My main point in this regard was to compete for my country and my people and to receive the support of the entire Cuban society, to carry my flag in whatever competition I was in, the Olympic Games, Pan-American Games.

It was a dream come true for me to be at the Olympics.

The job of mayor of London is unbelievably taxing, particularly in the run-up to the Olympics.

Passover and Easter are the only Jewish and Christian holidays that move in sync like the ice skating pairs we saw during the winter Olympics.

In Hollywood you can see things at night that are fast enough to be in the Olympics in the day time.

Former Olympians also get paid to make appearances. Many of them won their medals in an era when Olympic success didn't go hand-in-hand with financial success.

I used to think that losing made you more hungry and determined but after my success at the Olympics and the U.S. Open I realise that winning is the biggest motivation.

Team GB's success at the Beijing Olympics can in part be said to have been made in Manchester. For example all the cycling medal winners trained at Manchester's velodrome the National Cycling Centre.

The Olympic Games must not be an end in itself they must be a means of creating a vast programme of physical education and sports competitions for all young people.

Actually I always dreamed about getting a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle in Olympic swimming. I always thought that would be the epic award in sports to get.

In sports people reach their peak very early. You have to move on. I don't know if I will ever surpass what I did at the Olympics but I'm still doing the work I always wanted to do.

The ultimate would be to compete in a couple more Olympics hopefully break some world records and wind up my sports career with a couple of years in the WNBA.

Football basketball and the Olympic sports all have their problems with banned substances.

That's the biggest problem with boxing in the United States. They do not promote it like they used to when it used to be Howard Cosell and they showed it on 'Wide World of Sports.' Everybody knew all the fighters. Everybody was looking forward to the year when the Olympics came on.

As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.

We live in a world where sports have the potential to bridge the gap between racism sexism and discrimination. The 2012 Olympic Games was a great start but hopefully what these games taught us is that if women are given an opportunity on an equal playing field the possibilities for women are endless.

HGH testing is happening in Olympics. The science is there. It is a valid test.

This Olympics is almost a little sad. It is my final Olympics. There are a lot of good memories.

I was at the Olympic Games winning medals and I still doubted my image. I doubted what I looked like. That's sad.

I met Jesse Owens once. He was a remarkable individual and I have tremendous respect for what he did in the Olympics under the circumstances.

This week the world gathers in Beijing for the 2008 Olympic games. This is the extraordinary moment China has been dreaming of for 100 years. People have been longing for this moment because it symbolises a turning point in China's relationship with the outside world.

I've realized the extraordinary power of sports to heal unite and inspire. I believe the Olympics will serve as the ultimate platform to provide positive changes and I hope to inspire all of Japan through my strong showing there.

Finishing second in the Olympics gets you silver. Finishing second in politics gets you oblivion.

Olympics for me is love peace united.