Kristie Marano is at the top of the leader board in most U.S. women's medals won at the World Championships. She has been to seven World Championships, and won seven medals, including her second gold last year.

Now, the bar has been raised to include women's wrestling in the Olympic Games.

TheMat.com spoke with Marano of her past and recent successes.

TheMat.com: As the U.S. Nationals Champion and being able to sit out of the Challenge Tournament, will that help you going into the Championship Series, or maybe work against you because you are not getting that "first match" out of the way earlier?

Marano: I have been in both situations, waited through the Challenge Tournament and wrestled. I don't feel it is an advantage or a disadvantage for me, because I will be warming up those two days, working with Toccara (Montgomery) or my brother Matthew.

TheMat.com: You and Sara McMann have been back and forth winning in this weight class, but as of  late you have pulled ahead. What has been the difference this year? How does this help your confidence when you are wrestling her?

Marano: We have always been pretty even, Sara is a great competitor. I have helped myself out with improving by coming out to Colorado Springs to train and putting myself in this training situation at the Olympic Training Center.

TheMat.com: What have you improved on most in the last year?

Marano: I have expanded my knowledge of wrestling overall. I am actually doing wrestling moves and not relying on my judo background. I have learned so much from being here, especially from Terry Steiner.

TheMat.com: Making the move to Colorado Springs to train fulltime at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, how has that made a difference in your performance?

Marano: It was the best thing I could have done. In every aspect I have become a better wrestler.

TheMat.com: How has the added support from your father moving out here helped you when you are training?

Marano: Overall, I think this has just bettered my situation with my daughter, Kayla. My parents have always been supportive of me in anything I do. It means a lot to me that my dad moved over 1000 miles away from his wife to better my situation.

TheMat.com: Do you feel a lot of pressure to win because you are the reigning world champion?

Marano: I put the pressure on myself. I don't feel any pressure from the outside. I can't focus on the fact that I have to defend my World Championship, rather I look at it as no one can take it away from me, because it is mine. Right now I am just focusing on these next two matches.

TheMat.com: How do you juggle everything from training, your daughter Kayla, and increased media attention?

Marano: My situation is probably easier than it should be. I have my dad and brother helping me out with Kayla so that doesn't interfere with my training. As for media, I don't think I will ever get used to that. Besides most of the time they don't want to cover me, they want to cover Kayla. She loves all the attention. Where as I am shy, she will talk your ear off.

TheMat.com: You have won the most medals as a U.S. woman. When you hear that how does that make you feel?

Marano: Honestly, it doesn't seem like I have done that much, because I have been around forever. I don't look at the past or concentrate on that, but I look at the future and what I can improve on to make myself better.

TheMat.com: How often does being an Olympian, or even an Olympic champion cross your mind being that this is the first year you are able to do it?

Marano: It hasn't hit me yet. I can't concentrate on it because I still have at least two matches left to wrestle. I think when it does finally hit me it will be a huge blow, but an exciting blow. It probably won't hit me until after everything is over how monumental this is.