Women in sports

"My heart was beating. I got sick in my stomach and my hands were sweating — everything you feel when you are under pressure. I've been nervous before, but nothing like this."

"I'm going back to my tour where I belong. The attention was more than I expected. The golf course wasn't a problem. It was just the things around it. All the preparation I've done in the last month weighed on me."

"Ron Sirak, a golf writer and friend, was quoted as saying, "Annika is no longer a female golfer. She's a golfer." That's truly all I ever aspired to be."

"I just feel that there's a little bit of lack of respect and class just to kind of leave a tournament like that and then come out and practice here, especially being the hostess. You know, I don't know the situation, if it's injury or whatever it is. It's just -- it just seemed really weird."

"We say booty. I'm not quite sure about 'posterior'. I'll try to keep that in the back of my mind. 'What are you doing?' 'I'm shaking my posterior.'"

"Andy Murray, he's been joking about myself and him playing a match. I'm like, 'Andy, seriously, are you kidding me?' For me, mens' tennis and womens' tennis are completely, almost, two separate sports. If I were to play Andy Murray, I would lose 6-0, 6-0 in five to six minutes, maybe 10 minutes. No, it's true. It's a completely different sport. The men are a lot faster and they serve harder, they hit harder, it's just a different game. I love to play women's tennis. I only want to play girls, because I don't want to be embarrassed."

"A great cricketer must be an artist and express himself in his strokes."

"'This is the stupidest place I have ever visited,' she said. 'I shall never come here again.' The tall man looked at her in silence and nodded. 'Yes, you will,' he said. 'You won't be able to stay away now that you have come.'"

"Now the Englishmen suddenly came to life. Four runs later Harvey received a beast of a ball from Tyson which spat up at him and splashed off his bat to Cowdrey, 104 for 4."

"As we at all times criticise the Premier for his management of home affairs, call Mr Butler a fool for his Budget, find fault with Beecham's conducting, or Gielgud's performance, can we not, sometimes, say that our cricketers are not quite so brilliant as usual?"

"I have been treated as a freak, rather like the fat lady at the circus."

"Very few reporters in Fleet Street can write on the game with as much observation, sense of scene and character, and knowledge of the things that technically and tactically matter."

"The work of an enthusiast who has watched and enjoyed cricket with an eye for detail and for character, for adventure and the human reflection beyond the ropes. It will, I fancy, be read with the same pleasure as it was written."

"The Australia of her book is not merely a setting for cricket but a place of interest, of fun and of new impressions"

"All I want to do is play."

"Clothing is my personal thing. Every time I get dressed, I fear that it will be the next three days' wear"

"Playing for the country is an honour. The ultimate honour, in fact. If you want to look at it as pressure, you will find it very difficult to cope with the expectations of a billion people. I look at it as an opportunity, as being among the few who have been given this opportunity to make the country proud."

"Injuries can end a sportsperson's career and I am glad I have been able to make a comeback and make it to the world's top 10 in doubles and have done reasonably well in mixed doubles. I always believed I had tennis left in me and I am grateful to god for this opportunity."

"I will do all I can to win a medal [2012 Olympics]. To see the National flag go up while standing on the podium is the proudest moment in an athlete's life and I will want to experience that for myself in London. Please just keep praying for the entire Indian contingent. We have a really good chance of doing well at these Games and it will provide a huge fillip to Indian Olympic sport if we are all able to perform to potential."

"I think people tend to forget that as celebrities we are still human. We have the same emotions - we cry, we have fun, we laugh, we get sad, and we get hurt. When something is written about you, which millions of people are reading, and it is not true, imagine how hurtful it can be."

"I have a passion for playing tennis and enjoy the workload and struggles of performing in this amazing global sport."

"A defeat at any stage, whether in the first round or in the final of a major tournament, is always disappointing. But as sportsmen, we learn to pick ourselves up to bounce back and move on for the next challenge."

"One of the thrills of playing at the top tennis centres of the world is to see the Indian flag go up whenever I`m participating in these events. That's enough motivation for any Indian who has the opportunity to perform at these tournaments."

"It's been 20 years since I started playing tennis and I've spent a decade playing singles and doubles professionally. I still enjoy singles and may play in an occasional tournament or at the Fed Cup if my country needs me. But I think the time has now come for me to completely shift my focus onto doubles."

"On the tennis court, one needs a cool temperament, tremendous ball sense, reflexes, speed, hand-eye co-ordination, power, timing and peak physical fitness. Off the court, the player and support team need skills in planning, execution, travel, an ability to raise funds when needed, and several other talents."

"The honour and respect that a country earns by being represented at mega-sporting events like the Grand Slams has to be seen to be believed, experienced to be fully understood."

"Well, I've grown up on the tennis circuit which has friendships with people from diverse religions, races, backgrounds and scores of different countries across the globe. I think this experience broadened my horizons. I can comfortably embrace relationships on a personal level while looking beyond narrow constraints."

"Negativity sells. I have been labelled a rebel. If I had been one, would I have got married at 23? Would I have been a straight student?"

"One win and you’re on top of the world. Lose in the first round of the next tournament; you’re back to reality."

"There's no doubt that my forehand and backhand can match anyone, it's about the place that they're put in. I can hit the ball as hard as anyone can, but I think it's more about where I'm hitting the ball. Instead of 90 mph it can just be a 50 mph forehand, but the placement is more important. So I've been working on that a lot more. When you're working on things, maybe your performance drops a little bit or you're trying new things in every tournament you're going in so that's just a process of being an athlete because you're learning, you're adding new things to your game. When I sit with my notes, for instance, instead of hitting a hard forehand return, I would like to hit an angled forehand return instead."

"My serve used to be a weakness and I don't think it's a weakness anymore. I'm trying to come a lot more to the net and trying to be more offensive — not in terms of hitting the ball harder, which I think is quite hard for me to hit it any harder than I do — but in terms of building the point and coming to the net and being offensive at the net. A lot of the top girls barely do (come to net) except like Mauresmo or Henin does it a little bit, but a lot of girls don't do it."

"Six-year-old girls in a place like Hyderabad did not play; tennis was a recreation like badminton or gardening. So I draw inspiration from my parents. Steffi Graf has always been my tennis idol; always Steffi Graf. Just the way she was and the way she carried herself on the court and off the court. She does inspire me today. Everyone asks me "Who is your favorite tennis player?" And I always say "Steffi Graf." I just cannot imagine anyone being better than her, you know? I think a lot of people love Steffi Graf for the way she was on and off the court."

"Well, I'm not a yoga person. I've been told to try yoga. I just can't get myself to do yoga. I pray four or five times a day so it's about 10 minutes of total concentration... Also because when you're trying to focus only on God, you're trying to get everything else out of your head and just have that single focus. Trust me, it's very hard to do that four or five times a day. I mean, it's hard enough to do it once a day, but four or five times a day to just switch off the world and focus everything on God is difficult to do, and I do try to do that. I think that's one of the reasons yoga is not part of my routine and I feel this is better because I am actually being constructive, but in yoga I'm just going blank."

"Of all the sports I've seen, I think tennis is the most competitive sport in the world. Because we are playing week after week, 36 weeks a year competing against the same players over and over again."

"Fitness is defined differently by everyone, but for me, the most important thing is being healthy. As tennis players, what we do is not the healthiest thing. We almost abuse our bodies."

"I'm not a part of the glamour industry. I would like to focus on my game, and there are minimal chances of me getting into films."

"We players are as normal human beings as anyone else, and we also have the right to live a normal life. I don't understand why people talk so much about the way we dress up, how we walk, what we eat, and every little detail of ours. Players are the real heroes. Sports have both respect and fame, and I am fortunate enough to be a sportsperson."

"Whether it is tennis or any other sport, the situation for women now is far better than it was 10 years ago when I had started playing. Now, people support and promote their daughters to play and take up sports as their career. It wasn't the case during my time. I am glad that things are looking better for girls. Taking a step in this direction, I too have opened my training academy in Hyderabad. Sport for girls in India is in great shape now."

"In life there's stuff you can control and stuff you can't. There's nothing you can do about it. No point getting angry and upset because it's beyond your control. As a professional athlete, you learn to roll with the punches."

"I'm partial to stilettos. Stilettos and long, flowing dresses are my new favourites. I like my dresses in lively shades these days, a teal or bright mix of orange and red."

"When I got married I thought I would have kids early, but the more I'm playing, the more I'm enjoying it. I really enjoy competing."

"Too much going on, never in my life thought that I'd had to worry about anything of this sort, rather than my mehendi!"

"Leaves me with no choice but to laugh. I am pretty sure these are not the pre-wedding jitters or butterflies in the stomach my married cousins were talking about!"

"I think being a woman celebrity is the hardest thing in India.... People will ask many things, what you wear, how you speak, when you will have a baby and other things."

"When a woman wants to do something on her own way, she is criticized, dubbed as a rebel. I (too) was stated an arrogant. However, I stuck to my guns and today I am at this place. We have to fight in order to move forward in this men's world."

"As I came to the lime light, the media asked me many questions. A lot many moral policing... 'Wear this, wear that, why a T-shirt?' Everybody has the right to form their opinions, and I have the right to ignore them."

"The facilities at that point in India were not up to international standards and the lack of tennis culture did make things more difficult."

"I don't think I have made any deliberate or conscious attempt to represent the new generation. I am what I am."

"The most difficult element is perhaps the lack of privacy in my life."

"Yes, I'm a practising Muslim, but I don't understand why only I'm asked about my religion. Everyone's got a religion out there. I wonder why no one else is asked about it."

"The media is only concerned with trying to sell themselves through concocted sensationalism. I try to avoid them and rarely read their concocted stories."

"You can either agree with me, or be wrong."

"Indian doubles tennis ace Sania Mirza recently achieved a career-best rank of number five in the world when the new Women’s Tennis Association doubles chart was released after the Wimbledon Championships concluded in July 2014."

"She is the pride of Hyderabad and hoped she would soon become No 1 player from her fifth position. The government would extend all support to provide her best training and other facilities."

"She was conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri award for her contribution to tennis on the eve [25 January 2006] of the Republic Day."

"She and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik tied the nuptial knot on Monday (April 12) as the two families advanced the high-profile marriage by three days after a tumultuous build up to the wedding. The build up to their marriage was controversial due to Shoaib's first marriage with local girl Ayesha."

"She is the highest ranked female tennis player ever from India, with a career high ranking of 27 in singles and 7 in doubles. She knows from her early experiences about the hardships that tennis players from India have to endure in order to become a successful professional. She had a long cherished vision for Tennis in India. The Vision - "To pave a way for Indian Tennis by training and promoting urban and rural talent and to enable our players to make a significant mark in the world of international tennis.""

"A couple of weeks ago, the 21-year-old was photographed with her feet up while watching a colleague playing in an international exhibition match in Perth, and the proximity of her toes to a nearby Indian flag raised temperatures in her home state to vindaloo levels."

"A High Court lawyer filed a case for her arrest (without bail) and a three-year jail sentence... [case] under something called the "Prevention Of Insult To The National Honour Act", citing "disrespect" to the national flag. India's predilection for red tape, taught to them by the Imperial British, but since refined to gargantuan levels, means that by the time the case gets to court she will probably be a grandmother, but it's a bit of worry nonetheless. When Sania, who is Shia Muslim, first bared her thighs on a tennis court, people took to the streets to burn effigies of her, although this in itself is such a common event in India that it more or less doubles the smog levels."

"When she first started out on the pro circuit at the age of 18, the length of her skirts prompted some religious mullah to issue a fatwa, which was a bit of a handicap to her chosen profession given that fashion in women's tennis apparel has moved on, not to mention up, since Suzanne Lenglen's knickers were covered by several petticoats and a skirt which picked up chalk from the baseline."

"The fastest rising star in women's tennis is adored by millions in her home country. But the Muslim teenager has been denounced by extremist clerics for dressing in a 'corrupting' way. Now she needs bodyguards to provide constant protection."

"On 12 February 2005 thousands of people started gathering at dawn for the final of the Hyderabad Open [to watch Sania in the final] and, by 10 in the morning, so dense were the crowds outside that it was difficult to get into the Fateh Maidan complex. There for the match were film stars from south India as well as local government officials; corporate VIPs from Mumbai, labourers from nearby towns and families who had travelled hundreds of miles from Delhi."

"She had become headline news in her homeland since her return from Melbourne, where in January [2005] she had reached the third round of the Australian Open, the first time that an Indian woman had progressed so far in a grand slam event."

"Her breezy optimism as she took on some of the world's top players endeared her to her compatriots: for just as India was beginning to emerge as a world power, here was a young woman displaying a brazen determination to shake off the shackles of the underdog. Off-court, too, her confidence was striking. Confounding stereotypes of demure and retiring Indian femininity, she delighted in brash displays of adolescent attitude."

"She is a very talented player. I see a very good future for her."

"With her diamond nose stud and multiple ear-piercings, she brought glamour to the game. Advertisers and corporate sponsors rushed to sign her and soon her face was selling."

"Indian Gold, Indian tea and Indian petrol to the nation: When car manufacturer Hyundai made her brand ambassador for their Getz model, production capacity doubled. She had not yet won a major tournament, but her fame was spreading well beyond Asia: soon she would be on the front of Time magazine and selected by the New Statesman as one of 10 young people with the potential to change the world."

"The dress she wears on the tennis court not only doesn't cover large parts of her body but leaves nothing to the imagination of voyeurs. She will undoubtedly be a corrupting influence."

"When she first emerged, she was celebrated as an example of how well religious integration was working in a country that has a Muslim president, a Sikh prime minister, and a Christian leader of its Congress party. The controversy over her clothes was seen as an absurdity by mainstream Muslim leaders."

"We are proud of her achievement. In India there are not many other young female role models like her."

"She proves that young Muslim girls can make a mark if they are given the right chances... Many Muslims in India are economically and educationally backward; she has given the community new hope."

"India is the country that produced such cultured male players as Vijay Amritraj and Ramesh Krishnan, and she might have been expected to place as much emphasis on old-style craft as crunch. In fact, her all-out aggression, underpinned by the sort of destructive forehand that was the signature of her role model Steffi Graf's game, makes her a very contemporary player indeed. To become a top-10 player, she has to work on her mobility and add some dimension to a game that is too dependent on the weighty forehand."

"She is fearless about going for the shots. She just believes that all her shots will go in."

"She is very typical of her generation - these new teenagers who are not quite the sex, drugs and rock'n'roll generation of Sixties America but who are very in your face, very confident and very brash. This kind of attitude is not unique to her: you see teenagers like her in the streets. She represents a new India that doesn't care what anyone thinks."

"She is betraying both nations, she neither lives here (India) nor in Pakistan, but she resides in Dubai. We request the Indian Government not to allow Sania to represent India and let her reside in Dubai."

"She's here with her girlfriend. She's half a man."

"They always have big mouths. They always talk a lot. It's happened before, so it's gonna happen again. I don't really worry about that."

"Being black only helps them. Many times they get sponsors because they are black. And they have had a lot of advantages because they can always say, 'It's racism.' They can always come back and say, 'Because we are this color, things happen."

"Steffi has had some results in the past, but it's a faster, more athletic game now than when she played.... She is old now. Her time has passed."

"I started [following a vegan diet] for health reasons. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and I wanted to maintain my performance on the court. Once I started I fell in love with the concept of fueling your body in the best way possible. Not only does it help me on the court, but I feel like I’m doing the right thing for me. … I literally couldn’t play tennis anymore, so it really changed my life. Because it was starting to take away what I loved, I had to make some changes, I had to change my life. Thankfully, I was able to find something that helped me get back to doing what I loved. … It changed the pace that I live at. It changed everything."

"He is exaggerating, for sure—130 mph approaches the high end for the likes of Sampras."

"Since I'm old, instead of taking the booing, I want to tell you, I'm doing the very best I can. I mean, If you're a real fan, you know that I'm not just like my job is not to sign autographs, right? My job is to drive a car and to tell the crew chief what's going on. I don't appreciate the booing... It hurts my feelings. I'm a fucking person; you know what I mean? I'm a person, too. I have feelings. When you boo me, it hurts my feelings. Please just be supportive fans. I'll do everything I can. When I came from over here, my car was over there. I can only do so much. I have to get in the car. So please understand that."

"You can work out in a pool and sweat, but you don't smell. In the water you are weightless. You are ageless. It feels exhilarating to get wet. And you know the water is a very sexy medium. Why do you think people always get in a hot tub?"

"Just make the point we come from the water. It's the most natural medium in the world. It's the only sport you can do from your first bath to your last without hurting yourself."

"I'll bet if I compare notes with Junie Allyson and Debbie Reynolds and anyone else who's had more than one marriage, the fact is that you fall in love and it's so wonderful to think about something other than yourself and whether the script's right for you and who's going to be your leading man, that you don't really ask yourself questions about the fellow. He's just wonderful looking and he dances well and you have a wonderful time and it's fun to go out, and all of a sudden you're in a lifelong marriage."

"When I turned 15 or 16 I realized that I did not have to eat meat, so I stopped. I went Vegan the same year I got in to bike racing: 1999. I was living in San Francisco and started racing on the track and lived with a bunch of vegans. To be honest, I never really liked eating animal products. It was just always in stuff I would eat. Y'know: burritos have cheese, pizza has cheese. But once I was surrounded by people who showed me that there were options, I stopped eating animal products right away. I was really motivated to start taking responsibility for what I put in my body."

"My lifestyle is pretty minimal. Just doing my part to make the planet a better place."

"For two weeks I get distressed and for two weeks I eat, process cheese, chocolate moose, cherry pie whatever my grandma had in her refrigerator. And then were back in school standing outside all by myself and here comes "Mr Suave", really tried to work myself off like ok dont be that weird shy girl like play it cool and right when he gets next to me he says, ¡whats up fatto, what happened to you? and then he chases me around the playground yelling fatto, fatto. Alright the walk home from school that day was the most mordfiying walk I ever had on my life, felt like such a loser and I cry my eyes out, I got home locked myself in my room all day long and all I kept thinking was oh my god! Im such a loser like I dont wanna be that girl, I dont wanna be that shy, weird fatto, like I dont wanna be that girl, and I made a vow right there that Terry was gonna eat his damn words."

"The thing is, all of us think that fear is just a thing you choose to overcome but its not, all of us face it in some way you dont have to be on a stage whether is parenting, running a business, speaking out on something you believe in, it can scare us all."

"Fear only has one enemy and that is a confident persona."

"Permission is for pansies, we dont need anyones permission to be who we are, and we dont need permission to be who we wanna be."

"I didnt asked the guy who said "Torrie Wilson doesnt belong in the WWE Hall of Fame" if he thought it was okay if I still came anyway. And I didn't ask the guy that was up there booing me telling me I suck if he deemed me worthy of lacing up my wrestling boots and giving it a try the next night. Because neither would've said yes but neither one was the one stepping in this ring.""

"My intention was to show up for you guys the fans, and to play the role, to play the role of who I really wish I could be outside of the ring, a strong confident women who is unnafraid of failing, unnafraid of being sexy, who knows who she is and to be quite honest to know she is a badass whether anyone else believes it or not."

"If you wanna have that confident persona, the one that you guys taught me, you gotta forget the failure."

"Now I just want you guys to remember that not everything is as it seems and that fear is an enemy that affects all of us in some way but when you are willing to remember that permission is for pansies, to summon your swagger, and to forget the failure, you can win your match against fear anytime."

"I just want to thank you for letting me be a little small part of your life and for many of you guys, a part of your puberty."

"This undervaluing is nowhere more evident than in the media coverage of women’s sports. According to one study of sports television coverage in Southern California, women and girls account for over 40% of athletes, yet they receive less than 4% of the coverage on news shows. The study’s authors—Cheryl Cooky, Michael A. Messner, Michela Musto—found a “stark contrast between the exciting, amplified delivery of stories about men’s sports and the often dull, matter-of-fact delivery of women’s sports stories.”"

"Football is a simple game. 22 women chase a ball for ninety minutes and at the end, the United States win."

"[T]he participation of women and girls in sport directly challenges gender stereotypes and discrimination, and therefore can be a platform for promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. This can, and ultimately will, reshape attitudes toward women’s capabilities as leaders and decision makers, especially in traditional male domains . . . I would not be the person I am today without the skills, training, and self-confidence I gained from my participation in sports."

"Until now, women have behaved better than their male counterparts — and let's face it, in certain sports the bar has been set so low by their male counterparts it's hard to imagine how women could be any worse."

"Amici believe that, like themselves, the next generation of women athletes must be guaranteed bodily integrity and decisional autonomy in order to fully and equally participate in sports. These constitutional protections supported the extraordinary accomplishment of American women in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where they won nearly 60% of Team USA’s world-leading 113 medals. Were these rights to be abrogated, Amici understand firsthand that women’s participation in athletics would suffer, including because some women athletes would not be able to compete at the same level—or at all—without access to abortion care and without the knowledge that the decision whether to continue or end a pregnancy remains theirs."

"Athletics “have become part of the fabric of America. ”Nat’l Collegiate Athletic Ass’n v. Alston, 141 S. Ct. 2141, 2168 (2021) (Kavanagh, J., concurring). Women’s ability to “participate equally in the economic and social life of the Nation”—including through high school, collegiate, and professional sports—“has been facilitated by their ability to control their reproductive lives.” Casey, 505 U.S. at 856 (plurality opinion). Absent the right to access safe and legal abortion care, and the ability of “the woman to retain the ultimate control over her destiny and her body,” id. at 869, women’s sports would not be the enormous success they are today. Among other reasons, women’s ability to participate and excel in athletics would decline, severely impairing the vitality of sports in the United States. Further, women and girls would be deprived of the multitude of collateral benefits that result from athletic participation, including greater educational success, career advancement, enhanced self-esteem, and improved health. Athletic prowess depends on bodily integrity. The physical body is a critical tool for athletes, and its condition determines elite athletes’ futures and livelihoods. High school and collegiate athletes use their bodies not only to compete, but also to secure higher education through recruiting opportunities and athletic scholarships that may be otherwise unobtainable. Professional athletes use their bodies for their livelihoods, including to access lucrative sponsorships and advertising opportunities. Amici depend on the right to control their bodies and reproductive lives in order to reach their athletic potential. Indeed, Amici are united in their belief that the physical tolls of forced pregnancy and childbirth would undermine athletes’ ability to actualize their full human potential."

"All athletes—men and women—have a narrow window of time to achieve their greatest athletic potential. This reality is magnified for women athletes for whom childbearing age coincides with their competitive peak in athletics. If the State compelled women athletes to carry pregnancies to term and give birth, it could derail women’s athletic careers, academic futures, and economic livelihoods at a large scale. Such a fundamental restriction on bodily integrity and human autonomy would never be imposed on a male athlete, though he would be equally responsible for a pregnancy."

"Participation in sports generates myriad benefits for girls, women, and society at large. Athletic participation is associated with positive educational outcomes, including better attendance, higher grades, fewer disciplinary issues, a greater desire to go to college, and higher advanced placement enrollment rates. Girls who participate in sports are more confident, have higher self-esteem, and better body images. These trends are “especially striking among girls from minority groups, who appear to experience greater social and economic mobility, more confidence, and even more personal safety if they have participated in sports.” Indeed, girls who participate in sports may realize even greater academic gains than do boys. An “overwhelming majority of women executives (82%) had participated in sport at one time in their lives beyond the elementary school level.”"

"Women executives credit sports participation with preparing them for professional success, including being more disciplined than others (86%); having leadership skills (69%); having the ability to deal with failure (69%); and having a competitive edge (59%). As Olympic swimming champion Donna de Varona emphasized: “Competition— celebrating wins, surviving losses, requiring teamwork, rewarding persistence, resilience and discipline, these are the experiences we need in leaders and these are the experiences they gain in sport.” Finally, “encouraging women in sports isn’t just good for women and good for business, it’s good for countries.” Not only is support for women’s sports associated with stronger women—it is also associated with stronger economies. Research from the Peterson Institute found “that investment in girls and sport has significant development payoffs and contributes to economic growth overall” and “if we were to empower women in our economies, according to McKinsey research, we could add an astounding $12trn to the global economy by 2025.”"

"See Ponts, supra note 18. TheWomen’s Sports Foundation reported a ten-fold increase—from 4% to 40%—in the number of girls playing sports. See Women’s Sports Foundation, Title IX and the Rise of Female Athletes in America (Sept. 2 2016), https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/education/title-ix-and-the-rise-of-female-athletes-in-america/ (“Before Title IX, one in 27 girls [4%] played sports. Today that number is two in five [40%].”)"

"Women’s ability to participate and excel in athletics— and to enjoy the enormous resulting benefits—has dramatically increased in the last fifty years. In 1971, before Roe was decided and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) was enacted, see 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681-1688, Pub. L. 92-318, Title IX (June 23, 1972), less than 500,000 girls participated in high school athletics, and well under 50,000 women participated in intercollegiate athletics. By 2018, however, nearly 3.5 million women participated in high school athletics, and over 200,000 participated in intercollegiate athletics. By 2018, women comprised 44% of NCAA student-athletes. Women’s increased participation in sports creates network effects at all levels of athletic competition. More women competing means more women pushing each other forward and raising the bar for athletic achievement. That, in turn, creates a wider pool of elite women athletes to represent our colleges and our country in sporting events. In the 1972 Olympics in Munich—before Roe was decided and Title IX took effect—“American women won 23 medals compared with 71 for the U.S. men. The women didn’t win a single medal in gymnastics and had no golds in track and field.” By the London Olympics in 2012, women athletes “outpaced their male counterparts” for the first time, winning 58 medals compared with 45 for men. The 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games were the third consecutive Summer Olympics in which U.S. women won more medals than U.S. men, and in which women outnumbered men on the U.S. team. Simply put, American women excel at the highest levels of athletic competition because of constitutional and legislative protections ensuring women’s rights to equal opportunity and access to organized sports."

"The demands of athletics and pregnancy are physically and emotionally intense. If women were to lose the agency to make individual, personal choices as to if, when, and how to balance these competing demands, many will be forced to sacrifice their athletic aspirations and pursuits. Compelled pregnancies would allow the State to “conscript[] women’s bodies into its service, forc[e] women to continue their pregnancies, suffer the pains of childbirth, and in most instances, provide years of maternal care.” Casey, 505 U.S. at 928 (Blackmun, J., concurring). Often this will be at the expense of women’s athletic careers, as well as their educational goals and professional livelihoods. Such “governmental intrusion” is “unique to the [woman’s] condition,” id. at 851–52, as only women’s bodies are essential for both athletic participation and pregnancy and childbirth. Depriving women of the opportunity to make autonomous choices about how to use their bodies—a matter “of the highest privacy and the most personal nature,” id. at 915 (Stevens, J., concurring)—would gravely harm equality in athletics, and elsewhere."

"The physical realities of pregnancy inevitably affect women’s ability to participate and excel in athletics for a minimum of nine months during pregnancy, as well as the additional time required to recover from giving birth and to breastfeed, for those who choose to do so. The decision whether to take on the challenges of pregnancy and athletics simultaneously must be left to the individual athlete to determine, rather than to the State."

"The decision to become pregnant, thereby risking long-term health and career consequences, involves “the most intimate and personal choices a person may make in a lifetime, choices central to personal dignity and autonomy.” Casey, 505 U.S. at 851. The decision belongs to the individual to make. Forcing athletes to bear the unknowable risk of when and whether their bodies will recover from pregnancy and childbirth would violate their most fundamental liberties."

"Even though some women might be physically able to return to their sport post-partum, the competing demands of parenthood can continue to impede their ability to pursue athletics. When reflecting on her choice to return to racing shortly after giving birth, Olympian Kara Groucher said: “It took such a toll on me mentally and physically, for myself and my child . . . Returning to competition so quickly was a bad choice for me. And looking back and knowing that I wasn’t the kind of mother I want to be— it’s gut wrenching.” Kara Groucher made the difficult decision to try to meet the demands of parenthood and sport simultaneously, but not all women athletes want— or are able—to make that same decision."

"In short, elite athletes—men and women—must dedicate tremendous time and physical and emotional energy to their sport. Pregnancy and parenthood require comparable dedication, if not much more. Not all athletes decide to do both at the same time—particularly because for many athletes, a pregnancy would upend their athletic careers."

"The rigor of elite athletic competition, requiring constant training, with athletes pushing their bodies to new limits daily, is an all-consuming physical, mental, and emotional task. For women’s athletics to continue to thrive, women must maintain the freedom to determine when and how to dedicate their physical abilities and mental energy—to sports, pregnancy, or both. Without “the right of the individual, married or single, to be free from unwarranted governmental intrusion into matters so fundamentally affecting a person as the decision whether to bear or beget a child,” Casey, 505 U.S. at 851 (citation omitted) (emphasis in original), women’s ability to fully and equally participate in athletics would inevitably deteriorate."

"Jodie Grinham, a para-Olympic silver medalist, explained the complexities of timing a pregnancy while aspiring to participate in the Olympic games, which occur only a handful of times during an athlete’s career: I don’t get maternity cover for my career; no- one is going to be able to go and compete and shoot for me. In order to have a baby, I’d need to have it the year after a Games year, or going into the European year, so I can recover—because I need to be back the year before a Games year to win a quota place to then get ready for the Games. The concern I’ve got is if I don’t follow that structure and have a baby at the wrong point, then I’m showing that my career isn’t the priority. Why would I be selected? If I was going out partying every weekend, I wouldn’t be seen to be a committed athlete. For me, if I decide to have a baby a year before a Games, then I’m not committed to going to the Games. We have four months and if we can’t do it in four months then we wait four years!"

"The complexity behind the “right time” to have a child also arises for high school and collegiate athletes, since they have only four to eight years to take advantage of the immense benefits of organized sports. For a student-athlete, being pregnant, taking the necessary recovery period, and having likely-changed physical capacities— as well as the realities parenthood would impose on a student—could easily derail not only her potential athletic career, but also her future educational and professional opportunities. See, e.g., Casey, 505 U.S. at 928 (Blackmun, J. concurring) (“Because motherhood has a dramatic impact on a woman’s educational prospects, employment opportunities, and self-determination, restrictive abortion laws deprive her of basic control over her life.”)."

"If forced to carry pregnancies to term, many women would have no choice but to sacrifice playing their sport—a sacrifice not required of their male counterparts, despite their equal role in engendering a pregnancy. Absent the right to access safe and legal abortion care, women’s ability to participate and excel in athletics would inevitably decline and the movement toward gender equality in sports would reverse course."

"The right to bodily integrity and decisional autonomy is of heightened concern for women athletes who become pregnant from sexual violence. If forced to carry their rapist’s child to term, these women would not only be forced to make the same physical, emotional, and athletic sacrifices that would be required of all athletes who would have to endure compelled pregnancies, but they also would be re-traumatized by the repeated deprivation of control over their bodies—not only by their assailant, but also by the government. This intrusion can be acutely devastating for an athlete, given that control over her body is inextricably linked to her identity, career, and educational pursuits. The prospect of forced childbearing is particularly poignant for collegiate athletes, given that nearly one in five women are sexually assaulted during their time in college."

"Access to safe and legal reproductive healthcare— whether women actually use the services, or rely on the knowledge that they are there—can be critical to a woman athlete’s ability to physically and emotionally recover from a sexual assault."

"Women’s increased participation and success in sports has been propelled to remarkable heights by women’s exercise of, and reliance on, constitutional guarantees of liberty and gender equality, including the right to reproductive autonomy. Continued access to, and reliance on, those rights will empower the next generation of girls and women to continue to excel in athletics and beyond, strengthening their communities and this nation. If women were to be deprived of these constitutional guarantees, the consequences for women’s athletics—and for society as whole—would be devastating."

"Cristiane with a chance to put Brazil at level. Hope Solo saved it! A hero again! What is it with Hope Solo and Brazil? Now what's the referee doing here? Is? The penalty? Is it going to have to be retaken? Because they're claiming Solo moved before the ball was kicked. Now this is very controversial, and Solo has got a yellow card for that as well. This is highly contentious! Now look at this again, does she move off the line? No, no, no, no! That is an astonishing decision in my view."

"Marta again, she'll keep the ball in the corner now, much to the annoyance of the crowd. The decision was goal kick. I think this referee knows that she made a very, very big call over that penalty. Morgan, and still it goes on here. Tobin Heath. Boxx. Carli Lloyd! Oh, uh. Couldn't keep it down. Chants of 'USA' ringing around the arena here in Dresden, and it do, does look like it's going to be to no avail. And it will go down as the USA's worst performance ever in the Women's World Cup. Cristiane can buy some time down by the corner, here. Eat away vital seconds. Now, USA have it. And they've just got to get everybody forward now. No sense defending anymore, Lloyd's got to get this pass off. To Rapinoe, and everybody's going to bum forward now. Rapinoe gets a cross in, it's towards Wambach! Oh, can you believe this? Abby Wambach has saved the USA's life in this World Cup!"

"Just incredible! Look at Hope Solo celebrate! There is an American party going on, all around the terraces! Surely the whistle's going to go any second, and it will be a penalty shootout. Abby Wambach in the one hundred and twenty-second minute. Well that does match the drama of the men's World Cup last year, and the Landon Donovan goal which saved the USA against Algeria, doesn't it? Well, well, well! And the goal was scored in the time added on for the largely bogus injury, we think, to Érika. Is there some kind of poetic justice in that? It's not finished yet, though. Still the referee plays on, and here's Marta again! Solo beats it away; it will be a corner. How much more of this can there possibly be? It is over! It will be a penalty shoot-out! An incredible finish, one of the great climaxes to any World Cup match! Brazil are denied at the death! A ten-woman USA save it! Wow, we need to get our breath back. So let's go back to Bob Ley for a moment."

