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Red-carpet treatment for gold-medalist Hughes
Olympic champion Sarah Hughes got the key to city and rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday as part of the extended celebration of her surprise figure skating gold medal.
"Everybody's been spoiling me," the 16-year-old Long Islander said at a City Hall ceremony. "Everybody's been so friendly. The atmosphere couldn't be nicer."
Hughes won the free skate portion of the figure skating competition at the Salt Lake City Winter Games on Feb. 21, vaulting from fourth to first place to take the gold medal.
Since then, her life has been a whirlwind of national television interviews, swarming photographers and chauffeured limousines. She met Celine Dion and the Backstreet Boys at the Grammy Awards. And her picture soon will be featured on boxes of Wheaties cereal.
In her hometown, a parade in her honor is scheduled for next weekend. On Wednesday, Hughes resumes classes at Great Neck North High School.
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March 5, 2002
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