I believe the reason for my early independence is sport, through which I learnt at an early stage to take care of myself and be disciplined.

Sometimes your disappointments make you a stronger person for the future.

I don't rank competitions - every single one is the Olympics to me.

People don't come to stadiums only to see results. They come to see a reaction, they want to see we are also human, that we can cry or laugh.

I am the only girl in the family so everyone pampered me.

Since I became a favorite in every race, it's just another burden that I have to bear.

People like scandals.

Competing helps me to polish my shape.

I realized that health is the most important thing and that all the other things come with time if you are devoted enough.

The Olympics must be my curse or something.

A good career is a long-lasting career. When you're there in every competition doing a good job you're a part of an elite, and that's the most important thing.

I've come to realize that hunger feels more like home than any tangible structure ever has, or probably ever will. I know now that creating absence is my way of coping with absence.

Testing time is the time for an increase in praise.

It's very important to stretch, because while it's good to look pumped, a lot of the moves are split legs, and twisting fast. So you really, really have to stay supple.

We are too quick to live this life and forget that there is another world to come...this is not the end.

I've seen George Foreman shadow boxing and the shadow won.

Happiness is the best cosmetic.

Education without courage is like a wax statue - beautiful to look at but bound to melt at the first touch of a hot stuff.

Conservative Republicans are back. We're in the fight for fiscal discipline and limited government, and we are on the side of the American people.

The ultimate cause of human disease is the consequence of our transgression of the universal laws of life.

The difference between mere management and leadership is communication.