"Daiane, whose own goal started all the talking points today after seventy-four seconds. Seems a long, long time ago now. It was into this goal, now Brazil need her to put one in legitimately for them. Yes! Brilliant save from Solo, brilliant save! And that one is legal, and now that means, that if the United States put in the last two penalties, they will go into the semi-finals. That is a moment of magic from Hope Solo!"

"The biggest moment, this. Of her soccer life. Ali Krieger, who recovered from that life-threating illness five years ago. Can she win it for the USA, here? And she does! And the USA are into the last four! It's been a near miracle, this! In Dresden!"

"I think one word we can agree Bob is, uh? Epic, classic. Thriller, block-buster. I think all the clichés were made real. I mean? You woke up this morning, saying you felt nervous about this game. Now, I know why."

"Yeah they did, Bob. It was a classic final, and I think the old cliché? Football was the winner there; just a terrific match. Shattering defeat for the USA; so hard to take. But only the hardest heart, Julie? Would deny Japan that. I suppose you could have an inquest in the USA played so well for much of the game. Just seemed to get a little bit panicky when the finishing line was in reach. But, really that's? That's being a little bit picky, isn't it? Because they did ever so well here. I just think the ball had Japan's name on it. They were destined to win it. Uh, just a feeling? Bob, I think Japan won rather more than just a soccer match here."

"Even though the emotion and the drama of the situation, I wasn't thinking about that. I was just thinking about ball, head, goal... In the future, when I retire, I'll look back and I'll thank my lucky stars that I had such great players giving me those opportunities to score goals with my head."

"This is my charge to everyone: We have to be better, we have to love more and hate less. It is our responsibility to make this world a better place."

"When I think of peace from God I think of it more in the sense of a long-term unshakeable peace, a comfort in the bigger picture of a life of faith. So, when the daily things happen and cause momentary and temporary stress we can still hold to the comfort of the cross and have peace."

"It has been fascinating to see other cultures, and to see how sports can serve to link these cultures together, even if just momentarily. An interesting common thread I see is the importance of sports in these cultures, the passion that exists for sports and athletic accomplishment. It is wonderful that sports can have this kind of impact on people, and one can only hope that sports and competition will therefore have a positive impact on how various nations view each other."

"I think the beauty of Catholicism is its consistency through both successes and difficulties. I’ve counted on my faith to give me strength through both training and competition — but also in school, with my family and everyday life. So while my goals in the pool have changed, my faith remains something that’s consistent and something I can always rely on."

"For me, under-ice diving is like an energy boost, as if I was reborn. It is a sensation I can't compare to anything else, a very pleasant one. And I always long for it."

"I am very happy to hear from all the girls who have already sent me messages on Instagram telling me that they started skateboarding or that their parents let them start because of a video of mine. It was the same with me: I showed a video of Leticia (Bufoni) skateboarding, then my father saw it and said: 'All right'. My story and that of many other skaters who broke this prejudice, this barrier that skateboarding was only for boys, for men. Being here and holding an Olympic medal is very important to me."

"I try to have as much fun as possible, because I am sure that if I have fun, if I let it happen naturally, it flows."

"Since I started on social networks, it has always been a dream to gain my first million followers, and now I have two?"

"I am very happy, because I was able to represent all the girls, Pamela and Leticia, who did not qualify, all the girls from skateboarding and from Brazil. To be able to realize my dream of being here and winning a medal is very gratifying. My dream and my parents' dream."

"I still can't believe it, but it looks like it was a big deal."

"El presidente Hugo Chávez fue un pilar fundamental para el deporte en mi país. Impulsó muchos métodos para que el deporte llegara a los más bajos niveles y para que los niños vieran que el deporte era importante para la salud, para los valores humanos."

"My confidence makes me strong. Dedicat­ing a lot of my life to my profession and feeling fulfilled makes me strong. Having a family and a husband who chal­lenge me makes me strong."

"I kind of knew coming back after giving birth was gonna be a process and that I was going to have to be patient with myself and my body. [But] I definitely put pressure on myself."

"The fight that we are doing right now for equal pay does not mean that we will achieve it in the short term. We are not going to get the equal pay right away, but it may be done by the time my daughter plays soccer and she will not suffer what we suffered."

"I want to show that I deserve to be at the top. I want to be the best player that I can be, that I can be a valuable member of the team after being a mother."

"You have to figure it out you have to be mom and a professional athlete. There’s a lot of athletes going to Tokyo that are also fellow mom athletes and I’m excited to catch up with them and kind of just represent all the moms, soccer moms united."

"When you have 12 teams in an Olympics in comparison to a World Cup where you have double that amount of teams, I think every single team is going to be difficult."

"Before I got pregnant, my mindset was like, it’s possible that I’ll never reach my potential again."

"I loved sports from a really young age. I told my parents that I wanted to become a professional soccer player when I was like 7 years old. But I think when I realized that I had the potential to be a professional soccer player, or compete for my country in a world tournament, was probably when was... I would say like 17 years old. I had a scholarship to go to college. I was on a national team, and I knew that was what I was going to do. I wanted it more than anyone else. And I was willing to work harder than anyone else to achieve that."

"But also... being a professional athlete is totally different now than two years ago, before being a mom athlete. Priorities change and you have to get up and go to training and do your job, and make the most of it, and know that when you come home there's no time to let your body stretch and just lay on the couch."

"I definitely think that I would be a different person without sports; they taught me so much. Just about myself, patience, teamwork, listening... it's taught me so much that I feel like I've applied to being a mom."

"I would say I'm good at organizing things, like trips or vacations. I'm always the one to book the flights, and do things like that. I like to do my research. I wouldn't say I'm a super type A personality, but I like to be organized when it comes to travel and vacation."

"I feel like for me, I'm tapping into a whole new level that I didn't have before getting pregnant. I was really scared going into pregnancy thinking that I might not get back to playing for my country ever again, or playing as well as I was before. And I think that's something that some female athletes do have a fear of, and so for me, I want to be as open as possible in my journey, in showing women that we are capable of incredible things and that we can be professional athletes and moms. Our bodies are capable of going through incredible things."

"We’re trying to do the same thing and we’ve come a long way. But it gets exhausting having to do this every day, every week. Our male counterparts have not had to fight as much – so sometimes you feel a little exhausted always having to prove yourself and show your worth."

"To force a change sometimes you need to stand up. You know what you’re worth – rather than what your employer is paying you. We’re not scared. To move the women’s game ahead we need to do what’s necessary. I feel other national teams are looking at us for that guidance."

"I understand there’s much more money in the men’s game. But Fifa spent so much time on the men they now need to focus a little more on us. I would like to close that gap even if I’m not expecting it to be equal. I’m not expecting there to be a huge jump and the win bonus to be $35m when, for the women, it’s $2m. I don’t think the entire world respects women in sport. But if Fifa start respecting the women’s game more, others will follow."

"I take any opportunity I can to raise our country's flag really high and get some shining positive light on things over there."

"People have to remain positive and believe in those dreams."

"“Everyone at home is so supportive. People recognise me, say how proud they are of me. It's awesome to hear, it's amazing to know I can touch so many people in a positive way.”"

"“in athletics, older runners tend to go for longer races, but it's the opposite in swimming because your body can't handle the endurance.”"

"“is much harder to retain your position at the top than to get to the top.”"

"“There are younger, stronger swimmers coming up and they are hungry. I can't influence what they do, I only know what I can do and I know how greedy I am to defend my title.”"

"“I have always stayed out of politics, I don't believe it would be appropriate to talk about it.”"

"“Everyone there including President Mugabe knows something needs to change because so many people are hurting.”"

"Swimming just really became a safe haven for me"

"I did fine at school, but I was never an A student. But in the pool I was able to really find who I was"

"I told my parents, ‘I just want to go to the Olympic Games one day and win Zimbabwe a gold medal"

"Standing on the podium was quite surreal"

"To be standing there and thinking about when I was 9 years old and now nearly 21, I had finally achieved my goal and my dream"

"It was incredible seeing how powerful sport can be to break down barriers and bring people together"

"Going to Auburn played a huge role in my life in giving me a platform"

"My teammates became friends and family for life"

"Like everyone interested in peace for the region, we follow the current diplomatic developments very closely and hope that they can soon lead to a pathway to peace. Our deepest sympathy continues to go out to all those affected by this conflict, and we naturally stand in solidarity with the Olympic community in the region"

"With so many wars and conflicts affecting millions of innocent people all around the world, sport has the ability to bring the whole world together in peaceful competition"

"The Olympic Games showcase the best of humanity (...) I want to ensure the Games remain relevant and a space of inspiration, especially in a very divided world"

"Italy is known for its landscapes, right, the beautiful landscapes, the family feel, the passion that Italians have for sport. They’re ready to put on a show. It’s going to be a beautiful show"

"Studies show that every dollar invested in sport and physical activity can deliver a fourfold return in health and economic benefits — from lower healthcare costs to longer, healthier lives. In other words, investing in sport is a long-term investment in stronger, more resilient communities"

"Every step, every game, every movement saves lives — and saves money. Physical inactivity already costs healthcare systems an estimated 27 billion dollars every year to treat preventable diseases"

"Together with the Spotlight Initiative, we will expand the contribution of sport to ending violence against women and girls through joint advocacy, training and direct support to community programmes. To truly make a difference, we need strong partnerships, political will and continued investment, because we know that investing in sport works"

"We’ve had a wonderful tour this morning, earlier at what will be the home of ice hockey at the Games, where it was wonderful to see the fast pace and progress of work"

"This is what Italy is known for, blending history, culture and passion"

"This venue is going to be beautiful, and in a few months’ time will be welcoming athletes from all around the world. And you must be proud because it really is a stunning Village. We’re truly grateful to have been here and are now looking forward to walking back in, in a few months, seeing all the countries’ flags out of the windows"

"The most successful African Olympian in history!"

"They really need discipline, to be objective, to know what they really want in life. If you train with the mind of winning you always win, if you train with a weak mind, no I am just doing it for the sake of running then something is wrong somewhere."

"The future of Zimbabwean athletics lies in the hands of junior athletes, but if they are not promoted then who will lift up the sport in the coming years? We are growing old and as we retire who would come next?"

"To me running is about healing my body, it’s a process that keeps me fit. I have got no plans to retire anytime soon, I can even hit 50 years"

"When I look back at my career, the 1998 Commonwealth Games are one of the high points"

"Of course, in any profession there are ups and downs but I am grateful I have done my part"

"It’s difficult to achieve what you really want to achieve in terms of properties because of the economy but I have tried"

"I train in Bulawayo but I have my own house in Gweru, I have a number of cars but I don’t prefer to call them property (with a chuckle) and I also do not want to drive. I prefer to be driven by others"

"You won’t believe it, I know, but that has been my routine ever since I turned professional. I do not have any spare time. When I am not running I am sleeping or I am at church"

"Most of the times I train with Tabitha Tsatsa, a veteran I regard as the best ever female long distance runner in the country"

"Tabitha is turning 46 but you will amazed at how she is still doing it on the road. Remember this is the lady who ran 2 hours 29 minute in the 42km distance some time back and represented Zimbabwe at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. To me, Tabitha is the best ever"

"I am training plus you know am ageing, am getting old, so am doing something that I will fall on when I retire. And you know you don’t eat everything, even uprooting the tree, you have to eat the fruits, then leave the tree so that when you grow old, you will be just getting something from what you have been doing rather than just become redundant"

"I have a small project of mine I’m doing. I’m building a big house somewhere, the completion of which will see me end up as being a sponsor of a marathon. We don’t know what God has for us in front there, one day I might wake up and say here is a race I am sponsoring"

"I am the vice-chairperson of the Athletics Commission. We are representing athletes the wrong or right way, we are their ambassadors. We want to see the sport grow in Zimbabwe"

"It’s about training and discipline, right now I am from training, I went around five o’clock, I did two hours 17 minutes, almost closer to 30 kilometres, it’s pretty slow, at two hours I should have covered 30km, I haven’t got a lot of speed but a combination of speed and endurance, it will make things work"

"I train every day, twice a day, it honestly depends on what are you doing, it’s not about covering more kilometres everyday, it’s about what you are doing per day because yesterday we did track, the day before we did track we are going to have the jogging almost one hour thirty, almost two hours, so for one hour thirty at times you would have covered 20 kilometres, then plus or minus the track that you did in the morning"

"The race was challenging and it was tough on its own besides those three girls who were running so fast, the race was tough and the course itself, we were climbing the steps, getting into water, coming back again, repeatedly five times, I really knew that if I stayed there, I was going to keep my pace and maintain it, not to chase anybody because in running you don’t copy somebody but you run according to how you trained. If the pace is too high you need to go back to your own pace, you really need to keep shuffling the cards where you are calculating, after that you feel how tough the course, if they are too fast you let them go, if they are too slow you carry on"

"It’s a long time since I last ran the cross country, I can’t remember the exact year but it was in Portugal. That route that we did the other day we ran it once some time ago. I wasn’t training for the cross country, I was training for the Old Mutual marathon in Harare where I finished third"

"There are quite a number of races I want to compete in this year, they are saying there is a race on 25 May in Harare then another on 29 July on the same course, same route where quite a number of international athletes are going to run there. I really want to try my best, I have run the Comrades Marathon without the intention to finish, I never ran to finish but I ran it, I can’t remember because I ran it twice then after that I discovered that when you run this race you really need to put the proper endurance. Comrades, you can run without speed but if you put the right endurance and the right distance in your knees you will be home and dry but if you start by speeding then you won’t have the proper strength in the knees, you won’t do anything there. I really want to finish it at 45, the Russian guy Kotov won it at that age"

"I don’t intend to stop running because there are people who are older than me who are still at it. There is this guy, I don’t know where he is from, he was 83 by then, he could run the marathon in three hours at 83, they always call him the fastest guy according to his age. When we run, we run according to ages, I run as a veteran, but when I beat the seniors and get into the top 10 I am considered both ways. Besides there are ladies who have been running before I even got into running, Catherine Ndereba is older than me, she can still run as fast. The issue is about the right training, if you master what you want to do"

"My knees cannot go up much higher than they used to so, sometimes doing track more helps keep them fresh. I haven’t pulled out of a race because of my knees, when I feel they are so painful I slow down, I know somehow they are going to heat up and I am to follow up. I don’t have a diet, I eat anything as long as I am hungry"

"I am still young, my mother has to look after me, before you have a kid you are still a child yourself, I have never been married, to have children in two years time, maybe. Even when you are a runner, you plan when you want to have kids, I will have obviously one day, that one I know"

"Discipline is needed, they need to listen to their coaches, follow the programmes that they are given by their coaches"

"Covid-19 has taught us a lot of lessons. You might be very talented, yes, but at times, depending on circumstances, you may find yourself having nowhere to utilise your talent. It’s been long since the athletes had a meaningful competition and this should serve as a lesson for the future."

"If I have nothing to sacrifice, I have nothing to gain."

"I don't run anybody else's race. When the gun goes off, I must evaluate with my own body and see. Then, as the race develops, I run accordingly. So you can say that I do not have a set tactic for any race."

"I still do intense interval training. I like miles and quarters best. In races I can set my mind, and I believe I could break 2:20 again."

"From the Bible I have learned if you want something good, you must sacrifice."

"“I always felt I could close the gap once I started pushing the pace.”"

"Takahashi’s run in Berlin made it so much easier for me. "It was like she broke a barrier. Before, women didn't think we could go under 2:20. In future, the next generation will run under 2:18. Maybe they will break 2:15 one day."

"If I had been able to run naked today, I would have. "Unfortunately I couldn’t, because my daughter was here watching… She wouldn’t like it if her mother was running without her clothes on."

"You must have goals and set targets to achieve them."

"Refrain from things that will ruin your career."

"Invest for the future and do not lose focus. In life you should know what you want then it will not be easy for someone to shift your focus."

"It was always exciting to represent my country on the international stage. Imagine the adrenaline rush when I step on the track knowing that all eyes are on me. That made it extra special. I had fans from all over the world but the support back home was the best"

"There is no Amantle Montsho without the people"

"Age has caught up, and only God knows how much my heart fills with excitement for every moment I represented Botswana and Africa at large"

"To taste God’s air, the adrenaline rush on track, thousands of people all eyes on me, fans chanting a name not friendly to a foreign tongue, ‘It’s Amantle Moncho from Botswana!"

"I can compare myself and relate to Mutesi, the Queen of Katwe when she had international chess tournaments. She was made fun of because of her background, but that didn't stop her from doing what she loved."

"My advice to young girls who want to get into motocross or any sport is to always remember where you came from. The road is not easy, not everyone wishes the best for you or will support you. Always keep your head up and remember to never give up! Everything takes time, sacrifice, and determination. It will all be worth it in the end."

"Motocross is a sport that you barely hear about especially in Africa and few girls are exposed to it. I wanted to inspire girls out there and show them that anything is possible if you put your mind and heart to it. I have experienced gender criticism from a lot of people because of the sport that l play. I know a lot of sports that girls want to try motocross but fear to do it because of what people will say. I want to change that."

"Tanyaradzwa started racing at the age of five and is the first female to have won a motocross championship in Zimbabwe since it was started in 1957. She finished second in the 2012 championship season."

"Her commitment to giving back comes from her father who always encouraged her to help others."

"She is a brave girl. The way she is organised and determined is so amazing. She gives me a reason to empower women. It is at this age that they need to know that nothing can stop them just because they are girls. If she beats boys then nothing can stop her."

"Being able to open up teaches you so many fundamental values about yourself and also increases your confidence in looking out to the world, facing them and strengthening yourself."

"It's very important that women realize they have great potential they can [reach] without depending on men for everything."

"Our biggest downfall as women is, not reporting cases and/or dropping them when we should be letting the law take its course, this alone works against our fighting spirit for gender equality"

"The fundamental question that we need to ask ourselves is today, What is that, that women have done to men that is so bad, that men cant forgive? It seems like there is so much rage that men are out for blood, what is the problem? Until we ask ourselves these undesirable tough questions, until we look deep within ourselves as individuals, as women and as men and introspect and allow all these stories that we share with you to be a reminder that no one is immune to violence."

"Innocent lives are being lost, it is entirely up to us, each and every one of us to raise awareness in all ways possible because the future of our kids depend on it."

"All these things happen because as a country, as individuals, we have lost the village, we have lost the community, we have lost that thing that used to hold us together, that thing that we call botho or humility. Women- we are slowly losing that thing that is the glue that used to hold us together, but that glue is not holding anymore. Young boys are left in a latch with no role models to look up to. The only way that they learn to express themselves is only to excat force nad be aggressive."

"Gender based violence is for all that is why it is equally imperative to balance the conversations by involving men. Women cannot do it alone, because women do not beat themselves up, they do not kill themselves nor do they rape themselves. The have carried this fight for too long. They have cried, they have marched, they have partitioned, they have danced, they have screamed about the issue of GBV now its time that also you men hold each other accountable and help women fight this monster."

"My Goal in Botswana is to see the life of young girl changed, is to see a brave girl who is courageous enough to walk out when they are in situation of violence."

"I want to see a young girl who is educated and who is proud of themselves enough to say, "I did this" and they don't need any validation from anyone."

"To find myself in that bottomless pit took so much courage to rise."

"I looked at my life and said, I can use my story to help women. If I don't tell my story, who else is going to do that?"

"Culturally, women are not allowed to speak out against their husbands. When they try to talk to them or voice their concerns, men become threatened. They don't really like it. So they take action."

"I don't drown in self-pity. That is past now. Now I am the new me, in a wheelchair."

"They have to look inside themselves and note what they want to do with their lives. If they know this, it will help them be vigilant about their own lives."

"Walk out while they still have the chance. They may not have the same opportunity as me."

"Women need education to open them up to the realization that abuse is prevalent and they need to find ways to overcome it."

"The red flags had always been there. I just needed to have spotted the moment and left."

"Tennis is such a fantastic sport for everyone to be involved in and it is my passion.We have young players who are doing well and so they need to focus on the rich techniques and realise how important that is at this stage,said the mother of one."

"I travel with my two and a half year old son because i want to.He is my first priority as well as my husband.So apart from a busy schedule in the courts ,it has also been a time of sleepless nights at home.""

"I miss playing a lot and started practising three weeks ago with a view of playing again,” said Cara, who made a career prize money of US$6 515 415 after turning professional in 1998.I will see how my body recovers and will play a few challengers tournaments in October to see how it goes since I now have the baby.""

"My husband will travel with us and will be looking after the boy all the time. That will be great. I will definitely have a new coach, but my husband will always be there as he helps me on the mental side of the game.I will just test in a few tournaments and work on getting my ranking back. I would like to go with a new perspective and hopefully do even better. I have a home now so I just have to enjoy my game without putting myself under pressure at all.”"

"While some young tennis players are inspired by what they see on television,or at a tennis club,Cara Black's introduction to the sport came to be in her own background on the fur grass courts her father constructed and at the Black farming farm in Harare Zimbabwe, the Tennis international Federation said.""

"[In the evening], I had dinner with you and Antie Jie Kang together. After dinner, I still didn't want to do it, and you said you hated me! And you told me you had never forgotten me over past seven years, that you would treat me well and so on ... Scared and panicked, and with the feelings I had for you seven years ago, I agreed [to have sex]... Yes, we indeed had sex."

"I know that for someone of your stature, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, you have said that you are not afraid. But even if it is like throwing an egg against rock, or if I am like a moth drawn to the flame, inviting self-destruction, I will tell the truth about you."

"I admit I am not a good girl, but a very very bad girl."

"From the beginning year I was doing lot of fitness and also, like, I keep practice, try to improve my game. Maybe this time I find a way or I catch, like, right time."

"Tennis is only a sport, and we don’t intend to get involved in politics."

"Regardless of the difficulties or frustrations you meet, you should think about your initial intention, and then you feel peaceful. For me, I enjoy the game and so I’m doing what I like."

"Don’t be scared to live your faith. When I was young and went on my first trip I was hesitant to speak up and say that I wanted to go to Mass. When I stuck to it and showed that I lived my faith I got respect from my teammates."

"We will be judged on cowardice. If we don't do what's right for women in sport. It's a very worthy cause. What women have been given through sport in this role in their life, it's really priceless. And so we can decide that that's worth saving, that's worth holding on to and investing in for our future. Or we can just say, hey you know what: we've got this little side agenda that has a strong really loud voice and we're either going to yield to it or not."

"I think African things are really getting better the last cup of Nations was real quality teams have buckled up prepare hard, trained hard and it was pretty difficult."

"I am really excited proud of myself, 4 x is something to always remember."

"It keeps me going but of course there is still more work to do I want to create my own history and not just equal someone else's record that I'm going to give my best to create mine"

"I will never understand why y’all curse out people for not wanting to have kids…..Like, it’s their decision, let them be !!! We all see Life differently, biko."

"I want these girls to know they shouldn’t focus just on football, because when they are like 40 to 50 years, they may not be able to do much; but should also combine it with school or any handwork they are good at"

"I also know that I represent many people on the pitch and a lot of girls look up to me; and so, I tend to give my best as a good time model"

"I am really happy about that but I will also want everyone to understand that most times in football, it is about the team first while individual glory can come after."

"The reason she is successful is because of her integrity; no matter what she is passing through, she has always done good to others"

"Oshoala, an inspiring young woman, is also a great role model to young women in Nigeria and we are very proud of all her accomplishments and effort towards encouraging underprivileged girls through her foundation"

"I never had the intention to play football professionally, I wanted to be a lawyer"

"Moving to Europe made me switch a lot of things. It moulded me to become a proper professional player"

"I have always strived to give back to the girl child in my community and I believe this football academy will provide opportunities for more girls to excel through the combination of sport and education"

"I wanted to dispel the myth that we as women cannot do what men can."

"I wanted my father to witness my success, especially at the Olympics. He risked being expelled from the church and called names by some people who were against my pursuing of weightlifting."

"Glorifying Christ comes first, always. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t look to Christ in my times of need or doubt. When we turn to Christ, our joys are multiplied."

"Wheelchair racing to me is so similar to this feeling of flying – the feeling of going so fast that it’s almost effortless at the same time. When all of the biomechanics line up in the right way, the sport is so elegant."

"It takes a village to become an Olympian and I can confidently say that my faith and the support I've received from the staff and students at St. John’s have been instrumental in this journey."

"I hope to remember my perseverance and courage that went behind achieving my goal. I also hope to remember that the lessons I've learned up to this point will serve future generations as they pursue wheelchair racing."

"But the only thing that's ending on Saturday night is your five-hundred-day title reign when I become the Raw Women's Champion."

"Olympian Hidilyn Diaz Talks About Rock Bottom And Her Battle To Win The Gold (23 July 2020)"

"Exclusive: Hidilyn Diaz on eating her way to Olympic weightlifting glory (6 November 2020)"

"Hidilyn Diaz' powerful message to the Philippines. Olympic.com. Retrieved December 14, 2025."

"Hidilyn Diaz Is Looking To the Next Chapter of Her Life. Vogue.ph Retrieved December 14, 2025."

"Hidilyn Diaz: Trailblazer, Olympic Medalist, and Paragon of Grace. esquiremag.ph Retrieved December 14, 2025."

"The tricky thing about fencing is that there are no secrets. Once you get on the strip, it's almost like I have all the information about you that I could ever want. The same goes for you against me. It comes down to a battle of minds, really."

"I am already considered an elderly player on the platform during the Rio Olympics cycle. In general, my state is quite poor, and my abilities in all aspects are going down. Therefore, I can't participate in single-player competitions and continue to write new gold medal records, which is a little regretful."

"Nowadays, many people are not focusing on gold medals, but sportsmanship, the positive energy in sportspeople."

"In the end, I can have today's achievements, and it is inseparable from the coach and team leader of the national team."

"Diving is relatively niche and not so market-oriented. It is one aspect that audiences like to watch, but in terms of participation, there will be fewer people participating."

"After I finished school, I started to get in touch with the referee's work. After all, I grew up in this circle and felt that the referee's job was more interesting, so I slowly decided that the referee's work was my future direction."

"But I just want to say if I cannot win the gold eventually, I will not let my rivals win easily. We need to fight for it. I can accept not standing on the highest podium, but I will never give up."

"I didn't even want to train, I was just playing, but I was persuaded to come back by the coach at the time. He said that you can't train like this. Everyone has a low point. Why can't you persist?"

"Just treat every day as a new day to swim. When it's used up, recharge it, and when it's used up, recharge it again."

"At the beginning, I thought I was an ordinary athlete, and I didn't think too much about it. But as people asked me for a lot of things, I also felt that I should pay attention to my words and deeds. No longer. Can't let my temper anymore."

"Our culture idolizes athletes, and God has really blessed my career. But at the end of the day, you want something that's eternal. We were made for so much more than fame or power, and coming to that realization has really made me say, "God, you know that’s best for me and that's what I want, too.""

"In the ’80s and ’90s, not a lot of people knew what diving was and I didn’t actually know what it meant. When I heard the word ‘water’ in the Chinese pronunciation of ‘diving,’ I had an image of families swimming happily together during the summer—and I wanted to have that."

"When I realised it wasn’t swimming I signed up for, I just went with it because I liked the challenge. It wasn’t a hobby, but I grew to enjoy it and become good at it through my training. Eventually I developed the goal of competing and winning a gold medal. Little did I know that raising my hand would lead me to where I am now"

"I began to feel like I’d failed if I didn’t win a medal, and I lost that feeling of excitement I felt when I first began."

"As an athlete, you’re only focused on yourself and it’s mainly about physical exertion, whereas as a mother I have to think not only about myself but also my child. Everything is new to me as a mother. In a way, I also feel like a baby because I’m learning bit by bit. Nobody really understands what being a mother is like until they actually become one. It changes the way you think about everything."

"I don't like discussing my private life in public. It feels strange."

"I don't care about my public figure, or gossip; It doesn't have an impact on my training or competitions."

"I’ll be honest, I’m not really good like a top-five player. So of course, it also depends on the draw. If I’m lucky, I’ll get a good draw. I’m looking for a medal, not like gold medals."

"When you win some tournaments and when you get good results, people are going to enjoy the success. But they don’t really think about what is going to be next. You’re going to lose the next week, too. So other players, they don’t really think about it. They’re always thinking, ‘I’m really good.’"

"Like sometimes when a coach is behind you, they don’t really know how you feel. It’s hard for me to tell him, because I’m also thinking. If the coach and I think the same thing, that’s good, but sometimes it doesn’t happen. Then do you listen to the coach, or do you listen to yourself?"

"Coaching teaches me a lot; mentally, it’s helping, but skill-wise, no. The juniors have the same problems every day, you have to remind them all the time. Adult players know their problems, so you don’t need to remind them every day, every single shot."

"I’m just wishing I can play with higher-level players, so I can get used to that speed and focus while training at that speed. If I get used to playing with slower players, mentally it’s not pushing my limit."

"If I had stayed in Singapore, I don’t think I would have what I have now. I’m too straightforward and ask questions, and some people don’t like that. When I had a problem, I didn’t get to talk to the SBA, only the coach. Now I can do whatever I want, I control my own life."

"My life is pretty interesting now … I definitely can do better with more training and a coach but I don’t want to compare myself to others. I just want to enjoy my life, and my badminton"

"When I think I'm good, I find out I'm actually not."

"There is a lot of pressure on the players in the Chinese team. I wouldn’t have survived if I had stayed there. Right now, I have the freedom to choose which tournaments to play and where to train. I take decisions that suit me."

"Actually, I am a very strong player. Mentally very tough. I just don't give up very easily. I make my opponent work very hard."

"I don't know but from my childhood I had the habit to win whatever I am participating in...in any event. It is not just badminton. I was actually a very aggressive kind of person. I used to play all the sports. So whatever sport I used to play and I used to see someone else getting more points than me ... I just couldn't stand it. .. Even I have to do that."

"I am a professional athlete and pressure is a part of every professional sport. It will be a dream come true for me if I could defeat the Chinese on my way to a medal, so if there’s pressure, there’s also incentive."

"I believe at the international level, it is fitness that counts the most. That’s because when you are competing at that level, everyone already has the skills; the player who wins is the player whose mental and physical fitness is better than his/her opponent. So yes, at the international level, fitness is absolutely paramount."

"My job is to produce results that match their expectations, and that has been a strong motivating factor for me."

"I am set to give my best. Yes, to win a medal for India in the Olympics is my dream. But I will go step by step; I will give my hundred percent and leave the rest to God."

"When I see myself moving on the court, I can see that there is a little bit of a struggle and when things will open up automatically, the results will come."

"I have put in so much of hard work all these years, and to see those years of hard work finally bearing fruit now as me being No. 1, is very special. But with this the responsibilities are many fold as expectations keep on rising. However, I have never shied away from giving my best and I will continue to do so in the coming years."

"My mom and dad are the two strong pillars of my life."

"I am friendly with all the players of badminton but on court our attitude change as we prefer not to lose because of these relations."

"The one moment that stands out, and I rate it bigger than World No 1 rank, is the medal I won at the London Olympics, 2012 and the Indian national anthem being played in the background. I can’t express the feeling I was going through at that point of time."

"I hope there will be many more Saina Nehwals and Sania Mirzas."

"The aim has always been to play for the country and bring laurels. It remains the same."

"I feel that if we could give 100 percent effort, that is the what the Olympics are about. We cannot predict the results, but I'm happy if we could just enjoy the process."

"I will definitely continue diving if my body allows me, so I will keep training hard, keep competing and hopefully represent China more and win more titles for China."

"One year ago I was not doing that well. I'm very thankful that I didn't give up."

"It is not the gold medal that makes you stronger. It is your courage to face up difficulties and then overcome them on the road leading to the podium. It is easy for one to believe in himself in favorable circumstances, but hard in times of adversity. This might be the difference between excellence and greatness."

"I really love diving and I realised that there was no way that I could give it up."

"There are two of me in my mental state that actually fight with one another. Part of me says ‘you’re a gold medallist, you can take a break, you can be done’. Another part of me says ‘you can’t give this up, you love diving’."

"Every dive was a fear for me and I had to face all those fears one by one. I was terribly afraid that I could not dive and I could not eat and sleep well during those days. But I was very lucky, I had a great and strong team with me. Everyone in the team helped me, motivated me and encouraged me to tackle the difficulties. That is the reason why I give myself full marks for 2019, because I overcame my fears and weaknesses from the previous season and had an enlightened 2019. I am proud of myself."

"I should be grateful for the difficulties and challenges I experienced. I felt I am stronger and tougher in mind. And that is why I want to praise myself."

"I enjoy watching other sports, like tennis and golf. I’ve only played golf once, but I like it very much. I want to distract myself from diving and learn what great athletes mean to be great. Like Roger Federer, Tiger Woods and the others."

"I don’t want to waste time thinking about the result."

"I have to really take care of my mental state and make sure I don't get into a depression. I have worked with a psychiatrist or psychologist who helped me quite a bit with some of the mental stresses of being a competitive diver and dealing with depression and things like that."

"Bless teachers. They have a special place in heaven."

