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Dawn Harper-Nelson reflects on winning gold in Beijing at 2008 Summer Olympics

The East St. Louis native was first American 100-meter hurdler to ever win gold.

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — This year, Beijing became the first city ever to host a Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics. The Summer Games were held there in 2008.

East St. Louis' Dawn Harper-Nelson took part in the Summer Games in Beijing.

"I was going to be able to actually race and compete in there," she told us. "I was just in shock because this is a dream, like pinch me am I dreaming?"

5 On Your Side's Rene Knott talked more with her about her gold medal experience.

When you look back at it, was Beijing your greatest athletic experience?

My greatest? No, but it is so high up there because it was my first huge competition. Even though I knew the journey and lived every day of it, once you get there, especially the first time, you’re just like, do I have what it takes?

Is it still one of those things you stop for a second and go, "I’m a gold medalist"?

All the time, all the time. All these people on the globe are trying to go to the Olympics but only one will get a gold and then you get that time when you’re like, I was the one.

Credit: AP
FILE - In this Aug. 19, 2008 file photo, U.S. Olympian Dawn Harper-Nelson bites her gold medal during an awarding ceremony for the women's 100-meter hurdles winners at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing. More than 20 years after going over her first hurdle, Harper-Nelson has decided to pursue other dreams. Citing a desire to start her family, the 2002 graduate of East St. Louis Senior High School has announced her retirement from track and field competition. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill File)

Is there something that really speaks to you besides the medal about that experience?

Yeah, the pictures of my family being there. Those pictures literally take me to the moment I showed my mother my medal for the first time. There’s a picture of me showing her and I'm kind of like, 'Girl we did this.'

Credit: Family photo

So you watch the Winter Olympics. What’s been captivating you about the competition?

The difference is the weather. They have understood their skill in such a way that literally weather will not hold them back. To see them actually push off and go down. And I’m like, her times faster, let’s keep it up, OK, we're going around the turn, come on don’t hit any side. I mean literally you are in it and I get done and I'm like we did a good job. Just to see them actually capture their moment.

Have you given any thought at all like, you know I could do the bobsled, or maybe I could do the snowboard, maybe I could I curl?

I like this question. Not one moment, not one moment have I thought about entering the Winter Olympics. I think they do a great job representing our country and I’m going to leave it to the experts. I’m gonna stick with the summer.

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