"At the end of the day, a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer, so if we maintain that passion, we will ultimately maintain our purpose. The characteristics that our sport teaches us is also so important – the discipline and the perseverance – they create characteristics within you that last a lifetime, long after your swimming career has ended."

"I am very dedicated and motivated to the things that I love, when I put my mind to something I would do anything in my power to achieve it"

"I’ve never been African champion in the 100m, so it’s something I’ve always wanted to accomplish"

"I think it’s consistent, I have no special objective as I’m just working on the first 60m of my 100m for this summer."

"I'm going back to prepare in the United States and I'll come back stronger. This isn't the end of my career."

"We need to set up relay camps because we’ve been getting away… We haven’t been doing no handoffs and no training, nothing. We just kind of come to competition and just kind of wing based on talent."

"At the Olympics, every team is so on form because this is what they have been planning for, but anything can happen. We’ve focused on what we can control, like working on our structure"

"I find it’s the small details that really help and I spend so much time in the gym to prevent injury. It’s also to maintain my strength and I also watch my nutrition. If you are going to stay at this level, then you have to keep up with the youngsters and the energy they have."

"I had to give myself the opportunity again, otherwise I knew I would regret it once I’ve retired. So I’m really happy to be in Paris!"

"So I’m just super-happy he’s coaching us, we’re lucky to have him. That’s what you need if you’re playing in the Olympics – the best. We don’t have the resources and sponsors that push other teams like the top four, but Giles is so passionate and he gives us a sense of calm and belief"

"I pride myself on my fitness and keep my body as healthy as I can"

"I’ve had a couple of setbacks in my career since the 2012 Olympics and I just really wanted to go there again, because it is the pinnacle of hockey and was always my dream"

"It’s about being the best you can be physically and mentally. Having the right mindset and work ethic definitely helps me keep playing. A lot of players get injured when they are past 30 and that’s when their career ended."

"I have lived my childhood dream and given everything I could to the badge. Every match, every moment, and every experience has been a privilege that I will cherish forever."

"With my previous experience at the Olympics, I know what to expect. It’s going to be a packed stadium and you can hardly hear each other, it could be distracting. So we have to focus on that more in our preparation and I will help the others in the team who don’t know what it’s going to be like. We just need to stay calm and shut out the noise, and at least we know what’s coming"

"I want to win no matter what happens."

"Many kids have started running in Debremarkos after watching me."

"I hope I can run my personal best and get a good result there"

"Yes all I can do is try my best. I don't have any information about Toronto"

"I didn’t expect these conditions but I can run in hot conditions"

"I am so motivated (by my family)"

"I am getting that desire in me to win everything."

"“The goal for this year is to run 1:56. I didn’t tell the coach yet. But that's my goal and I know I'm going to do it. I wrote it in my diary. I just have to keep consistent in my training,""

"“The world hasn't really recognised me. The world doesn't really know me that well because I haven't run that sub-1:58 but I know I'm going to do it,”"

"“I'll be all over social media and that is what I want. I haven't been there, according to me. I don't have that exposure. In Morocco, I will make some miracles happen. I'm ready.”"

"“I feel like right now I have that experience whereby I know in the heat they take the top three. And in the semis that's where you have to push yourself. That's your final, actually,”"

"“I did dream of this, I’ve been working so hard for this. We have a long season ahead and I believe there’s still more to come.”"

"“It requires honesty and pragmatism, asking yourself again if you are disciplined and can you be honest enough to pull yourself back in line when that discipline goes pear-shaped?”"

"“And it’s the prestige of competing in one of the world’s top 10 marathon majors, that we believe the 2014 Cape Town Marathon will become.”"

"“You have to put yourself in the top two. This year we have the Olympics and now I have a goal. My goal is to be in the final. Like my coach says, anything can happen once you are in the final.”"

"“But I believed that I could make it, and to make it and grab that gold medal, I’m proud,”"

"“The answer is quite simple: it’s not so much about the training and diet as it is about just one simple action: committing yourself to doing it.”"

"“Nothing could be more devastating to your ability to perform than arriving at the starting line in a less than ideal frame of mind,”"

"“You can benefit from the best training programme in the world, but without a certain degree of motivation and discipline, one can quite easily fail,”"

"‘'We believe that sport will continue to play an important role in the sustainable social development and transformation space within South Africa, in particular with respect to Women and transformation, and taking children off the streets.’'"

"“I am from this village called Medingen. It's a dusty place, to be honest. There's no track. There's no grass. There's nothing, there is just dust everywhere,”"

"“I founded it and helped get sponsors and partners on board and there is an emphasis on parallel career development and not just athletics career development.”"

"“I have had the privilege to race many big City Marathons in different cities and countries around the world. Each City Marathon had its own unique but challenging experience, each being emotional and rewarding as I experienced each city’s atmosphere, its people, its cultures and its land-marks. These races have left a long standing connection to the respective City’s. It will be a privilege to bring such a unique experience to Cape Town and for Cape Town to be able to host such an event to so many people in South Africa and around the world.”"

"“Especially in today’s demanding way of life, you have to be able to push back and understand that for you to achieve that goal, you need to put in the action required to make it happen.”"

""My best days still start with a run in the mountains – I run for good health, energy, and to clear my head!”"

"“A day that starts with a run is a better day. I retired 10 years ago and have run the odd marathon as a charity participant running with people trying to finish their first marathon, but nothing more than that, really”"

"“I loved the opportunities that I had and it was 10-15 of the most amazing years of my life. And I love it where I am now trying to help produce the next generation of South African distance runners.”"

"“I always ran hard and athletes knew when I was in the race it would be a hard race. I ran fast from 1500m all the way up to the marathon. I broke world records, got an Olympic medal and won a world title.""

"“We are an ultra-mad country where people normally think a marathon is for sissies and you have to run 90 kilometres to be considered a proper runner”"

"“So, it was challenging. I started running when I was doing physical education in grade four. And that's where I thought, ‘Let me just try this thing of running. Let me see where I can go. Then I just started running and we started visiting other schools.”"

"When I saw her in the stadium, she always showed respect. She worked with my mother in a factory in Floréal. My mother told me how, every morning, Maryse Justin would hand her bag to her sister and run from her home in Quatre-Bornes to the office. My mother always told me that this lady had enormous courage, that she was very determined. That stayed with me."

"I would like to dedicate my gold medal to my husband who is my mentor and who supports me, and also to my country Nigeria."

"I have been competing in shot put for 22 years and what keeps me going is the morale and passion that I have for the sport."

"Gold medals from Mercy Genesis, Eucharia Njideka Iyiazi were the biggest highlights of the day as the Para Athletes also fought back hard to win bronze in their event categories."

"I’m so happy that I have won."