"Celeb edition with Tebogo Lebotse-Sebego | The Voice Online | Article (25 August 2020)"

"I always put me first because if i am not fulfilled, there is no way that i can do everything else."

"Never let emotions tough your soul and change your view of the world."

"Exclusive Interview-Tebogo Lebotse Sebego Hub Tv (October 8"

""Women such as Peggy Serame who continue to shifting and serving society and breaking glass ceilings as well as my husband who allows me to be unapologetically myself at all times!”"

"Women have that hurdle to deal with which male journalist do not necessarily have. and just to add on to this, it is just that to find that people have a certain perspective about women, that if a woman is been given a certain position based on their merit it now becomes an issue of who she sleeping with, and that is something that is really hard to swallow or even escape but it is up to us to that people understand that women can perform based on their merit."

"Basketball For Good means using basketball to a greater end. Basketball is a sport but it is a lot more than just getting on the court and do everything you can do to win."

"Botswana Editors meet to discuss Gender issues Retrieved 09 July 2022"

"Young Lions Cup South leaving a legacy in BotswanaRetrieved 09 July 2022"

"The goal was to come out and to win this gold, Honestly, I believe in my abilities, but I was not expecting a world record at these championships."

"Unknown now, but I will be UNFORGETTABLE … I will Persist until I SUCCEED …."

"At this moment, Kendra owns the record and I don’t have any but she doesn’t have two heads. It will be good for me to run a PR or break the world record if she is not careful–just kidding…"

"Physically, I think I was ready, but mentally I wasn’t. I think my mentality let me down."

"Remember someone saying that I'm a giant in Africa, but a wounded lion on the world stage."

"This is good news for Nigerian athletics and sports in general and I pray and hope it inspires this generation of sports men and women of this generation and other generations to come."

"Hard work pays. Tobi is a hardworking girl who believes so much in herself and her coach (Jamaica's Lacena Golden-Clark). She didn’t give up after coming close to making the podium twice, first at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in 2019 where she came fourth and at the delayed 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan where she also came fourth, losing by the narrowest of margins, especially in 2019. She never doubted herself or her coach."

"Setting new national records was an indication that athletes were at their peak performance and that the upcoming national meets would be mouthwatering with the positive performance."

"And then can I have the naked chef David Beckham?"

"Every story, every adventure has and must have an ending."

"We have to learn to adapt wherever we found ourselves."

"When Good things happen, you have to know the right time to make a move. When you believe in God, things align and fall into place."

"Even when things are not going in your direction, you just have to learn to adapt."

"Education is very important because you can fall back to it after you are done playing football."

"I think she has the potential to be one of the best players in the world-Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum."

"She is in no doubt an exciting attacker – technically unbelievable, great pace – who can scale the summit of the beautiful game."

"I think it [The W Series] will be a revolution and I am sure that thanks to F1, it will show more people the female talent we have. It will show that it’s perfectly normal and that girls are just as competitive as men. At the moment, it is irrelevant to me whether I race against men or women or both. Nothing changes for me."

"I am so speechless right now. I didn't know what my reaction would be, and then that just happened. I'm so, so grateful for all the support I had today. This is by far the biggest court I've played on. I think I coped quite well in the beginning, I just tried to hold my nerve. When I was packing to come into the bubble, my parents said, 'Aren't you packing too much match kit?' I think I'm going to have to do some laundry tonight."

"Felt like the hardest thing in the world."

"You say, "I want to win a Grand Slam." But to have the belief I did, and actually executing, winning a Grand Slam. I can't believe it. My dad is definitely very tough to please. But I managed to today."

"I really respect Nigel, and me and Nigel got on great. I think very very highly of him, but I think at this stage of my development a fresh voice, and fresh eyes are sometimes good"

"I need someone who has experience at the high levels"

"Torben is a great guy. I really enjoyed my time with him on and off the court. He is one of the nicest people I've met so obviously it was a tough one to split with someone like that. But I feel like right now I'm very comfortable with my current training. I'm feeling very confident in what I'm doing and how I'm working. I think Torben has been great for me because when I wanted someone with tour experience, I think for my first six months on the tour, it was very valuable."

"We didn’t agree on the terms and there were some red flags that just couldn’t be ignored."

"I have really enjoyed Seb's coaching and working with him, it's unfortunate that circumstances made it unfeasible for both of us to continue right now and we have decided to part ways."

"I'd like to thank Nick for a great partnership over the last year and a bit, especially post-surgeries. I wish him all the best in his next chapter and no doubt we'll stay in touch."

"Emma and Vlado have parted ways. Emma has utmost respect for Vlado and the work they started but it wasn't quite heading in the right direction. Emma is now focused on doing as well as she can here in Miami after a solid start today and will continue looking for the right coach.""

"The way we stopped working together was totally amicable. My job at the start with her was going to be just Miami. Then obviously it became longer through to Wimbledon, and then obviously she had three days with Francis Roig, Rafael Nadal’s former coach, after Wimbledon and that went well. But he couldn’t start due to other commitments until Cincinnati. So, around the work stuff that I have, we stayed in contact, and I helped her up in Montreal as best I could. But eventually my commitments were going to be too much to be a lead person for her in that environment."

"Thank you for our time together. You have been more than a coach to me and I will cherish the many good times we spent together on and off the court. While we have come to the conclusion together that we ought not to move forward, please know I am very grateful for all you have taught me and fond of our time shared."

"God made me the way I am, and I accept myself. I am who I am, and I'm proud of myself."

"I don't give a damn what people say about me. I like me the way I am, and who cares what other people say?"

"Sometimes I was sad, sometimes happy. Just on and off. Always I felt welcome. It's just, you know, sometimes as a human being, you cannot always be happy. You do good things, you do bad things, people talk."

"I am not a fake. I am natural. I am just being Caster. I don't want to be someone I don't want to be. I don't want to be someone people want me to be. I just want to be me. I was born like this. I don't want any changes. [https://playersbio.com/caster-semenya-quotes/"

"I am a fighter. I never give up. https://playersbio.com/caster-semenya-quotes/"

"I'm the kind of person who doesn't really focus on more negativity. I'm a positive person, and I look at things in a positive way."

"It's all about the hard work, knowing your strengths and weaknesses. You work on what you know you can do best. I have speed."

"I know how I look like. I know how I sound. I know how I walk. I'm just gonna be me. I do me, and you do you."

"When I'm racing, I'm thinking about my own race. I'm not thinking about anybody."

"I don't like fame, I prefer to have no profile. But this is not possible for me. This is what I do, so I just have to find a way of being comfortable with it."

"Education is the key. If you are educated, nothing can defeat you."

"Be yourself, embrace your uniqueness, and don't let anyone else define your worth."

"Don't let setbacks define you, but use them as stepping stones towards success."

"It is not about winning or losing, but about giving your best and pushing your limits."

"Strength is not measured by physical prowess alone, but by the resilience and determination of the human spirit."

"Believe in yourself, even when others doubt you."

"Success is not determined by the opinions of others, but by your own self-belief."

"The true measure of an individual lies not in their victories, but in their ability to rise after defeat."

"Do not let the constraints of society limit who you are meant to be."

"Challenge the status quo and redefine what it means to be an athlete."

"Don't let anyone's narrow-mindedness define your path, break the barriers and make history."

"The road to success is not always smooth, but the journey itself is what makes it worthwhile."

"Be proud of the person you are, regardless of others' opinions."

"Embrace your own strength and be unapologetic about it."

"Listen to your own voice, because it is the only one that truly knows your potential."

"The strength of the human spirit knows no boundaries."

"Embrace your uniqueness, for it is what sets you apart from the rest."

"Never underestimate your own power, for you are capable of achieving greatness."

"Success is not defined by external validation, but by the inner sense of accomplishment."

"Stay true to yourself, even in the face of adversity."

"Hard work, perseverance, and self-belief are the keys to unlocking your true potential."

"Don't be afraid to challenge the norms, for that is where true progress lies."

"Your identity should never be defined by society's labels, but by your own self-worth."

"Never let anyone make you doubt your worth, for you are deserving of every success that comes your way."

"Believe in your dreams, even when they seem impossible."

"Stand tall, be proud, and let your achievements speak for themselves."

"The greatest victory is the one fought against your own doubts and fears."

"Embrace the power of resilience and never give up on your dreams."

"The road less traveled may be challenging, but it is where true greatness awaits."

"In the face of adversity, let your spirit shine even brighter."

"Do not conform to the expectations others have of you, but forge your own path."

"The Run For Life: Caster Semenya , December 17, 2019"

"QHAWE! Mokgadi Caster Semenya , ISBN: 978-1-4856-3072-2, May 2021, 260x210mm, 32 pages,"

"Caster Semenya working on memoir, ‘Silence All the Noise’ : https://apnews.com/article/caster-semenya-book-f21d3b0ee4bce91dea726a9a566dad3b"

"I was drawn to the football pitch when I was eight years old. A journey inspired by my brothers who would allow me to go and watch them play football"

"There are things you are going to hear and face that might demolarize your efforts but take each one of them with a positive mindset and let them be a motivation to the things you want to achieve."

"Keep going and keep believing that your continuous work will one day pay. Blessed new week."

"You know, with all the hard work we put in everyday, we definitely aren’t the only ones that want the best things of life. But this is the real world, and in the real world some of us take what we can get. But the truth is, there’s literally nothing wrong in wanting more, cos some of us actually deserve more"

"When you wholeheartedly love a person, you work on those toxic traits, you learn to communicate, you listen to each others feelings, respect each other's decisions and encourage each other."

"Fighting through in my youth, for father land, sweat and blood."

"Beginning of a new chapter for a few more prints on the sands of time. The journey continues, this time in Asia."

"We got off to a winning start and that is a wonderful memory to have. We had a great side in that tournament and should have advanced to the second round."

"We knew that we would probably have to win the game to progress, but I was injured and could not play. That was very frustrating, sitting on the sidelines and not being able to help the team."

"Playing in France has been good. I feel very welcome here. I've been happy since I got here and things have really improved compared to the other places that I've played in in Europe. It all started in New Zealand though. Playing there in a FIFA-organised tournament was a great platform for me. The experience was very good and I thought if I could play at this level, I could play at the World Cup. I told myself: 'Why not go all the way?"

"Though I’ve had a successful career, I won’t entirely say I’m fulfilled because I still believe there’s room for improvement and that gets me working extra hard."

""There were remuneration accumulating from way back 2016 up until 2019, and one of the challenges was offsetting that of the present players in the team, and leaving out the ones that were no longer in the team, which I stood against. I can’t turn my back to such injustice because I’ve collected mine.”"

"I am pained that our female players are not matching up with their male counterparts in terms of standard and quality. When we started some years back, we were so disciplined and determined but these days, our players are not ready to work hard and maintain discipline. This is one of my priorities for now and that is why I will like to tutor them so that they can imbibe the characteristics that aided some of us to still be playing now."

"I always remember where I am coming from and the fact that for me to move up in life I have to be focused and steadfast. I am not a star, I just want to be the best."

"I represented my school at a competition and was honoured by the headmaster of the school, Mr G.O. Taiwo, who asked me to come out and said a lot of good things about me in front of my school mates. I decided on that day that I stood to gain everything from the game of table tennis, so I must remain focused to be counted among the best."

"He (my husband) is the reason why I am waxing stronger in the game because he did not ask me to replace my love for table tennis for him. He taught me how to multiply my love for table tennis and my family. I think my husband met me playing the game and l think the most important thing is love. He loves me so much and knows that l love table tennis so much. He has never for once, since we got married, attempted to stop me from playing the game. He appreciates what l do and would always be by my side when l am playing to give his support. I have a very good family and l am very proud of my family. Believe it or not, l don’t want to be in any other family than this and l thank God for that. I have a loving husband that can die for me and two wonderful boys that make me happy each passing day. I am happy and very satisfied."

"For the women, l think there are lots of up and coming players but the only thing they are lacking is exposure. They are a bit inexperienced such that they are doing it their own way. They need coaches that will guide them because the way they are playing here is not the same way they are playing abroad. There’s scientific approach to the game. We equally need better facilities. The tables we are using here are a bit slow to the ones that are used in international competitions. Our girls are coming up but they still have more to learn. Government must equally support the game."

"I was not happy that the ministry dropped the female team from going to the 2018 Commonwealth Games. I allowed it and some other factors to affect me in Kenya and I lost in the quarter-finals; I came fifth for the very first time."

"My most exciting time was when I won four gold medals for Nigeria at the 2003 All Africa Games with my child only six months old, and also winning the Africa championship in 2016."

"I won’t allow my kids to represent Nigeria of today. But if they want to, I won’t stop them."

"I was physically, sexually, emotionally and mentally abused. This man beat me for more than three years and I remember always going to UNILAG [University of Lagos] with a battered face but I still never gave up on TT, men or life."

"It doesn’t affect me in any way because what I’m doing right now is to enjoy myself, to play good table tennis, to see that I am motivating all the younger women that in any situation they can still be what they want to be. Even married, unmarried, with children whatever they are going through even with age they can still be what they want to be."

"I’ve been going through depression in my life and people don’t know this. They see me smile and play table tennis, but people can’t tell what I’m going through."

"I started playing table tennis on bricks, then I moved to anything that looked like tables."

"Nothing gives me more joy than seeing all the young, poor players happy with the little I gave them."

"Nobody can understand young female athletes more than female administrators and female coaches."

"I’ve been through racism, discrimination, violence and abuses from men. […] I’ve been through a lot in my life as a woman. I gave love but I was abandoned when I needed help – but all that I’ve been through made me better and stronger. I am a survivor!"

"Always carry yourself in high esteem. You can be who you want to be with determination, dedication and discipline. Never allow anybody to pull you down. The world is like a rollercoaster, never give up on your dream. Stay away from negative people and anything or anyone that’s telling you that you can’t make it because you’re a woman. Remember, you’re you and you’re unique."

"Table tennis gave me a better life."

"It’s hard coming from such a family when you have to earn your place on any team. There were so many good riders.""

"In football I enjoyed competing and wanted to be the best.That was also part of it.There were quite a few factors.I loved the game,it was a great way to socialize and I liked playing against girls because it meant competing on a level playing field."

"Football was just the playing I enjoyed at first,but the longer you're playing the more it becomes a social event.You meet new people and make new friends.I still know some of the people I played with when I was 11-years-old, which is nice."

"I think any sport needs to be accessible, affordable and practiced within the confines of a safe environment.Parents who have young children want to be able to leave their child somewhere which has good facilities and where they're going to be looked after."

"I think part of being a good coach is knowing how to extract the best from different people."

"A great football team is the right balance and the right mixture of players.Good leaders, good communicators and good technicians.You need people that are strategically astute.People need passion, desire and most importantly, a willingness to keep learning."

"In order to play some sports there's quite a big cost implication, whereas football is relatively cheap.All you need is a ball and a couple of jumpers to practice."

"I think you can learn lots of skills playing football.Team building is one.You also learn how to solve problems within your team. Sometimes you find yourself playing with players that you don't necessarily like, but you have to put your differences aside for the good of the team.It gives you skills that you may not appreciate at the time."

"There are lots of positives to come out of playing all sports, not just football.Team games can offer you different life skills than an individual sport can.Football improves your time management you have to be places on time and disciplined in terms of training."

"If you want to make it as a sportsperson, become knowledgeable in the sport you want to participate in.Think about the sport and what it can offer in its entirety.You shouldn't want to become a professional sportsperson because of the money.There's a lot more to gain from being involved in sport. Work hard to get what you want.If it's your ambition, go for it.You don't have to be the best in the world to make it as an elite athlete.You need to be a grafter and be prepared to sacrifice."

"I have been training for the whole year with my coach, though it has been difficult because it’s not easy to study and do sport at the same time, I want to do my best."

"I feel the social responsibility that comes with being a woman, my mother has it, you have it. The fact of being a woman means you have a social responsibility because in history, amongst all of them, they have brought about change such as women's suffrage etc. Now we are fighting for equal opportunities, valuing a person regardless of their sex and that is important for all women, that we are all conscious of that whatever our profession may be. Ours, even more so because I have not had female role models. Girls today see that they have named several Barça players as the best in Europe and the most important thing is that these girls have the opportunity to do the same. There is still a way to go."

"But when you put in the work and people have faith in you, the results come. That’s how it has been for me."

"We have to do exercises to normalize the fact that there is a football, which is played by men and women, and above all to report a lot because it is difficult for me to find information about when it is played. The day I get an interview and can talking about football is that we have achieved it (the normalization of women’s football)."

"I won’t risk the years I have left to play."

"Fame is just another thing you have to deal with. My life has changed in the last year and it’s still changing, but I’m just concentrating on what I do every day. The rest doesn’t bother me."

"The captain is the first to make a commitment to the objectives that are set internally, they have to lead by example to reinforce that."

"I must confess that I wasn’t aware of where I was playing until it was over."

"We do not set limits."

"It's important to improve condition for women's player."

"Many of the things I would wish to do are beyond my control."

"Swimming always challenges an athlete mentally and physically. It is an individual sport, you don’t have a teammate to pass the ball to like in football and team sports. You compete against others, but also with yourself."

"At first I tried out a few disciplines before settling for swimming. Then what followed was a lot of learning and training to become a professional."

"Many of the things I would wish to do are beyond my control. I would need swimming pools of international standard during my training, have more practice time and participate in many competitions before the Olympics."

"It is a tough competition that requires extraordinary preparations but I believe I will have a better performance this time and set another personal best."

"All I want is to be treated with respect and have my professionalism be honored. People who are out to get you either to destroy you, on the one extreme, or simply to humiliate and insult you or disrespect you."

"I know that I'm constitutionally incapable of being talked down to."

"Barriers are constantly and arbitrarily erected with systems and institutional power telling people what is and is not possible."

"I didn’t take the job with the intention of breaking any glass ceilings. I’m not an activist, I’m just Michele."

"To overcome racial inequality, we must confront our history."

"I’m a big goal-setter. I write them down before the start of a season. I used to write them down in a journal but now I keep them in my phone. I have short and long-term goals, but I always make sure I include goals that are easy to smash because I feel this helps me along the way."

"I’ve always stayed true to who I am, no matter what’s going on. It sounds cliche but where there’s a will there’s a way, and I hope people can take away from my experience that they don’t have to fit into a certain box to make it; they can be themselves and make it and that be OK."

"Now it is all about doing what I love, I’m relaxed and enjoying what I’m doing and when the goals come you have more fun. It’s a ripple effect."

"It’s only a crazy dream until you do it."

"I'm a risk-taker, my life is lived on the edge - I either go big or go home."

"I try things that maybe others wouldn't."

"The experiences that I have had definitely help to deal with different types of pressure."

"I want to be a part of something that is spearheading the movement, if that makes sense? I’m actually investing in seeing myself as an equal to my male counterparts."

"If I had a bad game or something like that, especially in the very beginning, it was such a hard transitional period that I would just really get in my head."

"Unfortunately, injuries are a natural part of football."

"I think women need more representation. Not just because we are women, but because we are incredible athletes. Incredible athletes should all be given the same opportunities."

"The better I got, the greater the pressure and the tougher his feedback would get."

"My focus now is to intensify training before taking part in the African Senior Championship next month and my dream is to qualify for the summer Olympic Games."

"It is my first time competing in the Canadian marathon and I am so happy for this achievement."

"Mt. Everest is now the wealthy executive’s midlife crises."

"That thing you did 10 years ago that was significant everyone is doing it now. The thing you did a year ago, you’ve been copied"

"It is about what is happening within the group of people you have chosen to go with. The teams who failed, very few of them where actually stopped by the mountain. Even the ones caught in the storm they made complacent mistakes that made them vulnerable when things went wrong and then the teams that succeed it’s about the set of intangible tools a real clarity of purpose for your team"

"My focus now is to work hard in training so I can make my country proud in my first appearance in the Olympic Games."

"My first performance in athletics made me realize how I had wasted time in football and handball."

"The silver medal for me was a sign that I would achieve a lot in athletics if I gave it time and work hard."

"I am proud of my performance at the Peace Marathon. It has shown me that I can be more productive in the Olympic Games if I improve my preparations."

"Our aim is to develop the swimming sport in Rwanda, honoring athletes and their coaches. So, there is much more to come."

"Coaches ought to converse with athletes, with objectives they have to contribute a lot to the development of swimming sport in the country."

"I think the most important thing is for a person to be happy and to be good where they are, not the money."

"The best players are intelligent, able to read the game, anticipate things,”"

"When you look at the list and see certain names, you don’t really know the criteria to choose from, but I dedicate myself to my business, to meet my personal goals, which are what make me more satisfied. I don’t have to wait for anyone to recognize what I do, I am the one who has to be satisfied and proud of myself."

"Psychology is a fundamental tool for everyone, although not everyone can afford it."

"Because I was born normal, I grew up playing basketball and I still like it very much, besides by then I had never seen or heard of a sport called sitting volleyball."

"My parents had sent me to buy milk from Ndoli Supermarket and as I crossed the road, I got knocked down by a car that broke my leg. I did not get proper medication and as I was recovering, the bone got deformed but I never realized it was serious because I could walk freely and played basketball"

"At first I believed that I would recover fully and but as much as my family tried all possible means to have my leg reconstructed, nothing changed, so I had to accept my new way of life"

"It was my first time to see the game but I integrated very quickly that each player was passing me the ball to make a goal and I liked it mainly because I found people that share the same life challenges like mine."

"Like I mentioned earlier, to qualify for Rio Paralympics Games ranks up there as my best moment in my career so far and the worst moment was the period when I first started to play sitting volleyball."

"My target is going to Tokyo in 2020 again; Rio is like a stepping stone to give us the experience and then the real appetite to start working for Tokyo 2020."

"I have three people in my life I feel grateful to, they include my mum, who has been so supportive all my life, my husband Karasira, we met in NPC and we loved each other and later got married and lastly Dominic Bizimana, who encouraged me since the day I met him at NPC until today."

"There is no magic in sports, as much as we the athletes want to go there and win, but there is always somebody who is working harder than you are, and more is being invested in that person than in you."

"It starts from the way you eat or sleep, the people you surround yourself with, the people that educate you, the people that sponsor you, the people that tell you that you can do it, versus Nigerians, the majority of whom just criticize."

"You get to another stage of your life where you just don’t say things or do things like ‘I don’t know if I want to do this thing, I’m not sure’, no you have to want it, that’s just it."

"Sports is big business. You have to invest. And you know we have great talents in Nigeria but you know, at the end of the day, all do not pay attention to these talents. They don’t prepare us for these major championships."

"I feel like most of the time, really some of us don’t pay so much attention on ourselves and try to put other people or other things into it. At the end of the day, we lose focus on the things we’re supposed to focus on."

"She (Blessing Okagbare) is good, she’s got good character and she’s doing fine. She’s hardworking; she sprints and jumps well. I also want to sprint like her."

"When other nations are planning to win, we are praying. God hears our prayers but you have to help yourselves too."

"The separation of sports and education has made it difficult to discover other stars."

"The table kind of turned on me, instead of me being managed when I was an athlete, now I have to manage people."

"There can only be one Michael Jordan, there can only be one Michael Jackson and there can only be one Mary Onyali."

"Talents are usually found in communities and schools. If kids are not identified early, it would be difficult to train them when they are older."

"Hard work, discipline, determination and dedication. You have to learn what you do and do well in what you do."

"Whenever I lose, I take it as a learning curve; I don’t beat myself over it."

"Sport has always being seen as a man’s domain. It was a breakthrough period for women in sports and I am proud to say that I am one of the leading women that championed the breakthrough which led to the recognition of women in sport, both in Nigeria and Africa."

"If I had got married to someone who was not sport-inclined, a typical African who would want you to have a regular job or stay at home as a mother; it would have been a disaster."

"Wherever they are, despite the situation, they should not lose hope and must keep training."

"Till today, the picture and video are still with the IOC and still at the museum. It shows the true picture of Olympics. We didn’t win the gold or the silver but bronze, however it was a golden bronze. To the IOC it depicts what the Olympics is all about."

"I had not practised or used the starting block before. I was using it in Egypt for the first time. I did not know the blocks had sensors that could detect sensitive reactions, So, I triggered the block before the shot. I was disqualified for misusing it."

"Part of the contract stipulated that you must have a minimum of 2.5 GPA or you would be kicked out. A lot of us were from financially poor background. So, it would be silly to lose such an opportunity."

"Do not focus entirely on sport, because there will be a day when your body will fail you. When that day comes, and you do not have the educational background to face the real life after sport, something will fall off you."

"Personally I believe our female athletes are much better than the males because we are naturally good listeners, attentive, focused and a little more disciplined than the male athletes. The male athletes on the other hand get distracted easily than the females just like mothers will be very attentive to the care and needs of her children and I think that’s why we women bring in anything we do not just sports but in anything we find ourselves."

"There is nothing we can do specially for the male athletes to do better it’s just the way it is. The competition in the male category is stiffer. They do their things with more energy, power, ego etc so they are their own monsters creating their own competition or sports making it more stiffer and competitive. It is every where in the world, it’s a general thing."

"I am confident that we will qualify for #WorldChamps because we have a very robust team. Come on #TeamBW #WorldRelays"

"I used to hurry shots, but nothing is rushing me anymore because they (the opponents) still believe I can't shoot. That’s something I worked on in the summer."

"It’s like the feeling when you work so hard for something and you finally achieve it. It feels like whew."

"We were able to make them take hard shots, and take away what they wanted to do."

"I’ve just been very calm, and catching the ball and looking."

"This is my job. I’ve been doing this for a while. I don’t have any fear. I will believe in myself, and what I can do. I cannot wait to be the best that I can be in this league and make a name for myself, and my family. I want to help this team as much as I can."

"Linkopings FC has a long history of success and I look forward to being able to take home titles and create a professional level name here. It's a good opportunity for me to develop as a player and I am expectant about the next step in my career. I am really looking forward to start playing with the team and am glad that Linköping sees potential in me as part of the team. Now we achieve great deeds together."

"With Chinaza and Uchenna we get two good offensive players that complement and spearhead our team, which also gives the squad better balance and durability."

"Women are made to feel grateful for progress but there is still so much to be done to reach equity (& that isn't just equal pay). Players associations are a vital part of reaching this. India women will dominate the global stage when as much thought goes into their game as the men"

"Her tone of voice and style of commentary is both passionate and knowledgeable. Isa Guha is the best female cricket commentator in the world and of quite possibly of all-time,"

"Running was in my blood from the beginning. If God has given you a talent, you have to show it. People told me, 'You won't have children if you run long distances.' It was lies. I wanted to be like the men. If no one gives you encouragement, you have to encourage yourself."

"People would always be fighting over resources: land, animals, water. When I grew up, I wanted to find a way for people to listen to me – but for that to happen you need a title. At that time, I didn’t realise that sports could help me to be the way I am. Those two sides of me came together, to help me work for peace."

"I always overcame obstacles because I stay focused on what I want and how to be better,” she said. “I have proven to myself anything is possible if I put my mind to it. This is why I started the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation."

"I can’t believe it, I’m so grateful for the win. I didn’t give up."

"I am happy to be back at the Women’s 5k Challenge...Last year (2009) I lost in a sprint finish but this time I will be stronger at the end."

"I went out for gold but it was too hard to keep up with the pace of the three on my own. Our team tactic did not work, my team mates fell off and I got tired for the last kick. It is disappointing but at least I got bronze."

"I am hoping to double-up in Daegu. I feel my body is in good shape to handle both races."

"I am ready for the marathon...my management has been able to get me a race in Amsterdam and I want to see how my body will react to it. I have hopes of doing well, but am also not certain how it will go. It is my first marathon race."

"“As Soon as People See You Cough, They Say You Have the Disease”"

"“Since I joined the road running, I have had a successful outing and I am yet to finish in a bad position."

""It will be a tough race but I will do my best."

"I want to bring out in drawings what my ancestors did in sculpture in the temples of Southeast Asia."

"She lived the kind of elite Indian life that could have only taken place in the years between the two World Wars, when the highest echelons of Indian society could simultaneously keep one foot firmly planted in the country of their birth, but another just as firmly, in the broader international networks of the British empire."

""I believe in living my own life and do what I love even when those around me do things different. It does not mean I am better than them, this is just who I want to be and do things"."

"I am really progressing well in my training. Running is my passion and I will not get tired. I really appreciate my fans who have been following me and for those who are asking if I am still running, the answer is yes and I want to promise them I will do my best"

"After my maternity leave, it was not that easy since you have to shed a lot of fat, and then you now start concentrating on the training programme. It is not easy and it is not something you can start in a day"

"We are happy that BingwaFest is coming back for the second season. This is a tournament that has valued athletics as much as the other sports, and it is a good platform for us athletes to not only help us stay in shape but also earn some money. I will be taking part in the 5,000m and the 10,000m races, and I look forward to it"

"It feels so good, I was so happy because I defended my gold"

"The best part was that I felt so comfortable out there"

"My plan was to defend my gold, but the race was difficult because of the weather"

"I expected to have more of a lead"

"As a girl child also, I’m not satisfied at all because it’s so crazy when you talk to a guy, some parents as well, and they are like, ‘You’re just a girl, you don’t have to do this , ou don’t have to do that.’ For me as an example, I’ve really talked about my story, what I went through, how ignorant my mother was not to let me do what I’m doing now or become this successful. She tried to stop me but should I say I was stubborn? Yes, I was somehow, to pursue my career."

"We are seeing the need for veteran athletes to come together, to advice and to support each other."

"I am in good shape and I hope to run well tomorrow. The race will be very tough with Lornah and Anikó. It will not be easy but I will do my best. It depends on who will be pushing the pace and also on the wind conditions."

"My motivation is to run good. If I’m still running good then I’m not going to retire. I hope I can run in the Olympics and World Championships, but it all depends on the bodywork, like a car."

"I have always wanted to play in Spain. I want to try European basketball and hope to give my best version."

"McDonald spoke very well of Asturias and I am very excited about this opportunity. Right now, I only think about the remaining six matches but I would like to do things well and stay here longer."

"I am aware that on Saturday we have a final against Arxil, and I feel very well physically, I have not stopped training."

"This gives me the chance to convince them that impossible is nothing. Women can do better both in sports and in normal life, with self-discipline, respect and boundaries. This also helps the field of martial arts to grow among women and reduces the stereotypes linked with gender and sports."

"I have no worries at all. I train based on scientific principles. My taekwondo coach is a professional in the sports field which is an added advantage to me. During training I am taught about conditioning, anatomy, and injuries and their management, so I understand the human body and hence am very cautious while training by doing the right exercise."

"Scientific training helps me improve on my physical ability, fitness components, flexibility, reaction time, strength, power, speed, balance and agility."

"I sacrifice much time to make sure I balance each and every activity. I live a normal life outside the ring, just like any other person. Like a police officer while on duty and off duty."

"I did not see this coming, I am excited because you guys have made my day. I am hoping to come to Kenya next year for the nationals and I have my eyes set on the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo."

"I may not have won gold in Oregon but the silver has definitely opened up many doors for me,"

"The future is still bright for me. In athletics you win and lose some,"

"It was not easy in Oregon when Chepngetich pulled out. She is a champion and her experience would really have come in handy in our campaign for gold."

"She was always encouraging us to push harder and up our game, so when she dropped out she urged us to continue putting pressure on our race adversaries."

"We took up the challenge and gave it our all as the country's reputation was at stake."

"I am happy that at least Kenya was on the podium. But looking at the situation critically, I still feel that I will continue being a star at least for the foreseeable future."

"I am not sure about my next race. But the idea is to go back on the drawing board and I believe I will be stronger and better with proper preparations,"

"Marathons are not for the fainthearted, so kudos to those who wished us well. We will strive to run at the summit as always and pray that we remain in good shape."

"We went to like the last sprint and I knew that this was going to be the toughest sprint so I waited and waited so sprinting that I was like I have to go for it or give it everything I have."

"That was like the greatest thing I've ever felt. I feel so happy and grateful to do it here in Boston."

"I thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to get second,’ but then realized quickly that she still had a shot. “I saw the finish and thought, ‘Oh, I can kick; I have a chance to win today."

"My coach used to tell me, 'If you win big races, your life is going to change,'... So I was a little prepared, and I'm having fun with it, but you really don't know what it's like until you're there."

"I was trying to help some of the Kenyans coming there to learn Japanese...But I decided I wanted to be more serious about running and make it my job. I felt like I was not going to reach my goals if I stayed there (Japan)."

"I didn't start training for the marathon when I was 20, 21, 22, like a lot of the women now...The other thing is that I didn't want to run marathons just because it was the thing to do. I felt like I wanted to do it only when I was ready to do it well."

"I love racing in New York...I know [the marathon course] is not as fast as some of the other races, but sometimes you have to feel it in your heart. You go where you want to be."

"Returning to Pittsburgh as the defending champion is really special to me....Last year (2022) was my first time in the city and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. The best part of the race is seeing all the amazing spectators on the course, regardless of the weather. My goal this year is to win the race again and see how far I can push my limits."

"It feels great to win my first race ever in Pittsburgh...It was so great seeing all the people on the course and cheering despite the rain. I can’t wait to be back!"

"This will be my first time coming to Pittsburgh...It’s always exciting to travel to new places and Pittsburgh has been on my bucket list. I’m motivated to capitalize on my training this spring, rather than refocus on another marathon. I am feeling fit and ready to run fast in Pittsburgh."

"The great feelings, I still have it. Lots of memories...It’s good to be back, back where I started. Not where I started running, but where I started to run well."

