash of 1961 and loss of her coach was still in the minds of the figure skating community. She had placed sixth in the ’64 Olympics, and now, as a 19 year-old, and two time world champion, this was her time to shine. She fought off nerves and set her mind on what she was there to do: skate well and do her best.

Once her performance began, Peggy let the familiar music carry her through the routine she had skated countless times in practice for that moment. Led by the “hand of an old friend” (the notes of Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saëns, and Rossini) she skated a fluid and breathtaking performance that set her 88.2 points ahead of her closest competitor. From that moment on, Peggy Fleming was known as the “Olympic Charmer” in the chartreuse dress, and instantly became an icon of American athleticism and artistry. Two weeks later, she went on to win one more competition, the 1968 World Championships. After that, she left competitive skating for the life of a professional athlete.