Janica Kostelic

On Feb. 22, 2002, Janica Kostelic became the first Alpine skier ever to win four medals in a single Olympic games and joined Jean-Claude Killy and Toni Sailer as the only skiers to win three gold medals in one Olympics. Even her toughest competitors acknowledged that she was unbeatable. "She's proved that mentally she's the best," said Swedish medalist Anja Paerson. "Right now, she's incredible. After all she's been through, I'm really happy for her." Switzerland's Sonja Nef, another medal winner, agreed: "She is too strong in the head. She was too good in these days." A few days later, thousands of Croats packed Zagreb's main square to give her a hero's welcome. She and her family, after their arduous journey, are icons in their homeland.