"It’s crazy. When I won the Boston Half, it’s when I was new. I had just started training with my coach and I saw that my training is paying off and all that stuff. Since then I kept going to races and getting better and better. This is where it all started, that year was when we started to get better...I’m excited. I love it here."

"I can tell you, my coach used to tell me ‘If you win Boston or big races like that, your life is going to change and everything is going to change.’ I was like ‘Oh yeah. I don’t think too, too much.’ But I can tell you it has changed a lot. Everywhere you go people stop and talk to me and say good luck, and want to know more about running...That’s one thing — I’m more inspired by it. Just how people are really into it, knowing it and wanting [to run more]. I go to the store and people stop me and that’s really good. It keeps me going."

"Coming back, every time is good and awesome...offering up some last minute advice. Make sure you have enough energy and are feeling yourself and know how much you still have left to go on the hills… Pace yourself."

"Today was a tough day. It was going to be a war of attrition and I knew that from the gun. I figured if we're going to hurt we might as well run fast."

"I think it was the best race for me. I got everything out of myself so I'm very pleased."

"I’m not an emotional person, but today was huge for me, I’m really proud of myself. You don’t get those moments too often, so I’m going to soak it in, be happy, then go back to being a competitor and try to take that next leap forward in racing down Boylston again. Today’s just as big as 2011 for me."

"At this point in my career I enter each race with a heightened sense of urgency and have become very selective in what races I'm willing to commit my time and energy to."

"I'm always grateful to be on the starting line and grateful to see the finish line just like every other 30,000 runners out there. I'm just like them. The conditions are tough today, but it's just so great to be here."

"I just feel like there is so much support and I want to do well for everyone else and it's the greatest motivator."

"I think sports have this great opportunity to bring joy and happiness into a world that’s sometimes a bit uneasy and disappointing and sad. It’s a great responsibility and honor to hopefully inspire people to be the best versions of themselves. If there are enough people in the world bringing the best versions of themselves to their work and families and communities, we would hopefully arrive at a place that is better. It’s an honor to be part of a culture and part of a group of women in the United States that’s doing it the right way, full of passion and dedication toward their sport."

"I was pretty confident that I was going to win, But I realized in the last mile that I couldn’t hang on and I had to settle for second."

"I am so happy, it was the only medal I missed in my cabinet."

"I didn’t know I was going to win because the race was tough. I used my mind and decided to be patient...We had the Ethiopians in the races before and we saw they are strong on the hills. This was the last chance, I don’t think I’m going to go for another World Cross-Country."

"I’m satisfied with my second place finish, what matters most was to finish within 1-2 bracket. I will go back and work hard in training to ensure I do well in Tokyo. I’m really not bothered much with Ethiopians, as a team we will deliver good results."

"The race was good. I just wanted to seal top two...I have no pressure; I will be facing familiar opponents in Tokyo. I am used to fast-paced races and all I am going to do is continue with my training."

"I have been running 10Ks and half marathons, so I have lost speed to defend my 5,000m title...I want to leave it to the younger athletes."

"I tried to be patient and wait for the right time to happen...Today was my time."

"In the middle of the race I had to be patient and had to wait for the right time. I knew I trained well, and today I can say it was my time...Moving from track to the road racing was a big challenge for me. In track there was not a lot of mileage."

"In a marathon, anything can happen."

"With a year of marathon experience now under my belt, a win in Boston, and my move to the U.S., I’m coming to New York this year (2023) with more confidence and in search of a title...I’m excited to show the people of New York what I’m capable of and that my win at the United Airlines NYC Half in March was just the beginning."

"It is all about focus. The training for 1500m and 5000m is different, you do more because the distance is longer, you basically change everything in training."

"What came to my mind in New York was to finish the race so I can learn how to do my next marathon...So it helped me a lot to learn about patience. In New York I didn’t know about patience, I ran it like it was a track race."

"I said in my mind let me try to be patient. When were at about 25k, I said ‘patient’. And when I reached 42km, I said, ‘no, I want to win this race.’ And I said, ‘can I just use track speed to go?"

"You know, now you are saying you are not alone...There’s someone who depends on me. My daughter needs to go to school, needs to have a good background, a good life. So you have to work hard because someone is looking up to you."

"It’s encouraged me a lot to work hard because it’s a new life, it’s a new environment...I said, let me try to win because I asked you [to come] here. No excuses, I must perform. So I think they encouraged me a lot to train and to focus well."

"I do hope that next year (2024) is going to be good for me because I’ve done a lot and I’ve won the silver medal...So I want to upgrade it to gold."

"You can’t be like Eliud if you want to sit down and you say, ‘I want to be like Eliud Kipchoge’. Eliud Kipchoge does not sit down and wait to go and win races!"

"I was thinking about winning this gold since 2019, but Hassan was always there. I was also watching Hellen Obiri...This time, I was really watching them, and I knew I had to be very fast in the last 300 metres."

"This victory to me was even more important than a world record...I am so happy about this performance."

"With God’s help, I can get the double...I am very confident now."

"I really did not do anything special to prepare for Guiyang...I never stress about competition and thought I should just follow the leading group and rely on my finishing speed at the end. I am really happy about my individual result, but even happier that we [Ethiopia] took the top three places."

"Some people believe that it is nowadays very difficult for junior winners to make it at senior level...But I believe that there is nothing that stops a junior athlete from making it at senior level. Actually, coming up from success at junior levels is easier because there is little pressure and expectation when competing with senior athletes."

"I ran a 3000m race representing my Woreda [district] and finished second at the All-Tigray Games...It was this performance that convinced me that I may have a future in athletics."

"It's more a case of giving it less thought...last time I really missed racing and I know I'm going to feel just the same when the baby's born. I came back (in 2007) and I'm not saying I started back running too soon 12 days after the birth but rather the scale at which I ramped it up. I had gone through a difficult labour and I didn't give my body enough time to recover."

"The race went according to plan, I was only thinking about the gold medal."

"Of course, I set the women-only world record for the half marathon (1:06:11) in Valencia and that was a race without pacemakers. I have also run times for 10,000m on the track (personal best 30:36.75, 2016) and 10km on the road (31:35, 2017) that are better than the course record but the most important thing for me is to win."

"Since Valencia, I have just been training and focusing on Bengaluru. Even though the race has been put back two weeks, that hasn’t affected me. In fact, it’s allowed me to prepare slightly better."

"I had to keep on checking who is behind me, how I am doing...that’s all I was doing, and I decided to be ahead of the boys, so I was always checking behind me."

"It was a very competitive race with strong runners...the course was very good and the weather was perfect for running. I am going back to Kenya to prepare the track season. My goal is to qualify for the Olympic Games in the 10,000m."

"I have promised to give the team a sum of $10,000 should they make it to the semi-finals. I have high hopes they will make it to the finals but this is to further motivate them as we support them. I urge all Ghanaians to support the team."

"Go Black Queens, yes."

"I will like to begin by applauding all the female footballers of Ghana, not just the Black Queens but all of them who produced the pipeline of women who will eventually go on to become Black Queens and those who have gone before them who have set an example and demonstrated to them that women is football is possible and younger women can aspire to participate in football."

"I wish the male and female national teams every success in their international tournaments as they set example for the rest of our teams. I thank God for what has been an opportunity not only to contribute to football but to learn even more about Ghana. It is these new insights and lessons that I will treasure most into the future."

"I believe that with the Black Queens going forward they have the full support of us as the nation (Ghana)."

"Our national team is Ghana Black Queens. I consider it a great achievement in my career. It is an honor to represent the national colors."

"I think that when the team has a match, they will need as many fans as possible at the stadium to cheer them on. That has to happen for everything to work out well for the Queens. When the players see the fans, they will give all they have and perform well on the pitch."

"For the first time we are hosting the tournament in Ghana and our prayer is that our ladies will be able to win it. Normally when you go for tournaments, it is always important to start on a winning note, so my advise to the team is that they start the tournament well by winning and playing well. Fortunately for us, we are playing here in Ghana, so we will have the fans backing us. We can only make them proud by winning our first game.""

"It’s worrying the Black Queens has been evicted from the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations tournament. After defeat to Nigeria in the first leg, we should have overturned the scoreline but unfortunately, it didn’t happen."

"I am saddened by the Black Queens defeat. The defeat was here because I noticed that the players didn’t play their hearts out for the nation. Most of the players are inexperienced so clearly you could see that they are not matured enough to play for the Queens."

"Gdansk is beautiful. I like multicultural cities. I came here at the beginning of the year (2021) and worked the entire preparation period with the team (AP Loros Gdansk). I am from outside Europe so playing in different leagues was a challenge for me."

"I wanted to play football from the age of seven, although my mother says that I had been digging other items before. It was a dream come true for me to be able to play in Europe. I was prepared for it much earlier. At the beginning, it was not easy because I had a collision with low temperatures, which was new to me. Today I'm used to it."

"Priscilla came to Gdańsk at the beginning of January (2021), so she already had some time to acclimatize, but we realize that in her case this period may be a bit different than in the case of the Polish players. That is why all club employees try to do everything to make her feel as good as possible in Gdańsk. I am also glad that the other players received her warmly. I believe Priscilla will bring a lot to the team's offensive performance."

"I remember countless times where I played barefoot or without shin pads and was injured many times, but if you love the game, you love the game. Football is everything, it’s part of my identity nobody can take away from me."

"We need more opportunities to showcase what we can do. It’s sad to see talent go to waste because of a lack of opportunities, but the fact that there is NSW African Women's Cup shows how much the game has changed. We have many girls of African heritage who are good players. A competition like this definitely opens up opportunities for those of us who have been working really hard and that's exciting."

"Beyond these, I am drawn to the richness of this great country. Richness not summed in any currency, but in the people."

"It has shown that we’ve grown, that we can mix it up there with the best [and] it shows that the rankings really don’t mean anything if you prepare and plan well."

"Surely, if you can train week in and week out at this intensity, then things will be bigger and better."

"I was a leader in the team and I needed to understand that it’s not just for me but for the country as well."

"I am a human being before I am a soccer player. I don’t know too many people who would be able to go through what I went through on a personal and professional level."

"I had to protect myself and at the end of the day, you have to draw a line."

"The respect has to be both ways."

"I was very sad that in this day and age we still have to be fighting. We don’t have to prove anything to anyone and I don’t like this comparison between us and the men’s team."

"“I think we're really strong when we play together as a team and that’s why we get results.”"

"Belief is also a big thing – belief that your team-mates are going to be there, do what’s needed, and belief that we can achieve the impossible. I fully believe in my team and I'm fully confident that, if we're playing at 100 per cent, we are capable of anything."

"It’s about how much you want it, and I think that mentality needs to sink in."

"I just feel like the game has given so much to me, so why not put everything on the line there when you step on to the field?"

"When my team-mates see me give that extra effort, they follow."

"We're human at the end of the day and I feel that there is a difference between when you treat players like human beings and you care for them."

"I want to compete for championships and for titles and keep going to next level in my career."

"Compared to our first game, we managed to start the ball at the back going wide, so generally I think we played much better."

"My desire is to witness more Batswana female footballers plying their trade in other countries."

"An artistic attacker with goals to her name."

"We know it is 11 against 11 on the field and one team must win."

"That's what I want to see change - getting more sponsors in the women's game so that the girls can also make a living out of a football career."

"Music is life"

"I want to be the positive force that heals people and being humble does that."

"If you know who you represent and who you are, I think you'll understand the people that you're representing."

"This is a team sport and I'm given talent and when you have it you need to use it in a positive way."

"I needed to be strong for others. I believe so much in positivity. Why do I? It's because one can perform to the best of their abilities if they're happy."

"I believe that we are who we are today because of unity. When you're united nothing can break you. Even outside factors can't break you."

"If you want to solve something as quickly as possible, communicate so that you break negativity."

"We didn't go there to make numbers but we went there to make a difference and to make that little girl proud."

"Our influence in the world around us can be more significant than any of us imagine today – and it could last well beyond our final race, or goal, or jump. Together, we can be a force for good in the world around us. And that can start with the example we set, both on and off the field of play,"

"We are all competitors, but when we compete we should show respect for our sport – for the rules, for our opponents and for the people who cheer us on. Sport is in our hearts, and we should show the world that it is fun and inclusive. Sport has a unique power to speak to young people, and its message should always be a positive one"

"This is a power and a responsibility that is new to our generation. If we see a need for change in our sport or our society, we should speak out. And we must also enact that change ourselves – by using our profile and our platform to engage with the issues closest to our hearts."

"Today, we have the power to change the world in a way that the champions who came before us did not. If we recognize this opportunity and act together, then our achievements as sportswomen and men will only be the beginning of our legacies"

"One of my greatest blessings is seeing athletes who are inspired by me across generations. It has been a blessing to interact with those athletes, and I hope that there is something they can take from this journey"

"I came into this championship with so many odds, but I made the final. And I think that is a huge accomplishment. I remember in 2007 when I started, I was unsure what I wanted to do, but I walked away with so much from the championship. This time around, I came with all those experiences from years of participating in the championships"

"Tonight, I am really grateful that I was able to stand on the track one more time in the 100m finals"

"It has been such a privilege, an honour, and my greatest blessing to stand here tonight"

"It's about time now we get the recognition and we get the gender equality that we deserve."

"It's not about disrespecting the country, it's about the country helping us."

"We are forgetting that without fans there’ll never be football and these players will never get paid."

"What causes emptiness in stadium it is that people don’t respect fans anymore – we are losing it."

"Women are being discovered, women are being celebrated, a lot of people are starting to know about these women that are doing wonders in our country."

"If people didn't love me when I was scoring goals, putting South Africa on the map, why would I expect them to love me because I tell the truth about women's football?"

"I didn't wake up to choose to be gay. I didn't want to be insulted every day when I walk in the street. I didn't choose this, but I was born like this."

"There is nothing wrong in being a lesbian; it is how you project yourself in public places. You are born with it and you won't just change it because somebody says you should do it."

"We are there to do what we love, to share the game, to motivate other women out there and to make sure that if they want to play the game, there are people like us fighting for them."

"When you are Black, it comes with disadvantages, because you need to really prove yourself."

"It didn't matter where I came from, I was talented."

"You get to realise that the little love you know is not enough for the person that you're with."

"I think a have so much fear about speaking out or just having an opinion on something."

"I wanna be the perfect"

"Motherhood is the thing that has touched me the most, really normalizing mothers in sport and women not having to choose between that part of life and staying in their professions"

"Becoming a mother and looking at my daughter and the world she’ll grow up in helped me find my voice and speak on some things I would’ve shied away from before."

"We must see this clearly for what it is—a maternal health crisis. That is why we must continue to fight to protect the lives of every woman and every mother in our nation"

"Tiffany's most personal rap yet, ‘Diary of a black woman’, she says, is intended to represent minority athletes and spread a message about positive self-image – an issue she herself has struggled with."

"Speaking on her vitiligo, Tiffany admits, “it took a couple of years to be comfortable looking into the mirror and being ok with the new version of me. Throughout it all, music provided solace"."

""I realised that I’ve gone through so many different experiences in my life, so I thought: ‘Why not write about them and tell the world what I’ve gone through?’ And even though sometimes I might feel alone, I’m not alone.”"

"Speaking about her team's remarkable run at the 2023, FIFA Women's World Cup, insisting that they wont rest on knocking out Brazil, she said, “It’s true that we have already achieved history.”. “But we want more!”"

"Speaking on her transfer to ETO FC Gyor, she said, "It takes a different type of mindset to embrace the change and still continue to shine and make history. There are bumps in the road and of course it’s never smooth sailing but you have to push beyond the norm and continue to shine and bring out the unique qualities you have.""

"I don't know what the future holds, but my game fitness is up to par and I've proven that I'm capable of being an offensive threat and also my defensive prowess, so it will be really interesting to see how everything pans out."

"You always have to be confident in your own ability."

"We want kids to come watch us, especially young girls now that we are visible to them. And they can see that they can become professional football players and represent their country and play for their favourite clubs."

"You should be able to feel comfortable in your own country."

"One of my favourite things about sport is that it brings people together, it gives people a sense of belonging, and it fills them with great pride and passion."

"I’m not done. You know what I’m capable of. Count me out if you want to."

"Who am I to tell you how to cope when you’re dealing with the pain or you’re dealing with a struggle that you haven’t experienced before or that you thought you never would have to deal with?"

"Don’t judge me because I am human. I’m you, I just happen to run a little faster."

"It’s just irritating because you take away the abilities, you take away the speed, you take away the talent … and we’re still human"

"I’ve seen the world be my friend. I’ve seen the world turn on me. But at the end of the day, I’ve always been with me."

"It’s always been my time, but now it’s my time to actually do it for myself and the people that feel like me, the people that look like me, and the people that know the truth about themselves as well. I represent those people."

"I’m here to say, ‘I’m not back, I’m better ..."

"I’m next to living legends. It feels remarkable."

"My journey has been a journey!"

"Be more understanding of the fact they [athletes] are still humans."

"I just want the world to know that I’m THAT girl"

"How I show myself forgiveness is honestly by acknowledging it first, acknowledging the situation for what it is, acknowledging my responsibilities in it, and talking about it to the people I feel like it impacted besides myself"

"No matter what you were thinking beforehand, no matter what you got going on, when it’s time to get on that line, nothing changes that. The race not gonna be called back; it’s not going to be postponed. When that gun goes off, it’s about getting down there."

"I stay ready from getting ready. So, I'm always ready."

"I just know, like, if I want to be a better person, I have to practice better things."

"My family is my everything, my everything until the day I’m done."

"Football, for me, was definitely a place where I could come and authentically be myself."

"I had the opportunity to go to Saudi before the influx of investment into the women’s game"

"However, my circumstances at the time didn’t allow me to make the move. Now, however, I’m at a point in my life where I am able to take this opportunity and really look forward to it."

"Being in the Gulf for over 10 years, I’ve watched the growth of women’s football in the region. More than anything, I’m looking forward to being given the opportunity to try my best not only to represent but also try to bring awareness to fellow Pakistani athletes"

"I always had a lot of boy cousins and i'd play football with them in the street, since then I had passion for football"

"I was overjoyed when I heard the news and I later celebrated with my friends. I believe it's the work of God. I feel proud that my efforts have been recognised but it also places an enormous burden of expectation on me when I play for Ghana."

"I have never seen female footballers who are lesbians over the years as a footballer. It is untrue that female footballers are lesbians. I never saw my colleague footballers having any sexual encounters. So I will deny the claims and ask the public to rubbish them and treat same with the contempt it deserves."

"One major problem facing the Women’s League in this country (Ghana) is the lack of sponsorship. I believe they can do better. I would also like to use this opportunity to plead with corporate bodies to come on board and sponsor the Women’s league in Ghana."

"It was this game (against Nigeria), I wouldn’t like to watch it, I couldn’t eat for about a week. The whole nation (Ghana) was behind us and it was a big opportunity for us to make it for the first time. We had the advantage after Mamunatu saved two penalty kicks but unfortunately we couldn’t capitalize on that. It was a very sad moment for all the players and for me I will say it is the most painful defeat suffered during my time with the team."

"We must now strategize on how to bounce back strongly as a nation than to crucify members of the team."

"It's time we allow the women to show their worth, a female for a female team and a male for a male team which is practiced everywhere or better still get the technical directors of the FA to guide her but i will be very surprised if the head coach post is given to a male."

"Adjoa Bayor is one of the biggest assets we have as a nation (Ghana) in regards to women’s football. I want Adwoa Bayor to be involved in the team (Black Queens). She can contribute to the team alot. She can be a role model to the younger girls. She can create a huge impact."

"But I’m just someone who always wants to just play football, so I try not to let the external noise get into me. I like to stay grounded."

"Sometimes I feel like my calling is different and way bigger than always being on the podium."

"It's about the hope I give to people to keep trying and about the legacy that I want to leave behind. I know there are people beyond athletics who see themselves through me in their daily struggles."

"I want people to see my battles and draw inspiration to keep pushing on and follow their dreams, Trying and getting desired results can take a toll on our human nature. I hope I can be a real reflection of that never-give-up spirit."

"It's not always about being a fierce competitor."

"Winning is not about crossing the line first - it's about the impact you have on people's lives."

"I've experienced a range of emotions and endured significant pain, but those experiences have helped shape me into the person I am today."

"Despite any challenges I face, I always try to find the good and remain grateful."

"I want to inspire African girls to follow their wildest dreams and fight for their space."

"The 4 years women’s world cup mantra is very bad. This is because, as a lady, you will gain weight and might also get pregnant. To me, it will be more appropriate if the years for the world cup is reduced to three (3) years. If the world cup for men is four years, women should be three."

"I needed to redefine the definition of success, and I needed to change the narrative. Just because I’m not on the national team doesn’t mean I’m not successful. It doesn’t mean I’m not a great player."

"I really started working on staying present. Not thinking about the past, not thinking about the future, just thinking about today. It just makes things easier on yourself, easier on the mind."

"I just focused on the Reign and being the best I can be for them, Because ultimately, that is going to have me playing my best soccer, which is what would get me called up for the World Cup."

"I’m just playing and having fun, Huerta said a few days before the U.S. roster drop. Because ultimately, it’s Vlatko’s decision. It’s out of my hands. I just have to keep doing what I’m doing, and hopefully, he will choose me."

"At this point, I have nothing to lose because I’ve been told no so many times in my career, Being pushed out and then coming back up creates a lot of strength in itself. But I think at this point, my mentality is a lot less anxiety and a lot more excitement. I appreciate where I am as a player now."

"My career has not been easy, whatsoever, I was never with youth teams. It hasn’t been linear, hasn’t been a guarantee. That’s what makes my journey so unique, and I love to be a representation for people who feel like that."

"I think it’s important for that community of young boys and girls to see that name, and know that they can do what I do, I represent those who don’t have an easy journey."

"I've dreamed of having a family since I was very young because I'm very close to my mom and to my parents, I would love to have that connection in the future with hopefully my child. I don't see myself having a child and then coming back."

"It teaches you so many lessons. Certainly all of these are part of it. I continue to learn from it. I don't know if there are some things so challenging and so rewarding at the same time within one week or two weeks, the emotions that you feel, that I'll maybe ever get in my life"

"You know, the last coach of my career coached Sinner for several years, so I got to play with him a few times. So, you know, I'm always rooting for him"

"I just like his humble approach to the sport. I love seeing the younger generation. There's an aura about the men's game, it's very evident. They have different styles of play, different personalities, from different parts of the world, and it's just fun to see these rivalries come together."

"I think the men's game is in a good state"

"Art provides a canvas for the artist to convey things which she might not be able to express verbally, putting distance between herself, the subject matter, and the person experiencing it — the viewer or spectator."

"So much talk was, “Women can’t break records.” That was so annoying; to hear over and over what women couldn’t do. Then to go out and break the record — not just break it, but absolutely demolish it. It felt really good on a woman’s side, to show that women could break records."

"But once we get on the track, it’s business. It’s my career; this is what I do, what I love. And it’s my job."

"You have to bring your best, because that brings out the best in everyone."

"And I want to make it perfectly clear that I’ll never run away from a race. I’m always willing to race. The training can be difficult, especially to know that it’s okay to rest. But I’m a competitor and I want to race anybody, anytime, anywhere."

"Sometimes I don’t think people realize that athletes are human, too. Yes, we’re paid to be ready to race, but we’re still human."

"Every year, things just get harder and you have to train to win, to be the best."

"Sprinting is my life as well as my career. It’s what I breathe, eat and sleep."

"All year, I was critiqued about who I was. I don’t fit in a box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. But when other people do it, y’all say nothing. So this was for the girls that look like me, that’s going to speak up on what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you."

"If you don’t have no haters, you ain’t popping."

"And I learned to ignore by looking at all the people that are inspired by me. I don’t really pay attention to haters because they’re going to say what they want to say"

"I have a voice and I’m not going to stop using my voice for the people that know that I am making an impact."

"It’s knowing that I have a voice and I am speaking for people that don’t have the platform that I do."

"You can be cute and go out there and still ball. So I’m trying to change the stereotype that women in sports can’t be girly and have fashion off the court."

"Well, I can’t really shop everywhere because everything isn’t tall-girl friendly."

"For me coming back here, it means a lot. This room, in particular. There were some tears shed. A lot"

"I feel a lot of joy coming back here. It’s kind of like seeing an old friend I haven’t seen in a long time."

"I was just thinking when I was watching Serena and Venus (Williams), I was thinking, ‘I probably, no way, will ever play at their age.’ But sitting here, I’m like, ‘No, you know what? I might do that."

"I don’t think I can predict what I’ll do - I never am able to do that - but it definitely made me appreciate a lot of things that I took for granted."

"I think it's because I don't know how the beginning of the year is going to go for me."

"I think I don't know the level of play, so I have to ease in for it, so I have to set myself up for a very good end of year."

"I felt like I needed to hit through the court"

"But obviously, in the wind, it's tough to be as aggressive as you want, because the bounces are weird and the ball was moving. So I'm glad I made that adjustment and didn't get too frustrated when I missed. You pay the price for hopefully a good reward."

"Against Aryna it's never easy. I'm just going to do my best and focus on myself and what I want to do on court. We usually have these matches that are really exciting and really tough, both mentally and physically."

"2022 was so amazing that I don't know if it's going to be possible for me to repeat a season like that."

"I just didn't feel at the end like I'm in the shadow anymore because I knew that I'm having another great season. And honestly, I kind of accepted that I'm not going to have a season like that, like in 2022, and I just looked forward."

"I learned my lesson and this time I didn't want [the No.1 ranking] to have an impact on me."

"The conditions here were kind of tricky - it helped me to just focus on my footwork, my shots, and that just kept me busy from thinking about all of that"

"Coming back to world No. 1, it's a dream come true for sure. I would say I wasn't expecting that right now this season. I was kind of hoping that maybe next year is going to be my year."

"But it seems like I'm just working hard and focusing on the right things and work. So I'm really happy."

"It's a massive honour to be offered this position as captain for the next two tours,"

"It's something that I have always aspired to do, having played in this team for a couple of years. Having more of a leadership role is something I’ve wanted to take on. It'll help me as a cricketer and learning to think as a captain on the field will hopefully help my batting as well."

"I'm very excited to be able to contribute in another way, too, and not just in batting. It still feels surreal at the moment, but it will all become more real when I meet up with the team in Pakistan."

"What I can bring to the role is the experience that I have in the side. I've been playing international cricket since I was 16 years old, I know quite a lot of players in the circuit and I've been playing in the leagues as well, so I've played a lot of cricket in recent years and hopefully, I'm able to use that experience and the knowledge to my advantage when I captain the team."

"It is very new to me, but I am keen to learn and do everything that I can to do well in the position. I am lucky that I have a couple of senior players within the squad around me as well, who would be able to help me and guide me if I do need help along the way"

"I think everyone that comes and goes within the team, the team will always miss the impact that player had. It is always like that. We have all the memories with them, and it is something we will miss in the change-room"

"But as a bowling unit, we do have a great unit. We do have people who can step in."

"I am not the type of player that will go to the captain and say ‘I want to bowl’. I’ll let them make their decisions."

"The efforts of those who played before us, and all of us put together as a community, have now made this possible. Imagine those ex-women cricketers, who even without getting much 30 or 40 years ago, continued to play. They made our present reality possible"

"I don’t like the comparison between men’s cricket and women’s cricket"

"It’s just a different game. You don’t have to put us in the same category."

"Initially, when tennis was developing as a sport, there were comparisons made between the serve rates of different players. Now it has reached a point where Serena Williams is appreciated just as Roger Federer is in his own right. It’s time for cricket to also reach that place."

"It's been a while since I've bowled and it's nice to contribute to the team as much as I can – it just went my way today, probably beginner's luck in a way"

"We've been playing some pretty good cricket and I cannot fault anyone in the group, the energy and the positivity has been there the whole time."

"We've enjoyed one another's company (and) the girls' effort at training and around preparation for matches tactically, has been spot on."

"It's just a little bit of a confidence thing but in this format you've got to take it on and we're learning that as we go and hopefully it's a bit of a kick starter for us today."

"For me, there is not much but just to enjoy ourselves, defend our title and bring the cup back home. Considering we are the defending champions, the pressure is definitely there. However, we have been working hard on our mental aspects and have been taught how to handle different situations so I believe we are mentally ready"

"One thing I tell them is that for them to make it to the national team means they have a lot of potential. Nothing happens in an instance so you have to take everything step by step"

"Be grateful for this opportunity you have and learn from the experience as much as possible. Being in the national team is not going to be easy but we are here to help the"

"This is my sixth year participating in Kwibuka and I have gone from strength to strength with every edition. The Elite League is an opportunity to sell myself out there and to improve and to play among other experienced players"

""The amount of trophies we won is such a proud achievement for me"."

""Everyone was so distraught, so to win that first big trophy was so important for us"."

""To get over that line to get to hear that final whistle was such a proud moment"."

""To not be given that chance makes me question: ‘Is it because of what happened?’ I think it is because of what happened, if I’m totally honest"."

"I’ve played higher and lower. I’ve even played out wide sometimes, which is definitely not my game"

"The squad is difficult to get in, especially my position, because there’s so many good midfielders in England. It’s tough"

"I am a very fond player in Mozambique not only for my talent but also for my way of being and interacting with the Mozambican people when I have the chance and I am very grateful for the affection"

"This is the result of hard work and we know that we have some weaknesses because we are in a process of transition from the old generation to the new generation but without a doubt, my goal with the Mozambique team in recent years is to win the AfroBasket and this year I definitely have the same goal"

"High competition has other requirements and we unfortunately still cannot speak the same language. It involves an investment both in terms of athletes in the respective clubs, training with a certain insistency on coaches and finding competitive volume. And for that to happen there needs to be more support."

"I feel capable and it will always be my duty to give my contribution both in terms of national team and projects that may be worth a different and brilliant future for our basketball. In general, I want to be remembered as someone who contributed a lot to the game in Mozambique and continue to inspire future generations with my legacy"

"I am still in shock but I do know how hard we all worked to secure this title. Although I’m so grateful to have been awarded team MVP, it was a collective effort and every time I step out on that court with my team members, I am filled with gratitude that I get to do what I love every single day"

"To become apart of an amazing brand like AFA Sports is such a huge blessing. I’ve always looked up to athletes specifically women who had broken barriers representing brands that promote athletes to look and perform at their best. AFA Sports is a brand that does just that"

"Consistency and work ethic has always been my core values when it comes to the game of basketball; Especially since the goal is to continue playing at the next level. Being a member of the AFA Sports team would motivate me to do that. I’m extremely excited to be a part of something amazing. I am looking forward to what’s in store."

"I believe this will be their fifth appearance at the World Cup, you know we haven’t made it past the group stages before. This time around I will be happy to see them get past the group stages. No Ghanaian team apart from the Black Maidens have been able to qualify past the first round but I want the Princesses to show what they are made of this time around. They had a good qualifying campaign and I hope they transfer that performance to the World Cup."

"And I think working out is one of those things that you need to do at the top of the morning because it actually does energize your day. People think it’s gonna take away from their energy, but I find that it energizes my day."

"I think my mind works as fast as my legs do, and so I’m always thinking of something I have, some business plan or something I wanna do in the community or something. So I’m always thinking of stuff to do."

"At that point, it was more of a spiritual race than a physical one. It was incredibly hard for me, as I know it is for a lot of women. You feel this unworthiness, this shame."

"If people knew the real numbers on abortion in this sport, then I think there would be more urgency to help women in colleges, to improve the standard of sex education."

"The only thing I have in my armoury is that I know I'll fight. Whatever it takes, I'll fight. Even if I'm tired, I'll fight."

"You can't change a child's life, but those are the small things that can motivate them, give them a little push to keep them going."

"I just want these kids to have a mental frame of mind that is open to work as opposed to being people who just sit around and wait for things to be done. So that's why I do it."

"But there are things you get from participating in sport that will give you more substance. That's the message we need to be bringing out: you'll be healthy and happy. This is far better than anything else."

"I’m really excited to learn more rather than just focus on who is going to run and are they going to win or not."

"Maybe I’m searching for some very hard or stressful things. I don’t know. Maybe for me to stay in this sport I have to find out what is possible or impossible?"

"Running teaches you patience, and I didn't want to give up. After all, if you don't give up, you just continue."

"I think learning to take something difficult in your stride is something life teaches you."

"So, when I feel like I want to give up or cry, I don’t. And the outcome is much more beautiful."

"I don't challenge myself to be better than the next person, rather better than myself. I think everyone should compete with themselves."

"Challenging yourself is hard work, but it's okay to be scared, have doubts and to be worried. Just don’t run away and quit."

"The real race begins when the pain starts."

"So for me, just to be a female and represent my country, it’s a big day for me, because I am able to show other females that they can do it too."

"I'm at the stage that I probably don't have the child-like passion about track and field but for me, it's more about the mission to inspire people. I want to an example of what's possible to the people that come behind me."

"Cameroon needs me as a leader and I will be that leader"

"The president [of the Federation] has contacted me and I am on board to bring Cameroon back on the top. It won’t be easy. I know the challenge and I also know what needs to be done, so I have a plan in place"

"As one of the leaders, it is my job to bring Cameroon back to the top with help of other players"

"I have so much basketball to play. My daughter Diana will watch me play and I know my country is still counting on me to lead them to the gold medal. My fans are waiting for my return and I will not disappoint them. I will fight like I always do and having my daughter in the background is a plus for me."

