10 Reasons to Be Obsessed With Olympic Gold Medalist Jamie Anderson

Get familiar with Olympic snowboarder Jamie Anderson. She's nothing like your typical gold medalist, and that's what makes her so amazing.

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Complex Original

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When we think of Olympic gold medalists, we think of people whose entire lives have been geared toward one moment of glory. They have been coached and molded in training academies since they were old enough to walk, essentially faceless automatons built for one purpose and one purpose only. Their chosen sports consume their entire lives, and they have neither the time nor the interest for anything else.

Jamie Anderson, however, is not your typical gold medalist. 

Trading a few extra hours of practice for a “medicine walk” and coaches for a “spirit grandmother,” Anderson rode “good vibes” (and ridiculous talent) to a gold medal in the first-ever slopestyle event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Along the way, she built herself a legion of new fans by “trying to keep it light” despite the enormity of her accomplishments, and even 18 months later Anderson still endures as one of the stars of the 2014 Olympics.

As devoted to her beloved home of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., as she is the slopes, at 25 years old, Anderson embodies the perfect work-life balance most people spend their entire lives trying to find. She goes all-in on everything she does; in all aspects of her life, Anderson truly lives her obsession. With winter on the horizon and the snowboarding season nearly upon us, here are 10 Reasons to Be Obsessed With Olympic Gold Medalist Jamie Anderson.

No PEDs, Only Mantra Beads

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She Was Winning Medals Before She Could Drive

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Her Good Luck Charm Is Her 86-Year-Old Neighbor

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There’s Basically Nowhere in the World She Hasn’t Done a Handstand

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She Doesn’t Have a Coach

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Her Secret to Not Getting Injured? Yoga

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She Started Competing at Age 9, in Part Just to Make Some Extra Money

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She Co-Founded a Documentary Film Company to Help Promote Women’s Snowboarding

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She Calms Herself Down Before Big Races by Hugging Trees

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She Gives Back to Her Hometown of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.

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