Athlete Quotes

I think today the players are too nice to one another, but that might change with the unbalanced schedule, with teams playing each other more and more. When you face each other that much, with that much at stake, something's bound to happen.

I had never been to the playoffs, and it was exciting. The fans went through the roof. They were excited about the whole team. It was great to be traded to a city like Chicago, which was a lot like Boston.

I can't recall too much about pitching, but I do remember that I was anxious to get it over with. I just wanted to get that first game over with and go from there.

I always had the attitude that I wanted to throw a no-hitter every game.

I also think that I had great mechanics.

But through experience I learned to control my body and locate the ball.

But more important than personal awards is winning the World Series. That's the max that anyone could ask for. Let alone to have the ball in your in your glove for the final out of the World Series. That was the ultimate.

When I see my mom in the stands, it always pushes me to succeed.

The thing I like about decathlon is also the thing I dislike: It's the maximum challenge, but also the maximum frustration.

The great thing about this is, and not to pump my own tires, but I feel like I'm not maximized yet. I feel like I can still run faster, jump higher, which I think makes it special. Hopefully, going to London, I'll be welcomed into the decathlon community.

The desire definitely comes from within. There are only a few people who make it to this level and those are the ones who have that innate desire.

That is when the crowd really lifted me. That last 600 meters I was not running with my own legs. It was incredible.

My goal in Korea is to win. There's no timetable when to set the American record.

I'm not maximized yet.

I think a challenge for myself is to see how many times I can get above 9,000. That would be a good challenge.

There's never going to be a decathlon that you're going to have 10 events that your satisfied with. You're always, always going to be dissatisfied in something, and that always draws you back to try to retry that the next time you do a decathlon. It's like you go for the perfect 10.

I want to see where I measure up against everyone in the world and everyone who has ever competed in the sport, and there's that innate sense of wanting to challenge myself. I'm competitive in all aspects.

I won't back down. I get a satisfaction from being tested and defeating the test.

You have to have your wits about you and think quickly on your feet.

Winning Commonwealth gold was just totally unbelievable.

Stepping up a gear during any race is not an easy thing to do.

So when you put the kick in and the other runners go past you, it's game over!

It probably won't sink in until I've retired from running but I'm a much better athlete than two years ago.

It is a natural gift I was born with but it's something I've had to nurture in training.

If you see swarms of guys coming around you, you have to try and avoid being stuck on the kerb.

If you go too soon, you can come unstuck with 50m left when the guys are going past you.

If it's a slow race you have to be on your guard. You have to be patient, but I prefer that.

I first discovered my turn of pace when I was playing football as a kid.

I could produce spurts of speed and after taking up athletics I found myself running quite quickly over 400m.

Deciding on when to kick is crucial and depends on how the race is unfolding.