"Playing in front of my family and friends was the best thing that ever happened to my career. Being able to carry my country to the final was my dream but doing it in front of my loved ones was a dream come true. I will never forget the [FIBA Women's ] AfroBasket 2015 in Cameroon because that year was a turning-point in my career and a year my father would have been so proud of me"

"But instead my mother was the happiest woman in Cameroon as her daughter that she long waited 15 years to bring to the world was carrying a whole country in her hands."

"I feel like I had an innate gift that I was born with to run."

"It’s a blessing to be out there, it’s my pas­sion and the joy I bring to many people when I compete, it’s a blessing. Sometimes I reflect and learn from how far I came. I remember running barefoot in Trelawny, and the whole process to where I am now is just awesome."

"I also like to give back in life. I like to make sure the way I live my life I can influence young people."

"I put the pressure on myself because I love what I do."

"When you achieve that dream, it shows anything is possible if you put your mind to it and work hard for it."

"I dreamed, I worked hard, I received."

"I always wanted to be a nurse, ever since I was a child. I was born in Lebanon, you know; we left when I was four years old, during the war. I remember the day we left, actually — I remember getting an injection, and the nurse helping me prepare for it. A few years later — I was seven — I saw a nurse on television and I turned to my father and said, “I want to be a nurse.” He said, “You’re too young to be thinking about this.” But it was always in the back of my mind, and when I started secondary school I insisted on a school with a program in nursing. My mother didn’t accept this at first — my cousins were all doctors, and her idea of a nurse was someone who brought dinner and changed the Pampers on elderly patients. But my father pushed me and helped me get what I wanted. Hamdullah."

"Well, at the same time, I’ve always enjoyed a challenge — I tend to take to the most difficult route. When I go hiking in Jordan or Lebanon, I like the mountains. I like suffering in the mountains."

"Oh yes. I often find myself crying as I do my work, thinking “Oh God, what an end. Whether he’s a good man or a bad man, what an end.” So many times the doctors have asked me, “Nada, why are you crying? Do you know this guy?” But it’s not personal, even. I can’t really explain it. So many of the accidents involve young kids — just boys, really — and they don’t know what they’re dealing with, how dangerous it can be to drive. They don’t think it can happen to them."

"When I’m driving in the city, you’d never believe I’m Nada the rally racer. From the first time I ever drove a car, my father told me, “The street is not for you.” I always remember that — I leave the street to the young boys"

"People are always sure the son is doing right and the daughter is doing wrong. I don’t know what makes people think this way. My parents are good, thank God, but they have to listen to people talk about it all the time."

"Thank God for Sheikha Mozah. She’s done so much for young women and sports. I think I helped open the door for the next generation, too. We women who go first are the ones who have to suffer"

"I was a track rat and was always around cars with my family. I really got excited about the Trans Am series when my dad was running in it in the late 1990s, early 2000s, back when in the days of Tommy Kendall. He raced against him and Paul Gentilozzi and people like that."

"It's great when you get to celebrate and everything is going your way but obviously when things aren't going your way or tensions are high or tempers are flaring, you have to remember at the end of the day that you're family. But I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else. I could, but it makes it all the better that that's who I get to do it with and get to share my experience with."

"I think there's always been more females running than people realize, I think that sometimes you just don't hear about it as much. In today's society people are more accepting of certain things, and they might go more out of their way to accept that a female is good and has proved herself… There's also more equal opportunity now for some of us then there was in the past."

"Our primary goal is to finish the race and get the best finish that we possibly can so hopefully that's a win"

"Driving an 800bhp car is something I, like many other racers, have always dreamt of but I didn’t think I’d ever have the opportunity to do it, so when the team at Renault UK contacted me I jumped at the chance. It was definitely very different to the rally cars I’m used to but was an amazing experience. I could feel myself getting more and more comfortable with the single-seater and being able to speak to Jolyon, driver to driver, also helped when the nerves did kick in."

"After racing and facing the challenges of competing in a male-dominated sport together for many years I was so happy that my friend Pauline was able to share this latest milestone and give me that extra boost. It just goes to show that anyone can fulfil their dreams at any age if they put their mind to it and always follow their passions"

"Rosemary is a truly inspirational racer and woman who so strongly embodies our guiding principle of passion for life, so it was a privilege to help her achieve her dream by driving a Renault Sport Formula One™ Team car as part of our 40th anniversary celebrations. It was great to see her out on track, pushing herself to get everything she could out of the experience."

"It’s not very often you unearth a story like Rosemary's, she's a remarkable woman, a tremendous athlete, and embodies the kind of passion for life we can all learn a lesson or two from. I think this piece of work will resonate with hearts and petrol heads alike."

"Racing has always been a part of the equation. If we not at the racetrack competing, we are watching some form of motorsport on TV. To become a professional racing driver is and always has been the ultimate goal."

"Being chosen as one of the top 18 women around the world to compete in the W Series was the most memorable highlight of my career. I finished the season 10th overall in the championship."

"It (karting) helps me to keep driving fit, seeing as it's extremely physical. In the end, nothing quite compares to the real thing though, and I can't wait to go back real Racing again"

"Don't let anyone tell you, you can't do it. If it's something you want to do and pursue, don't stop until you have reached your full potential. It takes a lot of hard work and determination to make your way up the ladder, so never give up."

"The highs are easy to celebrate, but it's the tougher moments that you need each other for."

"You can feel like the new kid at school when you come into a new team, but everyone has been incredibly welcoming. You've just got to put yourself out there and have the conversations to get to know each other."

"Obviously, times can be tough but I think what's special in team sports is that you have each other's backs through the good times and the bad."

"I want every girl to feel like football’s a place for them, whether they want to coach, play, referee."

"Football has always been about having fun and that’s why I got into it when I was a young girl. You learn lessons about yourself and how you react in different situations."

"When you’re on the pitch, it’s easy to focus. But when you’re away from it, the noise can get quite loud sometimes. It’s just about staying focused and locked in and obviously listening to the people you trust and care about. And not letting it affect you, especially on the pitch."

"Yeah, we’re in the 21st century now – whoever you fall in love with, that’s OK as long as you’re happy."

"I always say that for when I hopefully have kids one day: as long as my kids are happy, I’m happy."

"In terms of diversity in the game, I want to be there front and centre and helping with that."

"Sometimes, don't believe everything you read."

"It's a tough process. It is emotionally and physically draining, and I get all aspects for people, but for me, you can't help who you fall in love with and if you are happy at the end of the day."

"You've just got to be happy. Life can be very short."

"It’s not about fulfilling other people’s expectations; I need to think about me and about what I want to achieve."

"I believe my strengths are my humility and joyfulness."

"I’m still growing, and that pressure is difficult sometimes, but that’s why you need to find physical and mental balance. I try to see everything that has happened to me as a good thing and try to have fun, because playing football is my passion."

"I was brought up never to expect people to say no to me, because if I said I wanted to do something, then I was pushed forward and given as many resources as possible to do it by my family."

"When I was younger, I felt I had to be a rebel to pursue what I wanted to."

"If you want to become a woman footballer you don’t have to be a rebel these days. You can just follow your feet."

"Kids are never the problem; it’s nearly always the parents."

"The boys were embarrassed. There was pressure because they’d been taught that they shouldn’t be beaten by a girl."

"I’ve always been very opinionated. But I was dismissed as being angry."

"When you see somebody that looks like you, you think it’s achievable. If you can’t see it, you can’t be it. So that starts with us being women at the top, but obviously then it’s about being a diverse group of women."

"I was never interested in politics at school, but the more you see the injustice in the world, how can you not have an interest in what’s going on if you care about the community you live in?"

"I can only speak on this as a woman, because that’s my group, but every single woman who has got herself to the point of playing, especially professionally, has had to face misogyny."

"So once you come into our game, there’s no way we would alienate anybody. I don’t think you would say anything in a woman’s changing room that would shock anybody because it’s so open. It’s, be who you are, celebrate who you are, because this is a safe space for you."

"In the book, I speak about, find what you love, then do it, and do it till you’ve got nothing left to give it. If I’m telling people to follow their passions and to be the best versions of themselves, how could I give my life to something that wasn’t along those guidelines?"

"I’m still waiting to find that thing that really sparks something in me."

"I like it because when you think back to key moments, you always remember the music that was playing."

"I didn’t want to be them, and I didn’t want to do what they did. But they still inspired me to be me. And I think that’s the point: that little girl doesn’t have to want to be a footballer, she just has to grow up knowing that she can do what she wants."

"I don’t want to use the word oppression, because it’s really, really harsh. But we’ve been banned, we’ve been constantly told ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that’. But the one thing that we can be is whoever we want – whether you are gay, or you aren’t."

"The split second that they say something can affect you forever. So you’re basically making a choice: do I want to live and just be happy in my bubble and be who I am, safely? Or do I want to stand up and be open about it, but then have to be strong enough to repel all of that negativity?"

"Nothing makes me feel the way football or music do. But you choose which song you want to put on… football is out of your control."

"We know how well sport has served us…the health benefits, the self-confidence…we want to make sure that’s accessible and provided as an opportunity to these younger people because it’s slowly, slowly being put backwards on the priority list."

"Being so heavily involved in sport was the best thing that ever could have happened to me going through school."

"When I look back now, when I look at the insecurities of girls that weren’t active, I never had those worries, I never had the worry of getting changed in the changing room and not liking my body, because I knew I was strong and powerful."

"Even if someone else might not have liked the way I looked, to me I was fit, I was healthy, and I looked a way that I was happy with because I knew what I was doing made me happy."

"'Love is love' - I say it all the time and people are starting to get a bit annoyed I think. It's very transferable to a lot of situations."

"But it's true, being a woman in this life is hard."

"Spending time with loved ones. Time is such a precious thing."

"I expect standards from the group, I see myself as the driver, because I am so competitive, you have to keep pushing to be better year in, year out."

"We are not robots. We need time to recover, to perform for the fans."

"You can’t be predictable, having the freedom to recognise and assess different options rather than being robots and sticking to strict plans is super important in our development."

"The memory gives you motivation and that little bit of fire inside when you need it."

"Just seeing smiles on people's faces and cheering, whether it be a tackle, a goal, the end or the start of the game. As a player, what more could you wish for?"

"That's why the fans are vital to us. That's why it's important after the games to embrace them and to get that connection because we need them in every game."

"It’s important for young girls to see the sport succeeding. They can actually say, ‘I’m gonna be a pro-footballer.’"

"I went through school with people thinking negatively of me for playing football with the boys. I wasn’t scared to be different."

"We will consistently fight to be at the top and live in that pressure because that's where we're at our best."

"But it’s hard to think about being partnered with a company or representing a product that I don’t totally believe in. That’s really hard for me. It’s my name, and I get to choose what I attach it to. So I’m pretty selective, which I know is a luxury not every athlete has, so I’m super fortunate."

"Stay true to yourself and focus on your craft. It’s so cliché, but it’s true. Don’t get caught up stressing about sponsorships."

"Focus on being the best player you can be."

"So for a young athlete, my advice is to stay patient, focus on being the best you can be, and everything else will fall into place. Everyone’s path is different, so just be you."

"I've said it a lot to the team and to the press: pressure is a privilege. The expectations that we have, the standards that we hold, the mentality of this team… it's a privilege to be on this team. You don’t get that anywhere else."

"There have been so many women before me who’ve paved the way for my journey and yet there’s more work to be done for the next generation."

"The route that I chose and everything that I experienced, has led me to this point and has made me the player that I am today. I don’t regret anything and I’m very happy with all my choices."

"I think one of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned is no matter what is happening throughout your career, everything that you’re going through—ups, downs, losses, titles, whatever— to remember why you’re playing the game."

"To bring yourself back to reality, remember why you’re playing and how much you love this game. That’s why you started playing it. That’s something that I always go back to whenever I’m having certain moments."

"No matter how high the highs are, you always come back down and it’s a hard place to be in, especially when you’re in the lowest of lows as well. It’s a hard thing to manage. Professional athletes have a hard time with it mentally. It’s difficult especially because your career is so short."

"“I wasn’t one who looked for it, I didn’t know I was getting it, I was very honoured when I was told I was"

""This was for my tennis and I think it was a long time coming and I’m very honoured … We did nothing but play for our nation"."

""I was used as a high profile person to get some opinions and views across – but I have nothing against homosexual people or transgender people"."

"Everything we have in life is a choice. That’s the freedom God gave us. That’s their choice. I don’t hate them for their choice"

"I think a lot of it is because of being a minister and making a stand for my beliefs. I have had a lot of bullying. But we should be able to say what we believe. I’ve got nothing against anybody"

""I’ve admired her as a player … But I don’t think she has ever admired me"."

"I’ve just got more confidence in myself now. Everyone’s going to love you or hate you; it’s a game of opinions and I had to learn that."

"If you’re looking at the human rights side and LGBTQ+, it’s not ideal hosting it in a country where not every fan will feel safe, where not every fan will feel able to go and feels comfortable."

"We’re talking about being supported and being treated the same as the men, but they’re playing in a country where the women’s team doesn’t really exist."

"Nothing comes for free in life, but I thought I had earned a certain amount of respect, but maybe that wasn’t the case."

"I had a natural aggression to the game. I have a temperament."

"As a girl, you were always told you were not supposed to be able to live from football. Adults try to tell kids to choose the right way, but what they knew as normal when they were kids doesn’t necessarily mean it was normal when we grew up. It was a goal to prove them wrong, and eventually developed to: ‘I want to show that I can live from it.’"

"During the years your brain has learned to read the movements of the body. Football is played with your head: you need confidence, to be smart, to make the right decisions. This feeling of thrill is why I do it."

"They didn’t choose it, the situation, and it’s hard for humans who have to flee for their lives. We start wars. The people who suffer from it come to new countries but nobody has the capacity, or even the will, to help them."

"Then you have kids again in this situation who can’t do anything about it. Kids are supposed to be kids. This is not the only big problem we have in the world today when it comes to being human to each other."

"To do something is better than to pretend it’s not there and to do nothing."

"I was very fortunate to grow up in the family that I did. I had a mom and dad who were extremely focused toward gender equality. I would call my dad a little feminist sometimes."

"We need to put the same demands on young girls in order for them to feel seen. We don’t take young girls as seriously as we do young boys. And as a footballer, I can see that the end product is not going to be the same quality as it is with the men. We’re just behind, you know?"

"We’ve come a long way, but there’s still such a long way to go, and is it happening at the pace we want it to happen? I don’t think so. You have all these young girls, and it’s about getting them in an environment where they can practice the sport. And I think we failed a little bit."

"The world of football is not just about football; it’s a game of power, gender equality, democracy, and a lot of politics as well."

"I take a lot of responsibility in terms of using my platform to carry the sport into the right direction. Because I know that you’ve had trailblazers before me. Pioneers, grandmothers, mothers. Amazing, badass women who fought for us to get to the place where we’re at today, and I genuinely think that we need to carry that responsibility to make room for the next generation."

"It’s important to say that, in order to be able to be ambitious, or to reach goals, you also need to create an environment where people can stand up, have their opinions and not be put in a box and I am quite confident that I’m coming back into an environment where I will be allowed to be myself."

"As long as you keep consistency in the way you work and in the way you think and are always thinking positively and have a nice little offensive spirit you will get there."

"In some countries, it's more difficult because of society. In some minds and some ways of thinking, it is not acceptable to see a woman playing football or doing sports."

"Again, without money you can't do anything but when you have the money you have to be able to put it in the right place."

"As long as everyone has the same vision and a willingness to pull in the same direction, then we can achieve something great."

"I listen to my body a lot, that’s what experience and the injuries I’ve had have taught me."

"Whenever I faced a setback, that's what I was thinking about, to dust myself off and get back to work."

"We have to see how we can take women's football to the next level. But it can't just be about the money either, otherwise football loses its values."

"I panicked, and thought I will have so many regrets if I don’t keep chasing my racing career. And just like that, W Series dropped out of the sky. That was the beginning of a whole new chapter."

"F1 was always my goal and although I planned to be there as a driver, I got there in a different shape and form which is fine. That was the most mind-blowing thing to me"

"“Since I was very young, I’ve looked up to Lewis Hamilton. He was, for me, the only, call it ‘identifiable’ role model that I had in my career, so he held a special place in my heart and you know, I have always been motivated to do as well as he’s done, and hopefully be that identifiable role model to someone else, thanks to him.”"

"There weren’t many girls or people of color. I didn’t feel like I fit in, and the idea of being compared with my counterparts was frightening.“If little girls turn on the TV, they’ll see my face … If I was wearing a helmet, they probably wouldn’t.” (Talking about being visible as a woman in motorsport, and how being without the helmet matters for visibility.)"

"People aren’t always going to enjoy change, change is most often met with resistance, but it has been good. There’s been a lot of support which has surprised me … You’re going to face that criticism, but it doesn’t change the way I feel. I love motorsport and I feel grateful to be there … keyboard warriors … but … everyone I work with … has been great."

"It’s a sport that should be available to men and women to compete equally. There’s very few sports where that’s the case."

"It’s definitely challenging as a young female driver trying to overcome those physical barriers,"

"As a young girl, you don’t look at it as, ‘I can do this,’ because there’s no one doing it"

"As a young girl, you don’t look at it as, I can do this, because there’s no one doing it, I’m a big believer of having more women, not just as drivers but mechanics and engineers"

"I want to be a part of this next step of getting more and more females in the door. And even if I don’t make it, hopefully there’s a whole crop of young talent that’s coming through that I can help."

"I never looked back in the race, It’s one of those things, it’s hard to explain … It happens once in a lifetime. You say to yourself: ‘If I get into this corner first and lead the race I’m going to win."

"In my era, there were so few women that were racing at my level, You never really thought about yourself as: ‘I’m a woman in this race.’ You don’t think of yourself as something else. I was always the underdog because I never had funding and I was always given these cars to drive without any practice — I was always thrown in the deep end. For me it was always a concentration of what I was doing in this race car."

"The biggest problem is there’s never really enough funding for a woman to complete all the steps, It’s opportunity, what team you’re in, the funding you have and so forth. I was expecting someone to come up when I saw one or two drivers come up that had a fair amount of talent, but they never quite got to where they needed to go."

"We don’t count the years. We count the caps."

"There are more important things than money."

"I wish every gay footballer can come out and be accepted by everybody."

"Society makes it really hard for the men but if you colour your hair green or red I don’t care. It’s your life."

"I don’t have a problem with people talking to me and then asking for a picture. I don’t like it if they just take a picture. Then I feel like an animal in the zoo."

"I’m a fan of working for [equality] and lots of teams are putting the effort in and playing good football … If we keep doing that we’ll get people in the stadiums and then we can fight for better conditions off the field."

"It’s vital to have that mix of youth and experience."

"I will never forget my origin and the friends who still live there"

"Believe in themselves, have fun, and don’t be afraid to do what they want to do."

"The Indy 500 made me realize that life and racing careers are too short not to go for it"

"My interest and passion is to continue to break new ground in motorsports. I’ve been proactive over the last year in thinking about what I want to do in my career and how I can accomplish those things."

"All those expectations just mean that people believe in me."

"I wanted to be a player that, when I got the ball, people were on the edge of their seats."

"I don’t want anyone to feel like they don’t fit in, or it’s not good to be different or [that], like, there is a normal—because there’s not."

"I was like, okay, wait, maybe I like my curls. I’m going to leave them and learn how to style them."

"I would do photoshoots and they would require me to have a bubble braid in, and I was like, ‘No, this is my hair. I can wear my hair how I want."

"You don’t have to have your hair a certain way."

"If things are out of your control, you just have to deal with it and make the most out of every situation."

"The best thing for my mental health is to be in the moment right now, and to take each day as it is."

"I realized soccer was my favorite sport the second I touched the soccer ball and realized that you could be so free and creative and be yourself."

"Let your mind take a rest and just go to a calm, happy place – that’s not stressful. Doing that has helped me become the best version of myself, on and off the field."

"To become the best in the world I have to try and get better every day. I have to put myself in uncomfortable and challenging positions. I have to never be satisfied with where I am."

"I still want more from myself – a lot more."

"Remain humble, stay focused and just do the best you can."

"The most important thing is belief and we’ve always believed in ourselves and our capabilities."

"We believe our best is good enough at the end of the day."

"I always try to empower others and embrace the opportunities, and encourage everyone in the Caribbean."

"Track and field was a big thing on sports day, that’s the thing most Jamaicans do, but when we used to have track-and-field classes I would be creeping over to the football area."

"I hope I can inspire others by playing football."

"The problem starts with the moment people think that sport is something only for men, when they don’t even realise that these are discriminatory statements"

"Throughout my life I have heard comments of this kind. This is because society is reluctant to accept that women can be more than housewives."

"I’m of the opinion that Angolan clubs don’t invest enough in the women’s game, not even investors"

"Not to be arrogant, but I know I’ve got the qualities to have made it my tournament."

"I’m the last one to shout for it being the same game as the men’s game because I think the money in the men’s game is absolutely ridiculous and I don’t think we should ever want to get there."

"The beautiful and pure thing about women’s football is that the motivations and the happiness lies more in the team working well."

"I will never say that I want women’s football to be exactly the same as men’s football."

"The great thing is that women’s football is still very emotional and pure. There is much less hatred in many areas."

"I hope it grows [but] then you probably end up in a difficult situation sometimes. That is part of growth and you have to deal with it well."

"I also want to show children that you can do more than one thing, more than just being a footballer."

"If you’re in a position to speak up, to raise issues, I think you should."

"It’s much more difficult to change one’s mindset about homosexuality when they’re in their 20s, rather than when they’re only children and can understand that it’s just normal."

"We know that is a big step, there’s a big difference between men’s and women’s football, but the aim will always be that it should be equal. And that’s what we want to fight for until we stop playing, and maybe also after."

"It’s important to be able to feel that you can be yourself."

"But I believe today a lot of girls regard women’s players as idols now and that’s great."

"If young girls are looking at me, and my path to get here, I hope they get inspired to do the same."

"Everything can happen as long as you work hard for it."

"So you were given the feeling that women’s football wasn’t that important. I had to fight to have the possibility to train with the boys, because you either had to fight for that or move somewhere else."

"We see a big difference at such an early age where boys have great opportunities to get into an academy and have the best coaches, to learn about football at an early age. Girls don’t have this. They’re often coached by their parents for a long time and from an early age it starts to be unequal. A lot of clubs should have their focus on it because it all starts there."

"You’re in a position where you have to take some decisions that might not be comfortable, but you need to do them anyway."

"I also think we’re seeing good competition in women’s football now: you start to see a lot of men’s teams creating a women’s team because it brings value to have one."

"It’s all about having people that believe in the product and that includes us."

"For me, football has no gender and we need to keep investing in women’s football to allow it to grow."

"It will only keep growing as long as people will invest in it. The more girls can train, have a career in football and make a living out of it, the better the sport will develop."

"We need to keep investing. Make it more equal, with equal pay, equal prizes, equal pitches, equal staff…"

"All of this matters because if we can give better resources to young girls, allow them to focus only on football and not on finding a job to live. A lot of players today still have jobs beside their careers because we are far from equal football."

"If we have more players spending time playing football without having to have a part-time job, the final product can only get better."

"We will go into every game with the biggest respect for our opponent and that’s what you need to do if you want to win."

"I do what feels best for me and not what is expected from me."

"Every game is important"

"I feel like we’ve inspired the next generation in Sweden, not only girls, but also boys."

"I feel like the body just wants to rest and it’s not really allowed to rest so much."

"I wanted to be out of my comfort zone and be pushed, mentally, physically on the field."

"Those crowds just show how far women’s football has come."

"It’s great to see women’s clubs doing so well."

"Playing with the boys definitely helped me physically."

"If I didn’t start with the boys I don’t think I would be the player I am today. I had to be stronger and faster, otherwise you couldn’t keep up."

"I played with them until I was 12 or so and I say to young girls these days to try and stay with the boys as long as you can."

"Football is also a sacrifice. I realised nothing really comes easy. I didn’t really have much of a social life, or friends you would say."

"I don’t really listen to outside noise."

"The bigger you get, the more criticism you get."

"Since I was a young girl, times have changed, but when I was a little girl, I would play with the boys and I was the only girl in the team, but I had a great time."

"The boys all accepted me and I think they also liked the fact that I was in their team."

"I always thought I would just prove myself."

"After the match, they would often say to me that they had never played against a girl, but that they thought I was actually pretty good. That was quite special."

"When you play with boys, it’s different because of their speed, the way they handle the ball and their strength. I really learned a lot from that and it has also made me a better player."

"From the start, my own mindset has been that I would give anything to make it. I’m just going to make it."

"I just think for me it’s a respect thing. The men get paid a ridiculous amount of money but it’s also the most interesting and entertaining sport to watch. It’s attractive to sponsor that and be involved in it for many companies so I do think they have all the right to have so much money going into that side of the game."

"I know so many girls who used to be studying, working and playing football all at the same time. If you take that weight off then it means the female players can fully focus on being elite athletes."

"Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to play football."

"Nothing would make me happier than seeing kids aiming high, never giving up and most of all, remembering to enjoy every moment. Loving the game is a must whenever you’re out there on the pitch."

"I may be small, but I am strong, and I want to show that."

"There weren't any girls' teams when I first started playing so me and another girl played with the boys."

"When it comes to physical confrontation, we are slightly disadvantaged, that is why we need to and I have to make the best use of my speed."

"I always try and take the time with fans because you never really know what that moment can do for someone, and how that moment can change the trajectory of their career or their school life or whatever it is."

"There are always challenges, but stepping outside of your comfort zone is how you grow."

"I feel like my identity was so wrapped up in soccer, and then when the game is kind of taken away from you, you start questioning."

"In football, you have to enjoy it when you’re playing. If you don’t enjoy it you will struggle."

"Football is all about confidence, if you’re not confident you won’t enjoy it. I enjoy the game."

"I just want to make it a habit by scoring in each game."

"Not everyone can appreciate, but people who know football will understand. Don’t follow Facebook coaches; give them the team to go and win games. A Facebook coach is just good at talking. A supporter just talks anyhow."

"Don’t stop supporting us like you have always been doing, we promise to do our level best in order not to disappoint you."

"Cry in the beginning, so you can smile at the end."

"This shows that women’s soccer has been growing. This shows that women’s soccer is a product that gives profit, that gives enjoyment to watch."

"Women’s football is relying on you to survive. Think about it, value it more."

"I’m constantly striving for the next thing, the next victory, the next landmark in my career. I suppose it’s one of the best assets, but it also means I’m never truly satisfied with what I have or what I have just achieved."

"I’ve always had the view that, when I’ve retired and I look back on my career, then I’ll be happy and proud of my achievements."

"But while I’m in the thick of it, it’s always about, ‘What can I do next? What is the next thing I haven’t won or the mission I haven’t completed?’"

"I wanted to be playing with the best players in the world and learn a different style of the game. I’ve found another way to enjoy football. I’ve fallen in love with football again."

"Having already played abroad, I know it’s so important to be able to communicate. I want to speak to everyone, I want to be friends with everyone, so it’s important that I learn."

"That feeling of winning is so addictive. And the feeling of not winning is super horrible as well – I’m not a great loser."

"There was no stereotypical roles in my household and I think that allowed both myself and my siblings to be raised in a way like that where there was no judgement. It was just support."

"There’s now a place for women in the game to speak about their journeys and what has happened to them on the way. I think small changes are being addressed but for me I think a lot of what we see is more token gestures."

"If you want to get rid of any discrimination you have to really go to the heart of it and it can’t be about doing things because they look nice or enhance somebody’s reputation. It has to be heartfelt and there needs to be a desire to actually make a real change to the game behind the scenes."

"There’s part of you as a female athlete where you have to be grateful for what you get but also pushing to get more."

"Naturally, you’re just always looking for the best in everything you do and football is no different. We want it to be a huge spectacle."

"It’s important for experienced players to remember that younger players are aspiring to be like you and will copy your actions as well as what you say."

"People write you off as a right back. The superstar is the striker or the playmaker."

"I think it’s easy to take motivation from other people. When people have great things to say about you, who doesn’t like that."

"Everyone loves the accolades, everyone loves people saying “oh you’re the best player” but what happens when that stops? Where are you going to get your motivation from? You have to have your own motivation to be able to keep you at the top."

"People aren’t going to like you 24/7, people don’t like me 24/7."

"I think if you stop and look too much at those accolades, you might forget that there’s always more you can do."

"There’s always another trophy to win."

"As I’ve got older I’ve realised that I don’t need to prove myself every single minute and wind people up by doing it."

"I think it’s important to feel confident in what you’re wearing, so now I take the approach that I’m going to wear something because I think it looks cool. I don’t care what anybody else thinks."

"The most important thing is that little kids, little girls have a dream they can accomplish now."

"Your freedom is different. People are watching you without you having any idea that people are watching you."

"To reach the top is easy, but staying there is hard. You have to keep working hard while also taking care of yourself."

"And you should always want to have more, wanting to be the best. You should always want to improve yourself, because it doesn't come naturally."

"“Personally, I feel honored to be with Milan for the second season. We’ve been working as a group and I know the efforts that the technical team has put in and the task that they have in the team. And I feel very blessed to be a part of Milan also in the second half of the season.”"

"“In my opinion, in the previous games that we lost, especially also in the Derby, they didn’t go our way. We need to also give credit to Inter as they are a good team and also we are also an equally good team. So when we played and played to win, it’s just unfortunate that the results didn’t go our way.”"

"“With the game against Empoli, is also going to be a difficult one. We know they are also a good team like any other team in the league. So it’s a good chance for us to redeem ourselves as a team and to focus on the positives that we are going out there to get”"

"“Training in Manchester, I realized that playing football is what I want to do. It was where I realized my dream of being a footballer. And when I moved to Australia, where I played for Canberra United, it was my first professional contract. And with that I got an eye opener on how it is to be a professional, how to behave and how it is to play at the highest level.”"

"“Playing at the San Siro has always been my dream, and I know it’s every footballer’s dream to play in such an iconic stadium. And despite the results that we got against Juventus, I think we played well as a team.""

"“And those memories will stay with us, despite the defeat. We always want to play in the best stadiums. We always want to play in the best countries, and given that opportunity by Milan, we’ll always be grateful.”"

"“After my football career, I’m hoping to give back to the community. I’m hoping to probe into young talents, and I want to use my experiences that I’ve got in football to change people’s lives.”"

"“We realised that we achieved a dream and we are also giving an opportunity to other youngsters to be able to dream because we realised that with perseverance, hard work and discipline, nothing is impossible.”"

"“The nickname ‘Fifi’ is cut from Refiloe. So instead of seeing the whole of ‘Refiloe’, we just take too the ‘Fi’ and make it ‘Fifi’, so it’s a short way of saying ‘Refiloe’.”"

"They call me the 'Breadwinner', so without the breadwinner there is no bread, I had to provide the bread for the nation."

"I will be able to do everything for my mother because I’m the one who’s taking care of her. I’m the breadwinner, so I will be doing everything for my mother."

"It really means a lot especially knowing that we were so close to going home but it really means a lot. It is an emotional one personally because it is my first World Cup. It is really an emotional one, I do not want to lie but it’s all God’s glory for me. It means I will be able to help my family."

"I've heard so many stories of older men and women - because it's not just men, it's a whole generation - who say they won't watch women's football and then they come and watch you play and say 'wow, that was really good'."

"Before, I was so worried about doing the same as everyone else, always comparing: ‘She’s on the training pitch so I need to go on the training pitch today,’ and then I’d just break down eventually."

"It is understanding my body, knowing when I need to take an extra day recovery, knowing when I need to do more recovery; like now I do recovery every day."

"Women's football has such a platform now. It can only go from strength to strength. I just hope it encourages girls who might not have taken up the game to do it now."

"People tweet me saying they have just seen me in town. It's great. But I just want to get on with the football. Just enjoy it - that's all I want to do."

"It’s always good to think things through and not react in the heat of the moment."

"I’m the captain, if I don’t speak, who will speak?"

"I know I’m taking a risk, but if I don’t take it, who is going to take it?"

"I hope that women's football will become global as there are no longer any taboos surrounding it. The stereotype that "boys should play football and girls do gymnastics" is in the past. Now the norms have changed, and anything is possible."

"As captain, it is important to wear the armband. But when it is necessary to speak up and put your fist on the table, you have to do it also."

"I’ve had to bear the consequences of an act that I didn’t provoke, which I didn’t choose or premeditate. I’ve received threats and that’s something which you will never get used to."

"For me, mental health is as important as the daily training, as much as the hours I have to sleep to be able to go out onto the pitch."

"There were moments where I didn’t remember I was a footballer."

"As a person who wanted to leave Spain at the top, but above all, as someone who tried to change many ways of thought. Luckily or not, there’s this story, but I will learn to experience it positively to fight for what I think is good in society."

"We have played the football as we wanted but I still think we are not aware of what we have achieved."

"If I want something, I go after it no matter how many times I fail and knock myself against the wall."

"Our philosophy as a team is to always be united and do as we feel. 'This is how we've achieved everything so far."

"Even if I were born again, I’d still play football."

"I want to develop individually but there is also the need for us to make women’s sport more popular."

"Hopefully it triggers a chain reaction and more girls dream of becoming a footballer."

"But because of my passion and love for football, I was able to follow my dream."

