LIVE from Nagano, Japan — February 5-22, 1998

Hear The Mountain Zone Exclusive Interview Free Audio player (Video: Brent Brookler)

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Brookler: How excited are you for your comeback here?

Street: I'm super-excited. It's been so long since I've been racing and to come back here and have a win under my belt. (I'll) take it over to Europe and get some more experience, get some more World Cup wins, and head over to Nagano with lots of confidence so I can bring home the gold.

Brookler: How's your knee?

Street: It feels good, actually really good. It doesn't bother me anymore, it's not really something I think about when I step in my team stuff and I get ready to go. It's me and the old knee back. My knee is as strong as it was before, if not stronger, and it's a matter of getting my leg strong. I lost six years of strength in about six month's time, so it's going to take another year or two to get that leg back up to full strength, but I'm good to go so far.

Brookler: What does it mean to you to represent the U.S. in the Olympics?

Street: That's one thing that I thought about a lot in the time that I was gone — the fact that I do partake in a sport that does allow me to represent my country and that's something that brings me a lot of pride and a lot of joy. I'm looking forward to going over there and doing it again in Nagano. I'm hoping that maybe everyone on the Olympic team thinks that I'm worthy to carry the flag. That's my next goal, to carry the flag during the opening ceremonies, if everyone chooses me.

Brookler: Is this win going to help you in your next World Cup?

Street: For sure, anytime you win, anytime you have a victory, it helps you in anything you do, it helps you in the next race, it helps you in your personal life, it helps all around — first, to bring you confidence; second, make you happy, make you smile and give you something to carry you. It's a bright spot that you can carry with you all the time. A win's a win!

Brookler: I noticed your time was up there mid-level with the men's times.

Street: Yeah, it was and actually I was a little bit surprised because it is such a flat course and they're so much bigger and heavier than I am. But I have really fast skis and I think that led to me being able to be right there in the middle of the pack with them today.

Brookler: You're sponsored by Nike and you're one of the first outdoor winter sports' sponsors of theirs. Is that a big step for them and for you?

Street: It was a huge step for me, I know, personally. It was such an honor to have Nike come and seek me out and say, 'hey, do you want to represent us, do you want to wear the swoosh?' and I thought, 'of course I do!' I'm not stupid, I want to wear the swoosh. That means you're there; that means you've made it, if you're wearing the swoosh. So, it's a big honor for me. Now, after I've been with them for a couple years and I've worked together [with them] on a couple of signature products... my shoes, now I feel more comfortable there. It's a really big family that supports me in whatever I'm doing, injured or healthy and what not. And the facilities they have in Oregon for me to train are right around the corner from my house. It's a big honor to be a Nike athlete, for sure, and always will be.

Brookler: Good luck to you. You know everyone's routing for you and you're a great person. We wish you all the best.

Street: Thank you, I appreciate that. See you in Japan!