It seems even Olympic medalists have to do their own laundry.

Oak Harbor High School graduate Marti Malloy, who won a bronze medal in judo in the 2012 London Olympics, discussed her career during a phone interview last month in between folding clothes at a San Jose laundromat.

Malloy said her life has become a cycle of training, flying and competing, all squeezed around graduate school.

Winning an Olympic medal brought the expected positive impact, Malloy said, but it also stirred up some negative feedback.

“I am a lot more confident after the Olympics,” Malloy said. “I sacrifice so much time training, it is great to see all that lead up to winning.”

However, it is “amazing what people will say to you,” she said.

“I get messages that are critical; I’ve seen a side of people I didn’t want to see.”

Malloy’s athletic goals are to win a world championship and an Olympic gold medal.

After finishing second in the World Cup last year, Malloy felt this would be her year to finish at the top of the podium —- then she saw the draw.

She was placed in what was called the “Pool of Death,” along with several other of the weight class’s best judoka.

Not only that, she was scheduled to meet the defending Olympic gold medalist in the first round.

Undeterred, Malloy won the match in only 24 seconds. That high was dashed when she lost in the second round on a minor score to a fighter she defeated at the Olympics.

Such is life in her weight class, 57 kilos, considered by many experts as the most talented in the sport.

“My category is one of the most contested,” Malloy said. “It is a toss up who will win the next Olympics. Anyone who bets on who will win gold is likely to lose money.”

Malloy is on a whirlwind schedule this fall, jetting around the world to compete and train, including a week in Brazil to fight professionally for a club team.

That helps pay for some of the bills, as does Dollamur Sports Surfaces.

Dollamur became a sponsor of Malloy’s when she became an elite athlete.

Among Dollamur’s products is the Malloy Olympic Home Mat, and profits from its sales go to Breast Cancer Awareness and helping Malloy defray tournament costs.

When will Malloy retire from judo?

“That is the question of the century,” Malloy said.

A naturally retiring spot would be after winning a gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

“I believe every day I can win it,” she said. “I want to be an Olympic champion.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean she will quit once the goal is met.

“I don’t want to set anything in stone,” Malloy said, noting she isn’t sure she could step aside when she is at the pinnacle of her sport.

Malloy, 28, moved to San Jose to train when she was 16 and went on to graduate from San Jose State University.

When she made the move to California as a teenager, it was a “rough time.”

“I missed home and I became jaded,” Malloy said. “The love for judo left. It took a couple of months, but it came back. I’m lucky, I could be doing a job.”

She is back at San Jose State and about half way through her graduate program in news media/mass communications.

She will return to Oak Harbor Dec. 20 to visit her family for the holidays.

“I love coming home,” she said. “My dad loves taking me places —- I think he likes showing me off. The people we meet are so nice.

“These are my dreams; you don’t ask others to get on board, but they do —- it’s heartwarming.”

And maybe one of these fans will offer to do her laundry.