"My mother was very supportive. I was playing with other boys my age from a young age and was much better than them, so my mum wasn’t too fussed."

"Yes, and I loved playing on a team with boys. I was welcomed at every club, they accepted me and I always felt at home. Playing against boys definitely helped develop my athleticism, my reaction time and my aggressiveness."

"We mustn’t underestimate the opposition."

"Sara Däbritz: "A super performance with lots of goals" by dfb. Retrieved 16/11/2023."

"I would now like to step up as a leader in the team and keep developing. I want to use my abilities to strengthen the team."

"I always say that you have to believe in your dreams."

"Also, you have to enjoy what you are doing because when you are having fun there is a lot of things that come automatically.”"

"It's felt like the right place, the place I want to be and most importantly, the place where I've been showing some of my best football."

"From the moment I arrived, I just loved every minute of being here."

"It’s just been nice for me to settle in one place. I have been on the go for so long. It's nice to have a place to call home."

"You want to fight and you want to give everything every time you put it on and I think that's the special thing of it. You represent this club and you're part of the family now."

"Every day you can only get better, you have to be consistent, you have to be improving, to be in the starting team or to get game-time."

"To win the World Cup is the pinnacle of the sport."

"It’s hard because sometimes I think with social media people put out what they want people to see. I’m trying to get more comfortable with putting out what is actually there and not always just the super-positive stuff or how people maybe envision what I’m like."

"I chose to put my proceeds towards getting more women involved in leadership roles in football, which I think is important, especially as a woman in football myself. Just having coaches or people working on technical staff, even physios… just having women in that environment alongside men is important."

"I think when people are able to bring that passion and they’re able to enjoy what they do it carries over onto other people."

"I think it was. I think growing up very shy, it was easier for me to block out things going on around me and that’s very helpful when you’re on the balance beam and there’s a million different things going on. I just could very naturally do that. And it really became a skill."

"I would say that I figured out a way to kind of combat the negative thoughts. It’s not that they didn’t come in. But I would really try very hard when those negative thoughts were coming in, I would immediately thinnk of two things that were positive and I would force myself to try to push that negative thought to the curb … and it’s not always easy and didn’t always happen 100% of the time but I tried really hard to stay focused on the positive."

"I look back at my career and I am so thankful for all of the small things that my parents did. I think the best thing that they did was make sure I knew that I was loved for being me, not for gymnastics, not for awards but they were going to love me regardless of any of that."

"What my mom would say to me is that people will remember who you are, for the kind of person you are, rather than what grade you get on a test, or if you win a soccer game or a basketball game."

"Your teammates will remember you for the type of teammate you were. I think who you are when you don't win and how you support your teammates says so much more about you than who you are when you win"

"I had no idea how much support I would receive or how much support so many of my teammates and other brave people who spoke out would get"

"The more that we can be honest and talk about if we're struggling, or we're feeling self-conscious, and we can normalize that conversation, I think we'd be surprised how many other people actually feel self-conscious, too,"

"I think for me, the biggest thing was my integrity being on the line, my integrity being questioned essentially. I didn’t win the Olympics with special treatment. I didn’t want to be there with special treatment."

"That was a moment that I was proud of because everyone constantly says, ‘Oh, you’re not strong.’ ‘You’re too this.’ ‘You’re too that.’ But to show that, yeah, I’m not physically the strongest one there, but I still was able to do something like that was a moment that made me proud."

"I wanted to give them that feeling of you are special, you are incredible, No matter what your accomplishments are, you are just as good as everybody else. I wanted them to feel like they were competing at the Olympics and now that they had made it, this is your moment, now just go out there and enjoy."

"The priority for me as a captain has always been to build a team where age doesn’t matter."

"For me, having this open dialogue is what allows us to speak our minds frankly on the pitch. As a team, I can sense a growing unity, where everyone’s voice is heard. I think we’re becoming a unit that can fight hard and push in one direction."

"But whatever you tell them, the youngsters are always going to feel the nerves. I think my job is to help them ride the wave until they, too, can relax and truly enjoy the game."

"I think when you turn pro, it becomes so much more important to take care of your body."

"There are so many incredible players on the national team. They feed me the ball and then I can feed them the ball. Honestly, they make me look good."

"Growing up, I always loved the creative side of the game."

"I’m not thinking in that moment. When I’m playing my best, I’m free flowing. I’m just doing what I feel is on, finding the space naturally."

"The confidence you have in yourself is going to be the thing to get where you want to go. Rely on that confidence in yourself and not someone else’s opinion of you."

"When a child is that young, you need him, but he also needs you"

"Everything around us has an influence too. Knowing your loved ones are OK has an impact on your play. Having them here with me is hugely beneficial, and I hope it shows on the pitch."

"When you’ve experienced this before, you’re less likely to let things faze you. It gives you a certain peace of mind when you go out and compete."

"Being a mother changes your life."

"That aside, my experience is that of any mother or father - it’s about organising your life and relishing the time you spend with him. Bringing him up the best you can."

"To perform to your best, you obviously need to train well, but you also need a whole load of things beyond that: you need to rest properly, eat the right food, enjoy your free time… I need to be with my son, and he needs to be with me. Until now, it’s not something that had been considered, maybe because the situation hadn’t arisen. But I’m thankful for it."

"Attack is the best form of defence for us. We have good players who can keep the ball well and create chances so that's the best thing we can do, by sticking to our game and keeping possession."

"We've always had the same mentality, we've always worked hard from the start and up until today it's been the same."

"We've always given our best and we're not changing anything."

"I think every player wants to be better"

"I’m just trying to make my best, to play good football, to adapt to the team and to get along with the fans."

"We know that we’re a good team with good quality. Hopefully, we can achieve a lot."

"Ultimately, when things start to improve, your ambitions do, too."

"Nowadays you have a lot of tools and a better economy to be able to take good care of yourself, not before."

"It doesn’t mean that I am overly cautious at every meal, it means that if I have had a bad dinner, the next day I have to take good care of myself. It’s not that I’m strict, it’s that I try to take care of myself."

"There is no secret, it is of all of us: we always want to win. It’s ambition. I want to win every game, I train a lot for it."

"When you miss what you love the most, you start to value other things much more."

"My job is to play football and these are details that I shouldn’t get involved in but people in power who organise things make it [running women’s football] more complicated than it is."

"See, while football is a team game, and any achievement within it is reliant on working as a group, no matter which way you flip it it’s still made up of individuals – success is just based on whether these individuals manage to form a cohesive unit."

"When you are younger you obviously have different taste and likes than when you are an adult."

"At the end of the day, the life of a sportsperson is relatively short, we invest so many hours on it."

"I started gaining confidence as I have grown up, I gained experience, I gained moments, which when you find yourself in that situation again you know what to expect, you know how to act and how to resolve it."

"I think it is essential, you are never going to be more real than being yourself."

"There are people that don’t know how to find their identity and the things they like, you need to experiment, try new things. Try new clothes, try a new hairstyle, but most importantly have what ever makes you comfortable."

"At the end of the day is all about being yourself and feeling comfortable in your own skin."

"I have always been very competitive so when it comes to motivation, I haven’t really needed much motivation other than wanting to win."

"I always want to win no matter what."

"There is always room for improvement, always. Everything can be improved."

"Making the transition from player to coach was really difficult, I’m not going to lie. There is not a lot of women coaching because when we’re done, we just want to have families. But because I have so much passion I want to stay in the game, I choose to give back to the young ladies."

"I love to see women excel, it is not every woman that is in my position or the position to come to this big event, she says."

"I tell them about what I do when I’m down, how to get out of my own head. I give them a lot of wisdom."

"The Commission plays a vital role in representing the voices and interests of athletes in our sport, and I am committed to continuing the work done by my predecessor,"

"I hope to continue to inspire female athletes all around the world that if you want to have a kid and you want to come back and be at the top of the world, you can, you can absolutely do that and today’s a testament to that."

"Now I’m older and a more important player. And while that brings pressure with it, I like it too."

"I do play better when I have a sense of freedom on the pitch. Any time I’ve got that, I’m happy."

"We’re comfortable, we have fun and we’re successful."

"I feel that everyone has their own thing about them that makes them unique."

"It is strange but I’m proud to be considered a role model. It’s almost weird to hear those words but they mean a lot."

"I wouldn’t say I’m looking for attention or the spotlight, no. I’d say that if I deserve the spotlight because of how I’m playing then I’d want it but for me I’m driven over good performances rather than looking for attention."

"I’m focused on playing well rather than searching for fame or anything like that."

"Pressure! No, I’m pretty chilled. I go game by game, week to week rather than setting goals."

"A lot of people set targets and that works for them but for me I just live in the moment."

"My focus is always on that particular game and that moment. I try not to think beyond that."

"I don’t like to tell myself “you need to score ten times”."

"I love football so much but it’s also important for me to switch off in order to perform well. I need to switch off after training so that I am mentally fresh for the next session."

"I basically live in the moment, game by game."

"I want to be one of the best players in the world. That’s my goal, that’s what I want to achieve."

"It’s so important to be yourself and follow those ambitions. Regardless of what people say."

"It’s important for me to have fun. On the pitch, off the pitch and cerebrate if you win."

"I’m loud when it comes to celebrating. I like to be around people after a game."

"When you come home and you’ve won, you’ll be energetic and to go back to a quiet place with all that adrenaline going is not for me. I like to hang out with the other girls, chill and just enjoy the win."

"People expect a lot of me, which is normal and I also want them to, but I am still one of the youngest here."

"I know that on my day I can be unstoppable. But it’s important to do that every single week without fail."

"I do put a lot of pressure on myself to perform. I think that’s only natural."

"I’m my own worst critic and I can recognise that."

"It’s important to focus on getting better and trying not to add pressure because ultimately, when I’m enjoying it I play my best football week in, week out."

"I still need to remind myself that I’m still so young. Sometimes I put too much pressure on myself to perform when there’s still so much time."

"I’ve said to myself, Lauren, if you do pick up trophies you do need to take a moment to remember how far you’ve come, because those moments don’t come around too often."

"The realization of returning to our local league, a goal I thought was impossible after almost 13 years abroad, has been achieved"

"I feel blessed, I feel fulfilled, and I feel all my hard work is there for the world to see. It means everything to me."

"You know, it’s often said that if you’re not making waves, no-one talks about you, but the moment you get some forward momentum, you’ll attract criticism as well as praise."

"We are grateful for this unexpected gesture because for several years we’ve been winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) and I can’t remember us being honoured or rewarded this way,"

"When you do something good, they will show appreciation, and when you don’t do well, they will still show it – they will forget the good things you’ve been doing, so that’s how it"

"Nigeria is a country where the public appreciate good things"

"I’m just happy we were able to put a smile on their faces"

"Super Falcons grateful for FG’s $10,000 per player reward: Osinachi Ohale, Gazette, 23 August 2023 by Victor Olurumfeni"

"“I think I’m okay. I’m fine, thank you,”"

"There’s nobody here for the day out. To be able to go home with a medal is fantastic. It’s not a personal best, there is more in me, but any day I can throw over 30 is a good day really. I am gaining on her (Nassima Saifi) all the time and the plan is to close the gap and maybe some day take her down. We’ll have to put more work in and see where we can get more distance out of it."

"I am so pleased to get a personal best in this event and I am over the moon with a silver"

"Those girls I was racing against are specialists in breaststroke so to go against them in my ‘fun’ event was really exciting. I have had to do a lot more events than other swimmers so to get silver, I could not ask for more. I have not had a season’s best in that event this season, so hopefully this is the gala where I get it."

"I happy to say that I am a part of England Netball under17."

"University is going to be brilliant! It will provide opportunities and experiences you couldn't have imagined. Use your time wisely and make the most of what you can get while you still can."

"It builds confidence when you see someone else coming from your background who was in a similar position to you achieving in their given field. It's vital that we all have something to aspire to! Sometimes you need to see it to believe it."

"I think with 'role models' it's key to understand that you don't have to be just like them to be great. Underestimating the worth of being the best version of yourself and taking the qualities you possess for granted are big mistakes!"

"I take influence from their ambition! Athletics is a sport in which you have to stand up for yourself with conviction in your actions regardless of what others around you are doing. That passion for being and doing better is highly influential and carries over into my daily 9-5 work too."

"Ihave a lot of respect for Lewis Hamilton. He is standing up against racism and helping to get across an important message within an environment where he could easily step back, keep quiet and follow the status-quo. Stormzy has donated £500,000 to fund educational scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and will provide £10m to black British causes over the next ten years. Again, it's not just about the amount of money, but the fact that he is choosing to use his platform for sustainable change that makes this inspiring."

"It is my life’s work as a wellness coach, yoga instructor and personal trainer to inspire those who work with me to realise their best self ever."

"My passion is to find a balance between living a full productive, healthy life as a woman, as a wife and as a friend. It is my mission to help you do the same."

"Teresa Moodie. im a fun loving hard working mom of a teenager."

"Speaking on her new role as JET’s CEO Dr. Rodriguez-Moodie explained, “Growing up I always had a deep passion for the environment and its sustainability. As the activist Wangari Maathai once said – if we cannot sustain the environment, we cannot sustain ourselves. I have always admired JET’s work, and it is an honour to now be leading this amazing organization. I have a vision of a clean and healthy Jamaican environment, and I am looking forward to working with JET’s staff, membership, and other stakeholders to achieve that. We intend to continue to build greater awareness and understanding, so others will be as concerned as we are, we need all hands on deck."

""I set my goals and achieved them because we trained well and were ready. The only problem we faced is that we had to travel to Mozambique with a car and arrived there tired and fatigued which had an impact on our performances,”"

"I thought I could do something with it." Three years down the line, Morake sees herself as the beginning of women's boxing in the country."

"When it started there was not much - we didn't have women in the BDF (Botswana Defence Force) or football and everybody is now following."

"So this is just the beginning. I'm the beginning of women's boxing in the country."

"I am happy to have won the championship. Many people have improved, the last time I played here there were not many woman candidate masters, today we have about three kids with those titles and I was really impressed with the way they played."

"I am fighting always until the end, Nothing is lost until the finish of the competition. I knew that I would fight and I knew that I would throw more, that's what I knew."

"This is my first medal after the second baby, so it is actually a long time, and it's what I told myself before the sixth throw - that I have to show my boys how to fight,"

"That's what I told myself. And then they ran to me and it was the most beautiful moment in my career, I guess."

"I was only using my hands when I first started hitting, My hitting instructor noticed that I was doing that and said that this style of hitting would help me. So that is kind of what gave me all my power."

"I never swing for the fences, because it's impossible if I think about it too much, All I think about when I'm at the plate is base hit and up the middle"

"I think it's just kind of cool that now I can look back and say 'wow, I did that.' And it will be fun someday to show my kids and say, 'hey look what I did."

"Being elevated to associate head coach further solidifies my presence in the program,"

"Having the support of the athletics department to continue to be. Part of the tradition and legacy of UCLA means a lot to me. UCLA is a special place, and I'm looking forward to the future."

"Lisa Fernandez is an icon in our sport, and she's been a big part of continuing the tradition of excellence of UCLA softball as both a student-athlete and coach"

"She oversees all aspects of the program with her main focus on recruiting. We have had several No. 1 recruiting classes because of her. I am fortunate to have her loyalty to our Bruin family and am thrilled to name her associate head coach: Kelly Inouye-Perez,Shelly Carlin UCLA Head Softball Coach"

"I wanted to give people the opportunity to attend [prom] without feeling inferior towards anyone else because they couldn’t afford an outfit,"

"To me, attending your grad, prom, is a rite of passage basically. It’s your reward for finishing high school and it’s an important milestone they all need to experience."

"The community response has been unbelievable to say the least. I am so humbled by the generosity of the communities we live in. Thank you for believing in our cause and contributing in so many different ways"

"I've seen several cry in the locker room and I understand them. As a professional footballer and as a woman in general, we shouldn't feel that our life is in danger."

"Despondency then gave way to anger, and today they are in the process of taking a stand. They want to be respected, no longer feel in danger, and make their contribution to building a healthier women's football."

"Sexist comments, every player has heard them at some point in their career."

"Everything is going well on the field side, yes. This is also the message I want to get across: football must continue, we must not prevent ourselves from living because of malicious or unhealthy people."

"It’s important for us to be able to give our opinion and that it comes from the field of play, directly from women’s players."

"I also think we can help each other between countries. We don’t necessarily have the same problems, but then maybe we can help countries where it’s more difficult to talk. And that’s what’s important to me: that we’re all together and, ultimately, we have the same objective."

"I was one of the most experienced players in our league and with the role I had in the changing room, I wanted to be able to change things, to be able to help develop women’s football."

"I fought for it with every possible effort. I can feel that I could reach 68m. That's a fair result for me and will make me feel more confident"

"The tough competition pushed me to fight hard and the pressure can be somehow kind of encouragement, motivating me to finish the throws with better skills."

"Nothing is impossible. I was hoping for some better results after securing the medal"

"I want an Olympic gold. My goal is 70m and I don't think it's a faraway target. I have good skills. I need more training, more inspiration, and more energy to boost myself. I have such a feeling that I can make it happen sometime in the future."

"You have to be careful not to be too opinionated."

"It’s like that in life in general: everything in moderation. You mustn’t go over the top."

"But there are no strict rules, we just get advice from the community managers who tell us to be careful, because social networks are great but they can also be dangerous."

"I’m not someone who replies to people individually. The way I see it, if I reply to one person, I would have to reply to everyone and I just don’t have the time for that."

"In my opinion, one of the major things that’s so attractive about women’s football, especially for the fans, is how approachable we are. We always take time at the end of the games to take pictures with the fans, sign autographs and chat with them."

"And something else that may seem a small detail, but has made a big difference, is that we now have jerseys and shorts that are designed for us and are not tailored specifically for men. For me this has been a revolution, as has having our names on the back of our jerseys."

"I think nowadays it’s essential to be present on social media, to promote women’s football and show the positive aspects of it."

"People identify with sportspeople, and even more so with football players, since it is the most-watched sport in the world. So it is important to convey a positive message, because a lot of people look up to us."

"I had to take a step down to get back onto the road that’s taken me to where I am today. Never giving up is something that is part of who I am."

"But football was never my main goal as a kid, it was simply a joy, also because back then there weren’t many chances to make a living out of football as a woman."

"Since I was the only girl in the team when I was a kid, it built my character. I was accepted in my team, but not always by the opposing team."

"It was a challenge every weekend but it allowed me to become stronger mentally, physically, and I believe it allowed me to quickly improve because I had to find ways to try to be better than the boys."

"I was also very shy as a kid, but being part of a team made me socialize with other kids and open up as a person. I believe that I wouldn’t be the same person if it wasn’t for football."

"I’d like it if we stopped talking about men’s football versus women’s football, and just stick to football. I don’t really like to use the words women’s football myself."

"I’d like for women to be judged on their skills and competence, not on their physique."

"I think if more women and athletes are vocal about equality and their rights, whether it’s in the business world or sports, having those kinds of strong characters can only lead to a better future. We need to speak up and demand more!"

"We should wear what we want, and what makes us happy, and not limit ourselves with what is or isn’t trendy."

"I would say to never give up, that the path might be very complicated at times, but it’s all worth it. Most importantly, you need to be passionate and keep that passion no matter what."

"Sometimes it’s very complicated to repeat efforts or face disappointments, but to be able to get through it or bounce back shows strength."

"To be a part of this cast was really amazing, because of the wealth of knowledge that was there, and the representation of different cultures was awesome"

"Editing yourself is extremely important, to make sure that you're reminding yourself constantly that less is more"

"And just staying focused and cooking my food. Those are the things I took with me."

"Back in the village, when I used to play with my older brothers [she is the youngest of six children] I used to play in goal, to avoid them injuring me on the field."

"The most difficult thing for me was the language. But the club used to check on me to see how I was doing."

"I qamt to be one of tge best goalkeepers ik tye world."

"”I just want to use this great opportunity to say a very great thank you to the organisers and also for remembering the female goalkeeper this year,”"

"I never believed that at 18, I would be playing at the senior World Cup, that I would make the team, that I would even be in the Super Falcons. I can’t explain the feeling."

"Government is spending so much on football. Though I am not against that, but it’s advisable for it to shift a little and show more interest in other sports, such as track and field."

"The responsibilities of impacting the right attitude and adequate training can only be achieved by professionals in the industry."

"When you look at the idea behind the race, it is meant to promote peace. And so any thing that will bring peace to this country must be supported."

"At that level, you don’t wait for anybody, it is your career and you have to work very hard to achieve your goals."

"My goal has always been to help our athletics a blend of the old and new by encouraging them."

"When you are a top athlete in the world, if you marry the person on the track with you, whenever you travel, both of you can go together since you do the same thing."

"For me, each race was like a hurdle that I must jump over."

"Motherhood is such an indescribable feeling; it’s the best thing in the world. I think all women should go through the experience to understand what I’m saying."

"I am very passionate about the plight of the less-privileged and I wish that I could set up a foundation to cater for their needs."

"When the ovation is loudest, it’s not when people start saying what else do you want. Because sometimes it’s better to give the young ones a chance to come up, it’s not that some people don’t want to leave, it’s because Nigeria don’t appreciate their own."

"You should not worry about what is going on around you because whatever that’s going on is to distract you, but if you keep on focusing and you talk with the right people, when you talk to one person and that person wants to discourage you, you know that you don’t need such a person, but when you talk to another and he encourages you, you know that the person is your friend that wants you to progress."

"if you keep on working at it, with all your mind and people say they see you everyday passing by to the stadium to train and one day when they see you on the pitch for an international tournament the people will remember how you always went for training every morning, passing through their area all the time, that’s it, you don’t have to give up."

"There are things that matter in sports. You may train an athlete for months and you think that the athlete is good enough to win a medal but on the day it matters the athlete gets into an overwhelming stadium with 80,000 spectators shouting and the athlete freezes."

"My parents bought me my first running shoe , My coach John Afuwape gave my first Spike shoe in 1980."

"Some of the athletes of this generation need to be ready to work harder and not to be telling their coaches that the work load is too much. They must realise that only hard work, determination and discipline can take them to the top of their careers."

"Sometimes you look back in life despite what you have achieved and wished you did some things better, I wish I had listened to my coach to run 400hurdle and put more effort in 200m and 800m."

"Growing up and seeing my mother representing Nigeria as an athlete, I always wanted to be like her. Whenever I watched her races and how she ran so well, I knew I wanted to follow in her footsteps, and like her, my goal is to one day participate in the Olympics."

"My mother taught me to be hard working. She instilled that in me from my childhood days."

"To me, netball is life and everything else because everything that I have in this life is motivated or influenced by the sport"

"Whenever I step on court, I play my heart out and enjoy the game and whatever comes out of it is a bonus…this is what I did in both World Cup appearances,"

"Being part of the Surrey Storm family is phenomenal, apart from moulding me as a player, a lot has also changed socially and at home"

"This time, I told them (Gems) to get out there, play to enjoy the game and whatever the result is, be ready to work harder again tomorrow."

"It is very overwhelming to play in your first world cup, but for me, it is the third one."

"So, it is just another tournament; whether it is the Commonwealth Games or a World Cup, the name really doesn’t matter. It is just a matter of playing against 16 countries and trying to be the best."

"The more games you play, the less stress and nerves become. The pressure will always still be there"

"It is about taking that experience and telling the next player: ‘Hey, It is just another match, focus on our goals, focus on what is important.’ If you keep focusing on what your job is and what you do next, you will forget about everything else."

"No one should say I have to do it, it should come from my heart to stop netball. I cannot just sleep and wake up and say, now I'm done"

"If I'm still strong, I can still go and play. I can say I still have five more years. There are youngsters coming in so I think for them to come while I'm still active, it's a good bonus for the players and share what I learnt with the experience I have with those players before I step off."

"So, I think for me while I'm still active, it's my job to help the youngsters and then when I step off at least there's no gap."

"It is important because obviously these guys playing National Champs, Varsity [Netball], their set up is not the same. So, to come into our setup it's totally different. So, they need someone who's already in the setup. Someone who's gonna guide [them] like a leader. I think that's what we doing as leadership in the Spar Proteas setup."

"My relationship is just as normal as anyone else’s. I go about my day the same way anyone else would -in the same way, a heterosexual couple would go about their day. I wake up in the morning. I tell my wife I love her. I go to work. I come home. We cook dinner together. This is normal. As any husband would love his wife, or any wife would love her husband -that’s the same way I love LaTaya."

"The greatest thing that my parents ever gave me was to dream big and that nothing is impossible."

"For my Dad to go and play for the All Blacks, he was a dad at 16, married at 17, coming from a really small town. He never really gave up on his dreams and that's what my parents have always instilled in me. Anything is possible if you work hard, dream big and chase everything."

"I still feel that love and passion for it and when you've got teams like the Black Ferns Sevens girls and the Black Ferns 15s girls, they make it so enjoyable that you really don't want to leave. You want to ride until the wheels fall off!"

"I played ball during my freshman and sophomore years at RHS, I was a quarterback. My teammates and coaches were incredible, but there were many instances where I was not given the opportunity to play, likely because I’m a woman."

"Like I said, my teammates were amazing…many times they backed me up when an opponent spit on me, kicked me or called me names. The entire experience of having a female on the football team was new for my teammates, coaches and the parents. All I wanted was to be treated equal."

"After college I went on to play football for Chicago Force Women’s Professional Football Team as the starting quarterback and I was quarterback for Team USA where I was able to lead the U.S. Women’s National Team to three gold medal wins. But even through this experience, I faced gender stereotypes, lack of funding and sponsorships, no unified league, and no awareness or recognition."

"When I’m free soloing, I feel O.K. I always have a big safety margin, I’m not struggling. You feel quite powerful and calm. If I ever felt afraid, I wouldn’t go. I don’t like to bet. That goes for everything. I don’t run after luck. With my publishing company, it’s exactly the same. I go step by step and build something."

"I did the American Direct (ED1 5.10+ A0, 1,100m) on the Dru when I was 17. I was just an amateur. I was climbing because I liked climbing, but I didn’t know I would be able to do what I did after. It was just pleasure. I was still a child."

"I realized I don’t like aid climbing. It was boring. But I learned a lot about myself: [It was] long, four days of bad weather, couldn’t go out of my portaledge."

"I didn’t want people to say it was the first female ascent, I wanted to be the first person to climb the Eiger onsight and solo in winter (though I don’t know for sure that I was!)."

"Concentration is the biggest thing I learned through my career. You can’t succeed if you are not focused. Climbing taught me that. You never let it go. Concentration in each instant, each minute, each second."

"It is who I am. Who I have always been. I have embraced this attitude as a young girl. They used to call me a tomboy when I was small. I thought that label was kind of insulting because it was taking away the fact that I was a girl and a woman. Calling girls a tomboy makes it seem that you are less of a woman just because you have athletic skills."

"I just went ahead and followed what was true for me because it was sincere. I figured out that people were wrong judging me. The inner authentic choice I made was to follow my passion in this way. Very early on, I realised that I should not assume that the judgments, culture, or even traditions are right for me."

"The more you prepare before you start, the more you will be relaxed. You have to recognise that you might be scared, you might be stuck, not knowing what to do. You might feel uncomfortable. You might get distracted by something in the audience. Mostly, I just accept that if that happens I am not going to try to resist it."

"So I am scared, pumped, not sure what to do. If that happens, I take a very quick pause, a sort of a reset button which I call a mental shift. I stop. I make a quick assessment."

"I do not climb to put myself in real danger like that. I climb because it is a lifestyle. It is fun. If I had to risk my life every time I climb, I would not think that would be fun"

"Was I proud to be a pioneer? Apart from my being the first woman guide I wasn’t that different from my peers. Women mountaineers went way back and then there was the generation immediately before me: role models who formed an all-women club three years before I was born."

"The best things about climbing? Unlimited space. I know where I am in mountains. The stillness: not silence because there is always some sound even if it’s no more than a breeze over rock, but there is no noise. Solitude is fine but, even better, just one companion: the other person on the rope with whom there is a bond that transcends any other relationship: trust, faith, an intimacy that is asexual but essential because in the last resort you are each responsible for the other’s life."

"But the basic pleasure in the hills is the natural environment which can be as fulfilling in later life as rock climbing was in one’s heyday. Equally dangerous when old (and particularly solo) and thus most satisfying to the spirit because the delight in challenges and the pleasure in calculating risks never dies."

"Writing, becoming a successful writer, was a different matter but not unique in the trade. We don’t choose a course in life; our genes dictate the route. I wasn’t born to be a climber and a writer, rather I was inclined to both genetically and the influences arrived: a supportive parent, a perceptive English teacher, favourite authors."

"I’ve always been an active child – I was the one on school trips clambering up rocks and getting stuck while others complained about blisters and heavy bags – but more adventurous climbing was never on my radar"

"In September 2009 I climbed Mount Manaslu, the world’s eighth-highest mountain. It was, without a doubt, my toughest climb to date. I was so far out of my comfort zone. There were moments when I thought I just couldn’t do it. Each day was the hardest day of my life. I’ll always look back at that trip and remember the pain, the fear."

"To be honest, I don’t have the best memories of the summit. When I think of my successes on Everest, I don’t think of getting to the summit, I think of other scary moments, working together as a team. By that point, I’d had all the experience I needed. The summit has been hyped up by the media – there’s so much more to Everest than reaching the peak."

"Mentally commit 100%. Redpointing requires a different approach to onsighting and you need to change your mindset. I am not a natural redpointer as I want things to happen quickly: I’m not particularly patient. But I’ve learnt that the routes do come if you persist and train appropriately. Once you can do all the moves on a project, it’s a case of trying to link them together in longer overlapping sections. It’s surprising how quickly this stage can come together."

"On one hand you know you can hang around and recover to work things out, but hanging around too long and half-trying a move over and over again depletes your power levels."

"Climbing is such a natural thing as human beings. It’s part of how we used to survive"

"They’re climbing within their comfort zone, and mitigating these risks, and choosing to do something that keeps them fit, active, healthy and happy."

"There is so much more freedom and enjoyment in a very different way. When you make your passion your job, it’s difficult to stay in love with that. This stage has brought it all back, fulfilled me again"

".Building confidence from an early age lays the foundation for good character and for success in the sporting arena"

"I derive satisfaction from seeing how a shy youngster blossoms and gains confidence through sports coaching"

"And if they excel as a cyclist, swimmer or in the sporting arena, it becomes a huge bonus"

"I have indeed enjoyed it, I just wish I got company on one of the times would be nice. It’s a long way on open roads with the wind today, but it’s good time trial practice. You’ve got to gamble and just try, we’ve got to keep the attacks coming because we’re lacking that strength for the GC, so maybe one day it will go to the finish, but you never know"

"They got across just at the bottom of the first QoM, so I had to suffer a little on that one, but by the second one I was not with the front group anymore!"

"It was tough, but I liked the course today, it’s nice, not super super tough but there were some hard sectors in there and this type of course I really enjoy. And there were good crowds out there."

"I’m interested in exploring matters related to gender, social justice, the environment and educational policy. I love spending time in nature, roaming around forests and swimming in the sea"

"After several years of working at different schools and educational organisations, there’s one thing that has become clear to me: education is key for our sense of community, and our sense of community is an essential aspect of our wellbeing. I’m thrilled to join HundrED as the Community Coordinator since this is an area where I hope I can foster a sense of community -especially among our Youth Ambassadors- while addressing educational matters"

"Schools play an important role in crafting the society, values and culture around us."

"Every player’s dream is to win laurels for her country or club."

"The lesson I learned from the World Cup is that names don’t play football."

"What you can play, your ability to prove on the field of play will speak for you. Also, nothing is impossible to achieve."

"My greatest secret is self-belief and dedication."

"My career has been full of ups and downs and I still need to keep going and working hard regardless of the successes and failures. Every success recorded so far is just bound on hard work and dedication towards the game."

"People think female footballers do not have bright future and cannot make it through football, but they are gradually being proven wrong."

"In football, you win some, loose some and draw some matches."

"The secret of my success has been prayer, consistency, commitment and hard work."

"I wanted to prove them wrong, especially when they said I would never make it, that it's not a girl's sport, there were obviously down days and stuff, like there in that moment how it made me feel, but I just kept playing football because I was in love with the game, which I still am. And it makes me happy."

"I’d like to see more support for the women’s game. I’d like to cut out racism and the discriminatory slurs both in the men and women’s game."

"I fell in love with football when I was a little girl. No matter what, I don’t play football for the money. I play football because I love it."

"There’s more female coaches in the game now too which is healthy."

"I’ve experienced sexist slurs on social media as well as racism and things like that...you become stronger from those kinds of things. They’ve made me tougher and stronger as a person."

"It’s a sad reality but as a black female I’ve felt like I have to work harder than the next person."

"I need to stay focused and tough - negativity will always be there but If I’m working hard, getting to the places I want to play, it means that I’m controlling all I can."

"I don’t play football solely for myself. I do it for the younger generation too. I do it for young black females that aspire to be professional footballers in the future."

"If you have the backing of the men’s side and the club as a whole, it means that us on the pitch can fully focus on that. You want to cancel out the background noise and be able to focus on the football alone."

"Nobody can be their best every single day – you can give more of yourself on some days, but on the bad days it’s important to know that the team are around to support you and vice versa."

"When you lead, you’re also allowing others to lead too."

"There’s such a great dynamic when you’re part of a team – when you can do things for others and want to be the best, not only for yourself."

"My motivations are mainly to be the best that I can be as a player on the pitch, but also off the pitch and how can I also bring out the best in others. That’s a real motivator for me because you can do that every single day, and that’s what I try to do."

"It started off with me and my mum, She was my bank. She was my chauffeur, mechanic, manager, and she didn’t even know the difference between the front wheel and back wheel."

"It’s not going to be an easy road for me, because it’s quite difficult for single nation [riders]"

"I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it. I’m very set on that. And I believe it. I think once you believe in something, it’s achievable."

"I just have to put in all the hard work and do what I know I’m capable of, and it will be an absolute honour to make history, once again, for Barbados, and make them proud."

"Many athletes struggle with the transition. It was a hard decision but I know it’s time to move on"

"It’s important to have an identity without sports"

"The ultimate goal was competing in the Olympic Games and that was a tough one"

"It was not a decision I had to make, but something that reflected my personality. Basically, I had little interest in exposing myself, when I played my privacy was very important to me. It may have something to do with why I came to the fore at a very young age."

"There were less peaceful times in my environment, but I always had a lot of support. You get close to people who think like you, who have similar values, and you learn to recognize and identify those people. Tennis meant that I was surrounded by a lot of people and developed good radar to identify who was who."

"It was such a mobilizing thing that I decided to get involved."

"My goal is simply to give them back their happiness. And they give a lot to us because they show a strength that is admirable."

"It’s clear that the new generations grow up with them as a given, but to be communicating all the time, it’s almost obligation to do so… It becomes more difficult to stay focused on the essential, to have balance."

"For me, success is when I feel happy and free from any pressure."

"The fact that we are able to get people excited about women’s football is probably our greatest success."

"In my experience as a football player, the media often make difficult situations more difficult."

"It is important to me to treat everybody equally, to be able to stand there personally in difficult situations and have confidence in my abilities, and to be able to use my knowledge and experience to support my team."

"But the pay gap between male football players and women players is so unbelievably huge that it is unfair."

"We just want to have the same conditions and structures as men. Of course, we generate less revenue, but if people don't want to invest more in us, they are not going to see higher returns."

"I’ve always tried to eventually adopt a short-term memory. As athletes, you could do 100 things right in the game, but you’ll remember the one ball you gave away or the tackle you missed or the opportunity you didn’t see."

"You’re always going to remember the negative, but I think that’s what pushes you and that’s what gets you to the level you want to be at."

"It’s what happens next and how you react to it that matters more than the actual mistake."

"Playing in boys’ teams can be really difficult. It’s a test of your character. You have to push yourself out of comfort zones and try and view it as a challenge if it’s something that you really want to do."

"Performance ultimately doesn’t matter, it’s the human that comes first."

"I’m a big believer that if someone’s happy off the pitch, or has the least amount of stress in their life off of it, then that will help performance."

"Don’t go home and sit in the flat, go and get an education."

"I think self-doubt is probably what keeps me going, keeps me pushing myself, because I never think I’m at the right level. The minute I think I’m at that level, I’ll probably not get the job done. The way my head works is I always think I’m not as good and have to work harder."

"There’s no reset button quite like cancer."

"No matter how high or low you get, nothing is going to stay the same forever, so just ride it out and don’t get carried away."

"Everyone goes through hard stuff, but it’s important to check yourself, and reset if you can."

"And remember, no matter how bad you feel, nothing lasts forever."

"I feel like it’s moments like these or times like these where you realise why you play sport. It really is like being part of a family away from family."

"It is very important for female footballers that we are role models."

"It makes you understand who we are. We fought during our work to change the mind."

"I've always had a voice, I just haven't had the courage to use it."

"But now, I think that if you believe in something or can help make a change for the better then it is important to speak up."

"As footballers, we are in a position of great opportunity. People look at us. We need to make sure that we deliver the main message."

"You have to stand there against people who are probably not supporting women's football and tell them you need more money. That, in itself, takes a lot of guts. At that point, it wasn't easy to win people over."

"Expectations and perceptions have changed around women's football, but they will know that they'll have to play their part in increasing the popularity of the game."

"How that will inspire so many young girls and boys to talk about women's football and make it the norm."

"It's looking positive, but it's probably a similar thing with both the men and women's team, they need to have a stronger mentality of knowing they have to win."

"For players of my generation – and before – there wasn’t money in the game. You were doing it because of your passion."

"I think every female footballer can relate to a woman working in a male-dominated area and championing it. We need to make sure that we support each other."

"I’ve been trying to encourage both boys and girls to get involved in football. There are so many life skills you can learn from football… I want kids to understand the game is for everybody."

"There are many things you can get out of football that you can take into the world of work."

"I don’t think we give kids enough respect for what they understand."

"When you let children lead, you see their minds work in a way that’s different to ours because we’re moulded to think a certain way as we get older."

"I hope people will look at women’s football as the norm."

"Confidence is key for any footballer."

"To be honest, everybody thought that I was a boy."

"We all have fears. And it takes a lot to be brave, be confident, and talk about it. And you never know what it may lead to."

"I really love the medals but what I’m proud of most, absolutely most, is that now young girls have perspective, young girls can play football and young girls can wear shirts [with players’ names on]"

"You can be honest. It doesn’t mean that you’re rude. Just be direct."

"You can just say what you think and still be very respectful."

"Growing up, I heard so many times, “That's not for women.” And I think when you hear that over and over, you believe it. You have to be very strong to stick to what you love, but that's what I did."

"Of course, I’ve had lonely moments, particularly being the only woman coach, you felt different. But I've never tried to act like a man. Why should I? I’ll always be myself."

"I really felt very strongly that we have to support these women. We need to support each other."

"This generation of women who are now at the highest level of football also have another purpose that comes with their visibility: to try and make the world a better place for the next generation."

"It's not all about money. I think the most valuable thing we have accomplished is that little girls now have role models… My heart is in the women's game and my thoughts are on the women's game."

"I had to cut my hair to play, so for me it's so important that little girls can play football if they want to. That's what I really want to fight for."

"Well, if I had campaigns and images like these as a young girl, my journey might have been somewhat different, and I’d have felt more empowered to simply be myself."

"I think one of the most frightening statistics is that one in three women don’t want to participate in sports because of how their skin looks. When you’re faced with that statistical reality, it would make you want to be a part of anything that can help change that."

"Everything today is so visual and forced upon us – girls and women especially – that we feel as if we have to accept and apply a standardised version of what’s ‘beautiful’."

"It’s important that they feel like they can be who they’d like to be and move how they’d like to move."

"Yeah, I think there are a lot of tangible barriers that you see regarding women’s sport, especially football. But, I feel what’s often overlooked are the intangible ones; the societal barriers that have been plaguing us for years for example."

"We’re often told to be quiet or be careful, which as a way of growing up, I find to be quite unhealthy. So, already being able to talk about your skin with other people allows you to celebrate it, as you’re all in the same boat. That’s really important to me."

"As athletes, too, you’re prone to thinking about your physical appearance because of how much you’re in the public eye. You question whether you should post one picture instead of another because of how you might look, and those pressures come from wider societal perceptions and expectations of how women should look."

"People don’t realise how much football can do beyond on the pitch."

"Having females and people of multi ethnic and minority groups in higher-up positions will give young people the hope that they can reach the top too."

"I want people to see that women are capable and accepted. I want to see people like me in powerful positions to know they’re looking out for women like me too."

"Some of us play sport as a living, and we’re really privileged to do so. But for the majority of people across the world, sport is a vehicle for keeping healthy and active."

"By accepting that there are barriers to women’s participation in particular, we are accepting that there isn’t a level playing field. That’s not a sustainable position to be in."

"Under participation in women’s sport is a global concern. There are plenty of factors that contribute to the problem – a lack of facilities, a lack of real and genuine opportunities, and a perception of being less valued than our male counterparts."

"As an athlete myself, we went through loads of psychological training and exercises, When you get to the very top level, the difference does come down to what goes on between your ears - technically, tactically - it’s very, very close and the margin for error is tiny"

"I’m working with the team individually to help them to understand themselves better, how to get to their performance mindset and create consistency within their game, as well working with the full squad and developing a whole, solid team culture that people want to be a part of, so they are also getting the best out of themselves and each other."

"It is incredibly important that people can be themselves, whatever it is and the more that people are able to welcome that and encourage and celebrate our difference the greater our team’s success will be. It goes hand in hand, if someone feels comfortable and is able to be themselves, the more successful that team will be."

"When it came to deciding where I should apply for university, the reputation of LJMU’s sports offering was second to none and was something I was keen to experience and be a part of. I was aware that the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences had a history of nurturing world-class athletes and I knew I’d be getting an excellent quality of teaching and support."

"It’s been massively beneficial for me to be able to play football professionally and still continue with my studies at the same time. The support the university has given me has been great, in particular from my tutors and the rest of the Sports Scholarship staff who really go out of their way to guide you. In my case, being part of the Scholarship scheme and getting so much guidance from staff definitely helped me to strike the right balance, and commit to both my studies and professional endeavors to the very best of my ability."

"The teaching curriculum on the Sport and Exercise Science course was also massively applicable to my career. Everything I learned in lectures could be related back to myself as an athlete. It also provided me with a valuable opportunity to continue to progress in my career, while still obtaining an education. It was certainly a challenging experience but it’s one that definitely enabled me to better myself as a person, improve my time-management skills and further develop qualities that I hope will continue to set me up for future success."

"Before February, I hadn’t really thought about an international call-up for a number of years, to be quite honest, Not that I didn’t want it to happen, but I just thought maybe that time had been and gone."

"I think you always need some timing and luck in your career, I think that did come together [with] more game time, scoring some goals and I just felt like I was in a good place."

"I was really proud to be out there and to be called upon was great. When [the coaching staff] shouted me, I thought ‘Oh wow. There’s a lot I need to remember over the next couple of minutes!’ I was just trying to soak it all in. It was amazing to get out there."

"I think you never want to be playing on someone else’s misfortune, but luckily we found out that Keira’s injury obviously wasn’t too long-term or serious, so that is brilliant news."

"To be honest when I found out I wasn’t picked for the April camp I actually thought that was my World Cup dream over."

"I think for a couple of days I really thought I’ve worked so hard all season, and it’s just not meant to be, but we had some really important games at Manchester United, obviously fighting for the league title and the FA Cup final."

"We’ve got players that can come on now and change the game. And we believe that our team’s very talented, it’s a close knit group and it’s amazing to be a part of"

"We’re definitely playing better and hopefully, we need a big win and hopefully that happens against Belgium."

"I think maybe people look at the results, but I think we’ve definitely improved. What we’re doing on the ball, what Pedro is encouraging us to do – close connections – everyone feels confident now."

"We are in a good place; we have had a good couple of weeks of training and it’s up to us to go and get the three points. We need to see it as an opportunity to put things right and show what we can do."

"I think it’s an advantage that there’s a few familiar faces for me, so I know what I’m going to be up against."

"It’s so important we keep up our unbeaten run at home and the fans have been massive for us, you can always hear them they really are like the 12th player for us"

"It's always been my dream to play for Barca's first team, It is true that I left before, but I did so with the mentality that it would serve me to come back."

"I have more experience now. I have travelled, I have played in England, where I was happy, but I am delighted to be able to come back and continue my career here."

"Barcelona sign Ona Batlle on free transfer from Man Utd,ESPN, 19/June/2023, Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens"

"On a personal note it was wonderful to be able to score my first goals at a World Cup, I think I’m going to keep on the positives. We were able to score six goals."

"There are a couple of negative notes. We conceded three goals, but for me the most important thing is to hold our heads high and we’ve got a couple of days to work on our defensive set play."

"My time in Houston has been a journey. Not many people can say they have played at the same club for seven years. I am honoured to have worn orange for that length of time, I absolutely love this club and the city of Houston."

"I have created memories that will last a lifetime. I feel happy knowing that I am leaving this club in a much better place than when I arrived. I can’t wait to see the future success of the Houston Dash. I want to thank everyone, from the bottom of my heart"

"It was a tough one to take because I thought in spells we did really well, but in this league it’s the small millimetres that make the difference"

"We could have won, 100 per cent. It’s the small things that let us down today, like second balls and not defending crosses. We just have to take it on the chin and go on to the next one."

"When I played golf in Arizona, I noticed I was at a good level and I could compete against the best in the world. I became a professional player and got closer to my dream"

"When I noticed that my priorities changed, I was very excited to get marry and have kids. It was clear to me that I had to retire. It was very nice because I made a decision for the right reasons. I retired in Morelia, Mexico while we played a very important tournament, it was in my country, my people, my friends and sponsors, it was beautiful, she smiled."

"I’ve worked hard on all aspects of my game but coming into this season I knew my irons have always been where I can improve the most, I started the year and felt like I was hitting my irons the best I ever have then suddenly I wasn’t putting as well as I normally do, which has been my strength"

"Sticking to my process means believing in the work I’m doing and the ability to put it all [strengths and weaknesses] together. I’m still kind of bummed about my first nine holes at Massereene on Thursday and my back nine here [at Galgorm] yesterday. But besides that, everything was positive, so that’s what I will take with me."

"I try to lower my expectations because you get pretty excited. You have a lot of family and you want to win, you want to play so well and do well, But I’ve learned to calm down a little bit and lower my expectations."

"I loved it, A lot of drivers off the tee, which I think is great. A lot of character. Greens are massive, so a lot of long putts. And they’re fast … probably a lot of 10-feet-and-in putts for par and long lag putts."

"The Olympic Games are very special to me and I’m a patriotic Australian, so to have an opportunity to work with the best Australian players on the biggest stage in sport is incredibly powerful"

"I’m rapt to see that golf is in the Olympics as I think it has the potential to help grow our game globally as well as in Australia. Our best Australian players continue to fly our flag so well internationally and I know they will do so in Paris 2024 hopefully coming away with a medal or two. That’s what I’d love to see."

"I’ve missed Football, training, I am missing many things on the pitch. I’m praying for mercy, God should just have mercy on Nigeria and let us start our game like let us have a Corona virus free time for everyone in the world"

"In 2005, we played a cup match with the team of Equatorial Guinea. I played the game very well because I scored three goals. Soon after, I received a proposal to play for the national team of the country. I did not think for a long time, because in Nigeria you must have connections to play in the national team (Falcons)."

"I am in Equatorial Guinea when we have matches and tournaments. I have an apartment in the country's capital Malabo. In comparison with Nigeria is a very peaceful place. I really feel good out there and I'm glad that I can play for the country,"

"It is an athlete’s greatest accomplishment to be at the Olympics and in an Olympic final, so that’s what athletes have to learn to thrive on. Just like when you train your body physically, you have to train your mind mentally to harness that positivity from everything that is going on around you and put it into that competition. It’s almost like being in Hollywood; you have a script, the scene/race has already been rehearsed. I’ve trained, sacrificed and worked hard, so now it’s time to portray that in front of the World."

"Most people don’t see this part, but there were days when I was throwing up, there were days when I couldn’t walk after a session, days when I felt like quitting and there were days when I’d say why am I doing this, I don’t want to do this anymore! But nobody sees that part, so when you make a final and you’re like wow…at least before the gun goes off, I can say I am number 8 or top 8 in the World! That to me, if you think of how many people are in this World, is fantastic, it’s awesome!"

"I don’t know about any secrets, but I think if I could put it in a nutshell; I’m an athlete of routine, routine of being disciplined, hard working and dedicated. Doing the small things that most athletes don’t want to do, tapering down, ice baths, all kinds of stuff; If coach says do 6, don’t try to do 4! Your goal is to do 8. Those are things that made me a better athlete. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I try to take care of my body, rest etc."

"Debbie Ferguson – McKenzie – Interview Female Coaching Network, 7 July 2015 by @fasterfergie16"

"the focus is always on the training, the physical part of it, and the mental aspect of it is (being) ignored."

"not because they are not physically ready, but because they are not mentally prepared."

"experience in track and field will also help me to drive home a point to young athletes because I have gone through it already."

"All of us dreamed of playing at a World Cup, but actually getting there still feels like a dream"

"Our first game against Canada we were really nervous and obviously our preparations…you can’t really compare to the European teams or teams in North or South America. I’m sure we didn’t look prepared, but we were able to get a result."

"We didn’t make it easy. I’m really proud of the African teams."

"It wasn’t easy but I didn’t give up because it was fun being an athlete. If you ran very well, you could make the team and travel with the other athletes to other states. This was something I never dreamt of before. So, that gave me enough reason to keep giving my best as an athlete. I was encouraged by many people and coaches at that time too."

"That was my first big championships (1994 World Junior Championships) and the feeling was so strong. I was so proud and happy to represent Nigeria and wearing the green and white colours of the country."

"We must treat everybody the same way and athletes must come first too."

"My Mother is Still My Driving Force."

"I missed being at the World Championships and my city would have loved to see me run since I'm based in Germany. They missed me too in the relay team because our team did poorly in Berlin. I'm not saying I'm the best in Nigeria but if I was there and some of us that ran in the Olympics were there, we might have made an impact."

"I used to watch every competition on Skysports to see the times athletes are running and to see if the times aren't above what I can run. They ran well last year but nobody really ran fast among the Nigerian women, unlike in 2008 when I was running. That year Damola ran 11.08 seconds which was really very fast but the fastest last year was 11.16 seconds. It was good but what they were running in Europe, America and Jamaica was faster; they were giving us time to follow because Carmelita Jeter of the US ran 10.6 which was very fast. The Africans didn't do so well but at least we are following up."

"I don't know how it all happened but I was very disappointed and it's coming from athletes you never expected to do drugs. I feel for them but I know one or two things would have led them to do it. Sometimes it's not the athletes' fault but I'm not encouraging drugs. If they do it and they know it, then they should face the consequences. It's just a pity; a sprinter (Gloria Kemasuode) too is affected and she's good. We are all going to miss her. I really feel bad for them because I don't think they are under pressure."

"If you leave athletics, it leaves you. I was getting lazy because this is the build up period from September to December but so far so good, everything has been so good. I have a coach in Germany by the name of Frank Duka that prepares a programme for me. We have a coach in Nigeria that we use whenever we are around too."

"It's not so easy because it's just like when you are in school trying to read and pass your exams without lagging behind. Every year new people come out in athletics so I just have to train hard and see who comes out this year. I ran well in 2008 and I hope to do the same this year (2010). I know it's not going to be easy but I have to come back to it, to tell myself I can do it."

"Our administrators are killing the sport. We have to understand that you cannot reap from where you did not sow. I’m sorry to say this, we believe too much in fire-brigade approach. Sports is dying in Nigeria because our administrators are not doing what they are supposed to do. It was on during our time but it was better. It is that bad now."

"It is a great feeling, having a bronze medal before and now silver, I hope they will soon award the silver medals to us. Even when we came back with the bronze in 2008, we didn’t even get a handshake or a congratulatory message but thank God today that I can now be addressed as Olympics silver medalist. That is the joy of the whole thing but it would have been better if the silver medal had been awarded right on the podium"

"Every single year we (Bobsled and Skeleton Federation of Nigeria) have taken a group of 68 athletes and coaches to learn and develop the sport. Our goal is to try and compete in 2026. We are developing them along the way, every single year it is getting better and better."

"This sport (bobsled) is celebrating 100 years this year and we are only in our 5th year. it would interest you to see what we have been able to do in 5 years. this is due to our passion, dedication and willingness to be great."

"This sport (bobsled) has the biggest learning curve that I probably have ever experienced in my life. I’ve learned a couple things along the way, but this is totally new. Take a driver who just freshly got their license —16 years old...They know what to do behind the wheel. They have an idea. But then go throw them in Daytona. It might be a little bit different type of driving. That’s how I feel. It’s just straight survival mode the entire time."

"I don’t believe that one body and the other operate the same, particularly in sports. You can’t just give two different people the same workout and expect their bodies to respond the exact same way. They may respond similarly, but there are going to be things that will differentiate between their outcomes. If you can understand the fundamentals of why their bodies respond differently, then you could also be able to contribute to those specific differences, to make that individual athlete better."

"The ability to be selfless is what drives your ability to actually see clearly."

"In being selfless, you’re able to see a lot more sometimes than you really want to. Sometimes you just have to be able to tackle that fear, particularly that of the unknown. It’s always easier to just turn away and walk away from it, but if you just open up to it, you’ll really be able to see exactly what your purpose is."

"When you ride on faith, you’re able to live in that element of selflessness. You’re able to live in that moment of fearlessness. I don’t attribute any type of individual success to myself, but more so to God’s will to put me in places to allow things to flourish or opportunities to present themselves."

"This is a real-life example of what it means to represent African excellence and a true testament to the fact that impossible is nothing. This milestone is truly a blessing."

"Everyone should be held to the same standard of fairness no matter what country they are representing and which sport they play. We all give so much of ourselves every single day and sacrifice our lives to be the best we can be naturally - no one should be able to dilute this efforts or strip them away by cheating. In any country where there is doping scandal, the system and the culture that was in place for this type of behaviour to be acceptable should be broken down and re-educated to prevent innocent-hearted athletes from being punished in the future."

"After we qualified for the Olympics, there was this uproar within Nigeria, the Nigerian diaspora, and non-Nigerian people. People were really excited that there was a winter effort and something positive happening for Nigeria."

"Fear is really just another opportunity to learn."

"This is beyond a dream come true. To be able to bring something back to not only the country of Nigeria – which has so gracefully given me my family, my culture and everything I stand by – but also to the continent of Africa and the world."

"To bring a gift for people to know that resilience is something that you can actually live to achieve, and that the fear of the unknown doesn’t need to be something that limits your ability to thrive in life...Those qualities will be important for everybody to be able to take in."

"Don’t be afraid to take that risk. Impossible is nothing."

"You can sometimes stand in front of a door without knowing what’s on the other side and open it. You won’t know what’s on the other side until you open it."

"Being in an uncomfortable place isn’t bad [and] it isn’t wrong; it’s just different. Sometimes you need to be able to take that chance."

"Although we're American, we're also Nigerian. We're actually Nigerian first. That's the one culture that we know, that we were raised to respect and understand. To show people that it's okay to be both and it's okay to represent where you're from is a powerful message that, hopefully, we've been able to translate."

"You can’t coach someone to have passion, you can’t coach them to be dedicated, you can’t coach them to have heart and you can’t coach them to move with integrity or commitment and those are the things we are looking for."

"We’re capable enough to have a seat at the table. And to do great things."

"You can really do it all, You can have it all."

"I am strong,I am powerful. I am explosive."

"It is still unfortunate that we (Super Falcons) are still struggling to qualify because the Korea we beat is the same Korea beaten by every other team in the group. We haven't shown any obvious sign of improvement which I expect to see in the team. I wish them well to qualify all the same but coaches should give opportunities to younger player who are hungrier in the team."

"The issue of lesbianism is common. I came to realise it is not a physical battle; we need divine intervention in order to control and curb it. I tell you it worked for us. This is a thing of the past. It is never mentioned."

"At the Cosafa Cup tournament, all the coaches were also female. It gives hope to all the aspiring female coaches that nothing is impossible. Coaches like Uche Eucharia and Florence Omagbemi, who won AWCON as players and coaches inspire us."

"To become an Olympian is tough, but it is an achievable task which anyone can attain through hard work and support from their coaches and sports administrators."

"We were very dedicated and proud to wear the national colours. With support from every corner, we were always happy running for the country (Nigeria), as it was a privilege for the few of us selected to represent the country then."

"My dominance in the hurdles was mainly because of my determination to become a world-class hurdler, and I ensured that I put in my best for the country in those days."

"My most memorable moment was when I became the first women’s champion from Texas Southern in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) meet history, winning the 400m hurdles in 55.16secs. That was in 1986. The time broke the stadium record of 55.47secs set by Anna Kastelskaya of the Soviet Union in 1982, and I was happy being a Nigerian."

"I regretted not going far at the Seoul Olympics due to what happened to me at the Games. It was the second round of our 400m hurdles and an athlete crossed my lane and collided with me. I fell down and could not finish the race. I was rushed to the hospital and ended the Olympics with the Plaster of Paris (POP). I was very sad because I was unable to achieve my aims and target and I will never forget that incident in my life"

"The development of a world class athlete is a long process. We need to put the process or system in place to discover and develop new athletes. The best way to do this is to start from the primary and secondary schools. Any potential athlete needs to be taught the basics in whatever event they are likely to participate in."

"Nigerian athletes work very hard. In terms of training and seriousness, Nigerian athletes are far ahead of their European and American counterparts. What is lacking is the absence of the right facilities and this is where their foreign counterparts have an edge."

"It was a very difficult moment for me, I am so confused. I did not prepare my mind for a higher weight category – 72kg before coming here for the competition (Chief E K Clerk wrestling championship). I have been training under 67kg weight class while my body weight is 66kg. It was really disappointing for me here."

"We hope that she (Ifeoma Iheanacho) would impart her knowledge and make them (younger athletes) aspire to greater achievements. Moreover, in wrestling, we want to ensure that athletes, who have performed creditably for this country in a historic fashion, like she has, play vital roles in the development of younger athletes."

"I scored with my very first touch. That’s football, though, isn’t it? Sometimes you play well and things don’t work out. But today I went out there and found the back of the net straightaway."

"I suppose you could say I’m a goal specialist. I just try to get in the area so I can round moves off by putting the ball in the back of the net. That’s what I’m there for."

"We (Super Falconets) played them (New Zealand) during the qualifiers for the World Cup and I came on in the second half in that game too. By the end of it, I’d scored five goals."

"It’s impossible not to be nervous when you’re on the bench! It’s far worse than starting because you want to get out there and help your teammates. And when they make a mistake you think: ‘Ahhhh. I would have done it this way or that way’. Sometimes, though, you just have to sit there and watch and cheer them on."

"I’m dreaming about that semi-final. I don’t know if I’ll start the game – that’s up to the coach – but I do know that no matter who plays, they will have to give their all because we want to be in the final."

"I remember that game (final between the Super Falconets and Germany at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup). I was on the bench feeling really nervous and apprehensive, hoping that my team would score. It’s going to be a different story this time. In 2010 they were playing at home, with all their fans behind them, but that won’t be the case here. This final against Germany is also coming at a good time for me, because I’ve got a lot more experience now."

"The only thing that’s in my mind is that I can’t lose two finals, and both of them to Germany. We’ve got to win this Sunday. I don’t care how. And we’re going to do it too."

"I was the youngest player in the team but I had two friends with me and they helped me a lot during the competition. They kept encouraging me the whole time."

"Running and jumping came to me naturally. It was while I took to athletics which was known as track and field then. I took part in basketball, badminton, table tennis, and a few other sports when I was growing up but it was athletics that I stuck to."

"I didn’t get much encouragement from home at all because they didn’t know too much about sports. My mum wasn’t that educated enough to know what sports is all about."

"Education was very important to me as an athlete back then. I took it seriously right from when I was in Nigeria and even when I got to the United States and ran for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the coaches were trying to make athletics the major priority. I made them know that I came to the US for my education while athletics is secondary. I made sure I got my degrees first. I know that with the education I have something to fall back on in the case of injury or retirement from the sport."

"My love for track and field made it fun and interesting for me to go to extra length to achieve the results I got. I would have won three gold medals at the 1978 African Games but I picked up a groin injury that forced me to pull out of the 100m hurdles. At the 1973 African Games, I competed in the high jump, 100m hurdle, and long jump and I clinched the gold medals in the three events. I was thrilled to win the gold medals as it was just fun for me then."

"The Commonwealth Games gold medal in 1974 in New Zealand in the long jump event was special. I was close to winning the gold in the hurdles too but I tripped towards it and ended up with a bronze medal."

"We were already at the 1976 Montreal, Olympics in Canada and waiting for the opening ceremony before we pulled out of the competition a day before it. Everybody was disappointed because of the hard work we had put in preparing for the Olympics for four years but it wasn’t the end of the world."

"My mum was a strong woman but she didn’t really understand what the sport is all about. She was there for me whenever she can and whatever she could do for me, she tried her best."

"They (Government of Nigeria) must catch the athletes when they are young. We started very young. They must encourage the athletes with good incentives to be able to compete."

"I will tell the athletes to work hard and not to let sports get into their heads. They must complement their endowed talents with education. It gives them something good to hold on to after their retirement. Also as an athlete, you need to be disciplined and make up your mind on what you want. You must determine what you want to do with your life."

"I have left Kristianstad because my contract with the club was over. I had a wonderful time at the club but I have resolved leave the team, at least move to a new environment for a fresh challenge in Sweden. Well, I am grateful to Kristianstad and wish them good luck next season, For me, I have decided to sign for Djurgarden for a season."

"I have really liked the idea of moving to the capital [Stockholm] and it's a dream come true. I cannot wait to meet my new teammates and also looking forward to the new challenge."

"Having represented Nigeria twice at the Olympic games, I can confidently say it is unarguably the pinnacle of any athlete’s dream and getting a medal in such an epic event can be deemed to be one of the highest achievements and a dream come true that any athlete can hope for."

"At the 2008 Beijing Olympics where I and my fellow team mates (Oludamola Osayomi, Gloria Kemasuode, Franca Idoko and Halimat Ismaila) qualified through to the finals and ended up winning a bronze medal in the women’s 4x100m relay, it was nothing short of an electrifying moment. It was as if the world stood still because all the hard work, discipline and sacrifice just paid off."

"For me and the rest of the quartet, it was as if that moment should just draw on and on. Having put in so much work and now seeing it been rewarded with a bronze medal at such an epoch making event was more than words could describe. Little did we know that fate had a whole different surprise package for us all a couple of years down the line."

"It was with mixed feelings that we got the news of the disqualification of the Russia’s women relay quartet due to a doping infraction by one of her team members. On the one hand we had this joy of becoming Olympic silver medallists, but on the other, a feeling of slight disappointment knowing that the winning quartet had an undue advantage due to one of its members spiking her system with banned substances. This type of revelation comes with a bit of a sad feeling considering the amount of work you honestly put in and believing (erroneously as it turns out) that everyone was competing on a level playing field. And when you now find out that some persons had undue advantage due to the use of banned substances and it deprives you of what should have been rightly yours at the time, it gives you a feeling of sadness and slight depression and disappointment in and towards the system."

"It really gladdens my heart to have my bronze medal upgraded to a silver medal because it just simply gives me the drive to work even harder and have a rededication to a clean sports for us all."

"I will also like to use this medium to appeal to all my fellow athletes, both young and old, that no matter what you think you are facing now, I want you to just believe in yourself and continually tell yourself that the seeming punishments and disappointments of today if endured will lead to untold glories in the nearest future."

"Agnes Osazuwa has won the last women's 100m semifinal, clocking 11.35s to beat Gloria Asumnu who finished 2nd #NigeriaOlympicTrials"

"In my first marriage, my husband wasn’t really supportive of me being a coach. But I am stubborn; coaching is what I do and what I love, and so I went for it. One of the major reasons that marriage failed was because of my career. We were together for 12 years, but there was a lot of quarrelling going on, especially when I had to travel for competitions or when I had to go to the stadium to train my athletes. I wasn’t ready to give up my career as a coach, so I formally ended the marriage in October, 2021. When you hear that a lot of women had to quit coaching because of the lack of support of their spouses, that’s actually the truth."

"I go to where I am needed and I owe no one any apology for working for Rivers."

"Government has done everything so; it is left for us to pay back the kind gesture. We had good training, good facilities and good coaches. If any state deserves to win this festival, it should be Rivers."

"The number one reason many female coaches are not encouraged to stick with this career is the lack of support, and what I mean by support is about the Federation having your back. There are not many female coaches. There are about 10 of us in the country that I know of right now, but we are not being encouraged and supported. We need exposure. We can only get better when we are exposed, but we are not getting that from the Federation. A lot of the time you see a team consisting of four male coaches and one female coach, or none at all; where is the gender equity? These are some of the reasons women give up on coaching, because we are not getting the right support."

"We have prospects for the Rio Games. We are in camp right now and we are working hard. The athletes want to go to Rio and win medals and do the nation (Nigeria) proud. We are all working together to ensure that we go to Rio to win medals and do the nation proud. The athletes want to win because they know that there is something good awaiting them and they stand the chance of making good contacts thereafter. These are the future stars of Nigeria. This kind championship was used to discover the likes of Endurance Ojokolo, Blessing Okagbare, Obinna Metuh and many other stars. It is a step in the right direction and should be sustained."

"I am so disappointed in those people who said our athletes fumbled in Durban. In the first place, people should look at the circumstances our athletes travelled to Durban. About one week to the competition, athletes from other countries were already on ground in Durban, but our athletes did not even know whether they would make the trip or not. Some of our key athletes couldn’t make the trip due to one reason or the other. Coaches were also affected. I want Nigerians to celebrate the athletes. At this stage of our preparation for Rio Olympics, what they need is encouragement. We must not do things that will make the athletes remember the hard way they made the trip to Durban."

"Meet Endurance Ojokolo, one+ of finest female sprinters Nigeria has produced. In 2005 she got to the 4x100m final of the World Champs & 14yrs later, she's the coach of @Dushos to his debut."

"I’m excited about running at the African Masters Championships. And most definitely I will love to race against Ojokolo. Perhaps when the younger ones see us perform they will want to go and replicate it as they participate actively."

"They have girls who we think have male hormones. They are girls who are like men."

"There are people who were not happy with me and they are the ones who brought the malicious allegations."

"“We got this result because they played as a team.” — After a 3‑3 draw"

"The Ugandan national team is a difficult team but we’re not scared to face them."

"“We didn’t win against them (Uganda) for over the past decade but this time I think that we have whatever it takes to get past them.”"

"Our ambitions for the second leg is to avoid conceding a single goal and trying to at least score a goal. We know that a win or a draw below three goals will be to our advantage, so that’s what we will try to do. But that doesn’t mean that we will play a defensive game.”"

"I told my players, at the break, to be more confident on the ball, build their game in Uganda’s half to avoid errors that can lead us to unexpected counter attacks.”"

"We studied how the Ugandan team played, I myself analysed and revised their tactics, so I had a clear plan to stop them. I knew their strength and weaknesses; I was aware of their attacking threats but also their weaknesses in defense.”"

"With this money I can now dream to do my own things. Maybe start a business. I would like to start another football club if I get a sponsor.”"

"“I’m glad this matter has been resolved. I’m looking forward to move on with my life.”"

"They have girls who we think have male hormones. They are girls who are like men.” — “Our team was scared … when they got to the pitch, they conceded because they were scared.”"

"Sport gave me happiness … After that period of genocide, if there is no sport, I cannot be alive at that time.”"

"“When I was still a child, I never played girl’s games … I used to play all sort of boy’s games, including football.”"

"I never imagined working in men’s football before, but right now I am certain it is where I want to be.”"

"But if this doesn’t happen, the least we can settle for is the first runners-up position."

"I wanted to blame myself, but I don’t know what to say. When a goalkeeper does her possible best, just a silly goal would come and mess everything up."

"It’s love and unity, you can’t be in a good place and still have hatred for one and another? you have to be together."

"Meeting South Africa in the final is what we have been praying for because we want to play them again ."

"My talent was first discovered at a school athletics day a year after I arrived Norway. We had different events such as sprint, long jump and high jump. I was the fastest girl, and the guys were afraid to run against me, so, I ended up running by myself, but with the best times of all children. The teachers encouraged me after that to take up athletics."

"In recent years, when I am running, it is mostly for the joy of it...to give God glory with my talent and to inspire other people. I don’t attach my accomplishments to any country or to anyone."

"You can be great today and be loved by everyone and the next day you are out in the cold. It is like you are working hard your whole life for a run of a couple of seconds and sometimes you might not get rewarded for it. So, one has to take nothing for granted because nothing is guaranteed in athletics."

"It would have been a great honour to represent Nigeria at some point, but the IAAF has made it very hard to switch allegiance. Now, the athlete has to wait at least two years to compete for another country in an international championships."

"Make the best out of my training, to improve everyday, and reach the potential that I feel inside me and haven’t shown yet. If I manage to do all that, the result will surely come."

"We believe that every girl in society, regardless of her ethnic background, should get equal chance in sports to have fun, develop her talents and enjoy being in an inclusive community. We believe that youth sports is the best tool for girls to develop self-motivation, resiliency and strong appreciation for their own health and well- being. To help young girls become the future ethical leaders and positive contributors for our society, we offer training and equipment for them free of charge twice a week."

"I would be lying if I said that I didn’t have doubts, but at the same time, the player I am, I just always believe that whatever I put my mind to, it’s going to happen. It was a goal and aspiration of mine and I was going to do whatever it took to make that happen. But, yeah, there were many moments along the way where I just thought maybe it wasn’t for me."

"It doesn’t help to live in the past. I’ve learned it’s not going to change the outcome for us, unfortunately. If it did, I would do that all day every day. But because it doesn’t, it doesn’t help to do that. And all I can do is hope for a better tomorrow and hope for a better next time."

"I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by great coaches and fantastic teammates who showed me the ropes."

"I never set out to have a long career in volleyball. I didn’t even know the professional world existed when I started."

"I’m not exactly sure what I want to do once I finish my career, but I do know that I want to do something in medicine."

"I think what’s helped me the most is the fact that I never looked too far ahead. I’ve kept my head down, put in the hard work, dreamed big, and tried to treat others the way I would want to be treated. And above all, I’ve been blessed."

"The notion of having a growth mindset has played an instrumental roll in my development as an individual on and off the court. I'm so excited to share what I've learned along the way, with the hope that the youth will be encouraged to pursue whatever they want in life with the confidence and mindset of a champion."

"I got to compete for Team USA for the first time in almost three years. I never truly understood how much weight the USA jersey held until yesterday. It’s been a long and arduous journey to get back here and there were many times I debated calling it quits along the way, but I’m so glad I didn’t. It was all worth it."

"For the longest time, I dreamt of becoming a mom AND a professional athlete. I’m proud to say that I am now both. Thank you to all the badass mothers who came before me and showed me that it was possible, and here’s to those who will follow in our footsteps."

"Every day we come back and we are trying to play our game. We haven't had much time together in these past months, so it's just about streaming up point by point. The Netherlands are always a dangerous team and both of us came out a little bit slow. I think that when we were able to pick up our service pressure it really helped us with block and defence. Our goal is always to focus on things on the court. There are a lot of things we are working on. I think every time we step on the court, honestly, we are just trying to play our game, to score some points, just execute as much as possible and I think we do a really good job. Obviously, there is a lot of room for improvement, but we can continue to improve and to work on some things and come back stronger next game."

"I feel like I've become more of a feminist through this process of becoming a mom and just knowing that women are badasses. I'm just encouraged every day and I'm so happy that there are people who have pioneered this...There's so many [women] who have gone through it before and so many who will come through after me as well. I'm just happy to be part of it."

"Nobody in this program thinks that anything is impossible for Foluke. You could just ask anybody and they say, ‘Well, of course, it’s Foluke; she would have done it if she had to do it in less than 12 less months and play last year (2020). She’s got a very single-minded way of being able to do that. To be able to do that after having started a family is just blowing people away that she continues to be such a professional and approach her craft in such a disciplined way and crush it as a mom."

"I know that she’s (Foluke) such an inspiration to so many women who want to be moms and continue their athletic careers or other careers. She’s just pulled it off, like everything else in her life, with so much grace and resilience."

"I could not be more proud to have played with Foluke, to have known her in college and to see where she’s at now. Not just as an Olympian, but also as a mother. I think it’s fantastic and amazing what she’s been able to do. It just goes to show how incredible her work ethic is."

"She wasn’t afraid of getting down in the trenches with you when you were at your worst or things were at their worst and helping you figure out how to put the puzzle pieces back together."

"Love is the greatest so let love lead."

"I can never be put under pressure by anyone, it's not just about me. It's about everyone having a better society."

"My dream has always been for Nigeria to be amongst the best beach volleyball team not only in Africa but the world."

"Whatever else history may say about me when I'm gone, hoping it changes others."

"I was the first female swimmer in the country’s history."

"Our experienced forward Sarah Michael has chosen to extend her contract over 2021! Sarah has qualities that give variables to our game and contribute with clear target play, goal danger and weight in our attacking play. We are looking forward to Sarah's season and we are happy to see her in Mallbackens IF again this year!"

"Linkopings FC is a big club in Damallsvenskan and it has been a dream to play there, a dream that has now become true and it will be so exciting. I will do my best, collaborate with my teammates and work hard to win multiple titles."

"We’re going to work hard to put the 8-0 defeat by Germany behind us. We are not scared of them even though they a big side. Lots of factors contributed to that loss. The climate affected us; it was very cold and many of our players just aren’t used to playing in such extreme conditions. But this time around, we are ready for the test. Because of that, no one can blame the team or the technical staff for what happened, and you only have to look at how we played in South Africa during the last African Football Championship to see that. We were a lot better. Honestly, the climate didn’t help us at all and that’s a question of what you’re used to."

"I appreciate God for the victory and my contributions against Vaxjo. As a team, we really performed well and worked hard to get our goals early in the match. It was a team effort and I'm glad to see that we started the season very well. I played a very important role in the victory as a striker and I actually did my best to make sure we won the game. I am happy at the club and also felt welcomed and special as well. I'm grateful for the [Player of the Match] award and it made me feel proud of my contributions in the match. I give God all the glory for that and also my teammates for the support. We are in good shape as a team and I'm very keen to keep giving my best and also hungry to deliver more goals to help the team go far this season."

"Being so young, I had not traveled widely and to see this beautiful country with the sea surrounding, it was a wonderful experience. I had not seen anything like that before."

"I was sent off and that was really tough for my side. Although we managed to draw 2-2, it was not enough and we were knocked out. It was very disappointing."

"This was my best World Cup experience. To play in the final against the host was a terrific achievement and to come home with a silver medal is something I will cherish forever."

"Last season (2015) I scored some 30 goals in the league and this season I had eight after the first four matches. But I know that I have to keep on working hard to keep scoring. That is what I want to do, as I just love scoring goals."

"I thought that Ebere was at times one of the elite players last year (2019) and she will hopefully add a further edge to our offensive. I also think it is an advantage that she knows Swedish football after her three years here and of course it has also made possible very reliable references from different angles."

"Linkopings FC has always been one of the top teams in the OBOS Damallsvenskan. I like the Swedish league which has both good teams and players, and I like Linkopings FC's way of playing. It fits me perfectly and is good for my continued development as a football player. I really feel that this is a step in the right direction for me."

"With Chinaza and Uchenna we get two good offensive players that complement and spearhead our team, which also gives the squad better balance and durability."

"I have never felt like I had to hide my name or show my name to do this. It's like, if you know me, you do. If you don't, you don't. And he’s (her father) always like, ‘Be proud of who you are, like, be proud of what I've done, and what our family's done and what's you’re gonna add to the legacy and your kids will add to the legacy.’ And I just think the honesty of just being 100%, my authentic self has been such a huge thing."

"They were like, ‘What woman who watches daytime talk shows is gonna care about if Miami is gonna three-peat with LeBron (James) and Chris Bosh?"

"When I see the things for Bronny (LeBron James’ son) and I think about my younger brothers and things like that, you know, media does put such a high expectation on you. But when the one person who built this legacy is like, ‘Be yourself. I don't care if you play basketball. I don't care if you're a teacher, as long as you're a good person with a moral compass and you are impacting the world in a positive way that's what every parent wants.’ And I think that is the best part."

"To reach the pinnacle of women’s basketball and coach some of the best players in the world is such an honor and a privilege. I jumped at the opportunity to work with my former coach, Stephanie White, because I know her energy to win from the perspective of a player and now, as a coach."

"If there is one thing that is true about the Connecticut Sun, it's that the organization is putting the idea into action that once you are a part of the WNBA family, you will be taken care of. There is an investment in your success not only during your time in this league, but after you’re playing career is over. I am excited to be a part of this special organization and hope to facilitate great guidance to these amazing professional athletes."

"To be apart of the Frog Family and to be back in the Big 12 is a dream come true. I'm excited about Coach Pebley’s vision for TCU women's basketball and ready to help continue the success that was accomplished last season."

"I was very interested in coaching after playing. It’s a natural transition for players to be closely affiliated around the sport. Playing collegiate basketball makes you very relatable to your players."

"I was lucky enough to have amazing coaches and to play at the highest capacity. It’s one of those things that you are able to relate and have compassion for the players and know what they’re going through psychologically and use the parallels of how to push and motivate without being negative to help them grow to their highest potential."

"A lot of it I am getting acclimated with as well. But we are getting really prepared and I can definitely see that we are getting focused for conference. I am really excited about it."

"I have known Abi for over 10 years and have been fortunate to see her development. Her basketball career is a remarkable one having competed in two Final Fours and playing in the WNBA. While at Cal State Fullerton, she proved to be a dynamic recruiter. I am thrilled Abi has joined our staff and she will make an immediate impact."

"I loved her (Abi) as a player. We played against her when I was at the University of Maryland. I had seen her on TV and I watched Oklahoma religiously. The only time we faced each other was her sophomore year. She’s 0-1 against me."

"I am happy to promote Abi to recruiting coordinator after watching her work this past year(2016). Abi has been a critical part of our recruiting success since we arrived in Ypsilanti. Her ability to organize and execute our recruiting game plans has allowed us to add elite student athletes to our program. Abi's work ethic and attention to detail has earned her the title of recruiting coordinator."

"You have to be content and hard working in life; it gives me great pleasure to spend from my sweat and not having to beg and compromise."

"I’m excited and grateful to God. I’m super happy that I was able to make the top three. I’ll say I’m not the best athlete but I’m grateful to God for bringing me this far. I can’t contain my joy no matter the colour of the medal."

"It has been a great season for me right from April when I was injured but I never settled for less no matter the challenges. I keep on pushing and my coach keeps telling me that Ese you can do it. It is not all about the training but the faith I have in God."

"This is one thing I really wanted, to get the Games record. This is special for me because it shows consistency. It shows the hard work of all those that have supported me and my coach, who has been backing me up. Sometimes it's about how you're able to show that what you're doing is not a fluke."

"The Rio Olympics taught me that you should never look down on yourself and stick to what you believe in. I told myself if I'm able to make it to the final with one leg, I should be able to make the podium on two legs."

"To win a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2019 gave me a lot of confidence that, 'OK, so I can actually compete with the top athletes in the world. I could actually do better still because that wasn't my best, you know, so it made me believe that I could get better. And so far, I have been working with that mindset, and it's helping me, and I can see a lot of improvement."

"It's a huge achievement for me and my coach. It was a surprise for us at first and, you know, it was something that we didn't expect to happen at that moment. It just happened. And we're still trying to recover from it. And hopefully...I'm able to back this distance, and hopefully, it should get me a medal."

"Tobi Amusan is my best friend, everybody knows. It was amazing for us because this is what we are trained for. She deserves it so much. Last championships, we just got one medal. Now we are getting out with two medals. It is a wonderful night for Nigeria, for all of us."

"I want to make young girls believe that all things are possible. You know they can do exactly or even better than what I'm doing right now. I'm not any super girl from one unique place. No, I'm a local girl from Ughelli. So if this local girl can do it, can come this far from nothing to become something, then you also can do it."

"Pressure is coming in from different places, from Nigeria, from my team, from Africa as a whole. I try as much as possible not to let that overwhelm me, take it one step at a time, not to rush. I try not to panic at any point in time and I do not see anyone as a rival. It's something that has helped me, and it has really brought me this far. And then the only thing to do is to surpass my personal best. I try to beat myself."

"I know this will be an inspiration for them (young girls). Of course, when you see someone you look up to doing well, you want to definitely be like them. So this is going to motivate and inspire them. I hope it works."

"I told myself that I had to tell the federation and everyone that it was about my run up. I wanted to prove everyone wrong, because everyone was like ‘What was wrong with me?’ I was the world leader and all of a sudden I came last. I had to turn to God and put Him first and He did it."

"My dream is to become the world’s best so I know that for the World Championships, I will be on the medals table because I should be doing much better before then. If not the GOLD, I will be on the medals table."

"I was talking to her (Brume) about education, and I asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. She talked about beauty pageants, they had a beauty pageant in a church that week, and she was going to be part of it. I told her that, you know, you can be in beauty pageants in many things in life. So I encouraged her to go to school, and I encouraged her to step in training."

"Ese Brume has continued to make us proud time and again. From the Olympics to the Commonwealth Games to the Diamond Leagues, Ese has consistently ranked amongst the top athletes in her sports, globally, While it is disappointing that she narrowly missed out on the Diamond League title, I want to state that the country remains proud of her achievements. I am sure that she will bounce back and take her rightful place. I urge her and other athletes likewise to stay focused on the bigger picture as we draw closer to the 2024 Olympic Games."

"I proudly congratulate the duo of Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume, both winning at the Diamond League held in Eugene, Oregon, United States of America. Oluwatobiloba Amusan for winning the 100m Women’s Hurdles in a time of 12.33 to reclaim her Diamond League title while Nigerian long jumper, Ese Brume for her silver medal achievement in the long jump event at the Diamond League. The duo of Tobi and Brume represents strength, mental toughness, and the Nigerian spirit....From the Olympics to the Commonwealth Games to the Diamond Leagues, Ese has consistently ranked among the top athletes in her sport globally. I join millions of Nigerians globally to felicitate with both Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume on their deserved wins at the Diamond League. Both victories are those that will restore their confidence after the difficult ordeal both passed through this year....Brume came close to winning her first Diamond League title after leaping 6.85m, just as Ivana Vuketa, who won gold, I am mostly proud of her for finishing strong, despite missing out on first place by very small margins. I urge Tobi, Brume, and other Nigerian athletes to reflect on this season, applaud themselves for their hard work, and look towards the Paris 2024 Olympic Games."

"ESE BRUME HAS WON A GOLD MEDAL! It was never in doubt, but Brume after coming under an early pressure, pulled up TWO Games Records, jumping 700 to reclaim her #CommonwealthGames crown. If there's ever an athlete who always delivers for Naija (Nigeria), it is Ese Brume."

"To tell you the truth, as a former Athlete, I am impressed by this initiative (Abuja Youth Games). This is really very noble. This is what the Ministry of Youth and Sports should encourage because this is the only way we can go back to the grass root to discover future Athletes that can represent the Nation in the future."

"What I am bringing on board is facilities others don’t have in their sport parks and I want to use them to groom potential athletes and give them encouragement. It is my desire to move them to the next level. We are starting this project because we need expansion for more activities, we now have the indoor sports arena, basketball, badminton , graded tracks surface area, football field, we have the gymnasium; it’s a one stop shop for sports activities."

"I will say that sports has been or was in my DNA. I started from my primary school days. But I got noticed while I was running for my secondary school during the school inter-house sports competition at Obieziama Secondary School in Imo State. One of the athletics coaches at the then Imo State Sports Council, Chief Leo Ozurumba, just came to me after my race. He said to me, ‘you will run for Imo State and for Nigeria. You have the talent and determination.’ He later took me to the Sports Council and that was when it all started. I was about 12 years then."

"Hard work. Every training session was like my last on earth. There was the target of breaking and setting records before you. The coaches will remind you of getting your personal best time. At times, I even trained with the guys. This propels you to train daily as if your life depends on it. But truly, our lives then depended on athletics. So my strength was diligence. But I must add that once I remembered that I was running for Nigeria, it also drew inner strength for me."

"Fashion is your way of life. It is your statement. It is the way you feel like expressing yourself in all ramifications of life. For me, fashion is not just about dressing or makeup or jewelleries. It is about the way you speak, the way you carry yourself in public and the way you comport yourself among others. I don’t wear heavy makeup nor go crazy about clothes. I try to be as simple as possible. I also love to be very smart in appearance, may be because of my background as a former athlete."

"I am happy with the return of the National Sports Festival, after an absence of six years, because this is is an avenue from where we can spot future talents."

"We made the whole world to focus on just the two of us in the women’s 400m. Charity was in great form and had a 5-0 lead in our first five meetings together. I remember she ran an altitudes aided 49.87 in Johannesburg and I came a distant second in 50.27."

"I lost to Charity by the narrowest of margins in Oslo (50.13 to 50.15) and thought I was getting back to shape but when she scorched to a new 49.29 seconds personal best at the Golden Gala in Rome, I was scared my African record would be gone that year if I didn’t get into shape. I was third in that race that night in 49.89 seconds. It was my first run inside 50 seconds that year but Charity’s performance got me really worried. She was 3-0 up at this stage but my worry and that of my coach, Tony Osheku was that we could lose the African record of 49.10 seconds that got me a bronze medal at the Olympics in 1996. My coach even said if she breaks the record,we would go back to our base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA to train harder. It was that scary"

"In Dakar, Charity was the favourite to win. She was on top of the world ranking at that stage with some quality performances including the 49.29 seconds she ran in Rome which was the second fastest in the African all-time list at the time. I was however unshaken in my resolve to end her dominance over me! In the final, I raced home first in 50.07 seconds with Charity second in 50.13. Wow, I was on top of the world not because it was my second African Championships 400m gold after the win in 1989 in Lagos, but because I was emotionally lifted and I didn’t look back from there, winning the 200m in a new 22.22 seconds personal best. I won our next four encounters in Lausanne, Brussels, Berlin and Moscow at the Grand Prix final before running an altitudes aided 49.52 seconds to win the World Cup in Johannesburg. It was a remarkable turnaround for me and a glorious show by Charity and I that got us ranked 1, 2 in the world. That was the first and so far only time Nigerians would dominate an event in the circuit."

"I have been with you for years and we know ourselves deeply. I think we would make better couple. I have a deep feeling for you. Tried as I did to suppress it, I get more and more troubled."

"Apart from Ogunkoya, only two other Nigerians have been able to go under 50s: Charity Opara & Fatima Yusuf who are members of this exclusive club. In 1998, Opara ran a PB of 49.29s in Rome, while Yusuf ran a PB of 49.43s to win the African Games title in Harare in 1995!"

"I chose to practice sports Journalism because I felt I could."

"Being born near the stadium was one of the factors that made me fall in love with sports"

"I believe in dreaming big no matter what comes your way. That was inspired by Andrew Kabura of SuperSport"

"I find myself reflecting on the resilience of women and the incredible power we hold to heal."

"I have walked the long and painful road of trauma, grief, and healing. I have also witnessed, time and time again, the strength of women; the way we rise, even when the weight of the world is on our shoulders."

"In a country that has endured the worst of humanity, it was women who stood at the forefront of healing, We carried not only our own pain but also the burdens of our families and communities."

"Women have the power to heal a nation, We are tender, we are listening, and we understand pain in ways that make us natural caregivers.."

"We dreamt of a place where people could find mental health support free from stigma and judgment. At the time, we only knew that Rwanda needed a safe space for mental health, but we did not realize just how deep that need ran."

"My message today is simple: Let’s help each other. Let’s seek help when we need it. Let’s be strong -not by pretending we have it all together, but by allowing ourselves to heal and by supporting one another."

"On this International Women’s Day, I celebrate every woman who has found the courage to heal. I celebrate the women who stand beside others, offering a listening ear and a helping hand."

"Healing is not a privilege; it is a right. And when women heal, families heal. Communities heal. Nations heal."

"To every woman reading this: Your well-being matters. Your healing is powerful. Your resilience is shaping a better world. Do not give up!"

"In Nigeria, they see me as a role model and refer to me as 'mother' or 'mama'. When I was playing, my colleagues had a lot of respect for me and now, seeing me as a coach, they transferred that respect to me and made the work easy."

"I was 20 years old and it wasn't easy then because I was still very young to be in the senior team. The coach I had then gave me lots of motivation and encouragement, and made me believe in myself."

"I kept my first World Cup in 2003 and it was a tough set of games. However, my most memorable moment was against the USA in the third game. Even though we lost 5-0, I was the most valuable player in that game. My first World Cup outing wasn't easy. Playing in front of that big crowd seemed too much to take in. However, after the first experience, I came out very motivated and bold for the next one."

"By the time the World Cup in 2015 came along, it was like I was always eager to play. I loved playing the big tournaments -- the World Cup and the Olympics. I loved being there and seeing the crowd cheering me on, watching me doing my best and doing what I love the most."

"I was nearly raped sometime [ago] when I started playing football. That nearly discouraged me [from continuing my career]. I was travelling to Umuahia for a game and in the neighbourhood, [some men] were asking me out about seven of them. I didn’t know how possible [it is] for one person to date seven friends. I know I was very strong, I was [a] determined person. I knew what I was looking for and I tried to put that behind me."

"Everyone knows me but I still don’t have friends because I use every little free time I have to do some more work. I came to India to achieve results. I am here for a goal and I’m not resting on my oars or using my time for other things until that goal is achieved."

"Aside football, acting and entertainment are my passion. Fashion and designing is a third choice. I am a comedian. Anywhere I am, they spot me easily. First time I traveled with the Indian U-17 team to Turkey for International friendlies, I didn’t know I was already acting and people started laughing out loud, clapping and gathering around me. They were actually struggling to catch a glimpse of me."

"I’m not afraid of growing old and I’m not afraid of death because I try to make every second in my life count by doing everything that pleases God. In the next five years, I will like to be somewhere peaceful with my twin babies…by His grace. I love kids and pets to a fault and admire people who are verbally captivating."

"I really enjoy working as a goalkeeping coach and the best part is that I don't need to open any book to teach. I haven't come all the way from Nigeria just to visit India or participate for the sake of it. I am here because I want to create the best goalkeepers in India and each game we play, I want our goalkeeper to be the best player on the pitch."

"I feel that I have tried after 15 years with the national team. For me that is a very good record, and it was about time I left the stage for the younger ones. They are equally good, they can carry on. I wanted to quit before the last World Cup, but I was asked to come back and play. It was very disappointing (Falcons performance at Canada 2015) because I’d thought we had what it took to get as far as the final or even the semis, but I thank God though."

"Lots of people asked me, ‘Why are you going to India? It’s not a football country.’ But I told them that I was coming here to prove a point because, with this U-17 World Cup, we are working towards a goal. And we want to surprise the world."

"The girls know what I’ve done and they look up to me a lot. I can see them paying really close attention when I work with them, and it helps that I can still step on the pitch and show them how certain things should be done. The other day, one of the girls came up to me and asked, ‘Mum — they call me that — can I ever be like you?’ And I told her, ‘No, you won’t be like me – you will be better than me. That is why I am here: to get you to that level."

"It’s not all been easy, of course, because it’s a new environment for me and the culture and food are very different. But the Indian people are so warm and receptive, and the players — because they have the right attitude and willingness to learn — are developing very fast. Each one of them is a work in progress, but it’s clear the talent is there."

"It was a very nice surprise to get the call from Thomas [Dennerby] asking me to do this job. The fact he picked me is a big compliment and it makes me very happy because to me, he is not just a coach or a boss or a mentor. He’s like a father. I have learnt so much from him on and off the field."

"Women’s football is developing very fast, and it’s great to see. When I came through, it was very, very tough for a girl to start playing the game. There were so many barriers, particularly in certain parts of the world. But minds are opening now. Even in more ‘traditional’ countries, it’s becoming easier for girls to say to their parents, ‘I want to play football’. And I think players in my generation have helped pave the way for that. Unlike us, girls nowadays can now look around at women players who have achieved a lot and say, ‘I want to be like her’."

"I gave myself fifteen years [to play with the Super Falcons]. Making it [a] hundred [caps] will be like taking another one to three years again with the national team because I ended in 2015. I joined the Super Falcons in 2000. I looked at myself twenty years then; 15 years and I was 35. I wanted to end when I was still at my peak; I wanted to leave football, I didn’t want football to leave me. I didn’t want to force myself playing football."

"I am very happy to have Precious Dede here as one of my coaching staff. Some will be surprised by my choice of her [Dede] because we did not work together for much time in Nigeria. I like her a lot and I know she is a really good goalkeeper coach and also a role model. I'm glad to have Per Karlsson and Dede as assistants around now, with some good staff from India. I strongly believe we can achieve great things together with hard work."

"National team selection should be based on quality and form rather than where the players are based. This will give hope to everyone as it will make the situation a level playing ground. It will make players have hope and play their hearts out during national team duties."

"Basketball is a quality game with abundant talents. Players have different qualities that they can offer. Being a national team snub doesn’t make one a bad player."

"My noble intention is to train and mentor weightlifter who will win medals for the country (Nigeria) not only at African Championships but Commonwealth and Olympic Games. There are strong young girls who are capable of making the nation proud but all they need it the enabling environment. What I intending doing to capture some of these girls with raw strength and convert them into refined lifters; that is why I have a center in Offa. Offa is a big community where we have influential personalities who love weightlifting. One of the missions is to make sure the sport is back, the athletes train and produce lifters that will beat my record"

"I came to the World Championship to boost the morale of the athletes and see what the competition is like, compared to the past. My assessment of the weightlifters was that they have done very well according to the level of preparation and support from the President of Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, Dr Ibrahim Abdul."

"I am optimistic with the current performance of the weightlifters; Nigeria will qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games."

"My advice to the weightlifters is to return home; remain consistent in their training, remain focused and avoid distractions."

"Today is a historic day because Ruth Ogbeifo Balofin Community Project (ROBCOP) is entering into a partnership with the College of Education in owning its training centre inside the school. We have a vision for all our weightlifters to become heroes and heroines as well as become educated. In the next four years, we hope to see some of these weightlifters bring glory to Kwara State and Nigeria at international championships. ROBCOP will provide the enabling environment and equipment for the weightlifters to train. For you to excel in the sport, you need consistent training. I cannot do it alone; a tree cannot make a forest and that is why I am seeking the collaboration of the state government, the sports council and management of the tertiary institution."

"Weightlifting made me who I am today and I thank God for that but I believe everyone cannot be an active sports person this is why I decided to empower orphans and widows through Charity Mind of Giving (CMOG) FOUNDATION. If the athletes cannot excel in sports due to the intensive training and pressure, I believe they can channel their energy to either tailoring or hairdressing."

"I hold no grudge not been among the 60 Nigeria Sports Icon but it is painful that after spending 8 hours everyday while training, getting injured and recovering, becoming an All African Games Champion, African Champion, World Champion and Olympic Silver medallist, my country still did not deem it fit to recognize me among their sports Icon. For record purpose, I am not only I Champion in my sport, I have also produced African Games Champions in weightlifting through my Ruth Ogbeifo-Balofin Community Project (ROBCOP) in Offa, Kwara state. If my country does not honour me, I know God in heaven will honour me. Outside Nigeria, I get treated like a queen whenever they know I won a medal at the Olympics but in Nigeria, I will have to lobby to get things done."

"Anyone who remembers the stories of Ruth Ogbeifo and Glory Alozie will see how injurious this ICON injustice is. Ruth possibly could have won the gold but for an injury she was treating months to the games. An NGO, HOPE Worldwide Nigeria, not the NSC, assisted with funds for her medicals. She lifted 245kg same as Colombian Maria Urrutia who won the gold medal because of her lower body weight. Now her medal is treated with indifference."

"I must say this in defence of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation that a list of past and present lifters were submitted as requested and Ruth Balofin (Ogbeifo)’s name was No 1 as the first African to win a silver medal in weightlifting at the Olympics. As a matter of fact, she finished with the same lift with the eventual gold Medalist but lost due to body weight. Some of us were present at the Sydney Olympics in year 2000. We were therefore surprised that her name did not feature. Perhaps, there are other criteria used."

"If Ruth isn’t there, then there’s a problem. I’m seeing so many Olympics bronze medallists on the list, what criteria did they use in dropping her and others?"

"I am proud of my country. I have always wanted to represent my country since I was a junior athlete and if offered the opportunity to run at the Olympic Games, I will do my level best to make the country proud."

"Nigeria's Grace Igboamalu, right, is upended by Canada's Kadeisha Buchanan during the first half of an international friendly soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia."

"When you are trying to save the ball, you need safe hands. But there are ten others on your side."

"When you drive a bus, you are on your own."

"I am old. You have to know when to stop."

"Mentally you have to be 100% ready, if you are a goalkeeper the defenders can help you. You can’t make any mistakes driving a bus."

"When we achieve, we usually do so because others have helped. I acknowledge those who have helped in achieving this goal, especially, to God who has strengthened me spiritually, physically, emotionally, and psychological."

"I started at the age of 12, but my family were strongly against me doing the sport at first. They kept me telling to stop doing it, but I persuaded them by getting a female coach. From then on, it was hard work, training, a lot of pain and dedication that got me here today. And now my family were in the audience and they are so excited and so proud."

"We [have] issued a formal notice of disclosure to an athlete following an adverse analytical finding as a consequence of an in-competition test. That athlete is Nigerian weightlifter Chika Amalaha who was tested on 25 July. That athlete has now been suspended from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow."

"The relevant processes, as detailed in our anti-doping standard for the Games, are now being followed and Ms Amalaha has pursued her right to have her B sample tested. This will take place at an accredited laboratory in London tomorrow, 30 July. Upon receipt of those results the process will continue."

"I am very disappointed that somebody as young as that (Chika) appears to have committed an offence at a multi-sport event like the Commonwealth Games."

"The Commonwealth Games Federation has determined that Nigerian weightlifter, Chika Amalaha, has committed an anti-doping rule violation and has fully suspended her from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. As a result, Ms Amalaha has been disqualified from her event at the Games, with her result in the Women’s Weightlifting 53 kilogram competition nullified."

"I am rather saddened and disappointed this has happened to a 16-year-old (Chika). We will need to see if the 'B' sample matches the 'A.' Then if it does the girl will be removed from the games and it will be up to the international weightlifting federation to apply a sanction and then she would lose her medal."

"Further to your (Amalaha) appearance today at the federation’s court (CGF) we hereby notify you that the court has decided that you have violated its rules through the use of banned drugs. The class of substances contained in her urine sample collected on July 29, 2014 are diuretic and masking agent as well as Hydrochlorothiazide. The court decision is that the following sanctions be imposed on you; that you are fully suspended from the 2014 Commonwealth Games. That you are disqualified from the 53kg weightlifting event within which you took part at the 2014 Commonwealth Games with all results nullified. That the gold medal and price awarded to you should be forfeited and returned."

"It was unfortunate that Amalaha was stripped of the medal she won at the Commonwealth Games, I could recall that after she was warned against drinking Zobo after the African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana last May where she won three gold medals, when we returned to Abuja for camping ahead of the Commonwealth Games, she still sneaked out to drink Zobo again."

"It is sad it is a junior (Chika) and I hope they will learn from this experience. I think the international federation should look at it carefully and see whether there are mitigating circumstances when it comes to the sanctions. Being a junior obviously there must be some culpability from those that are looking after her, whether it is coaches or managers or doctors."

"I feel very sad about this development and that is why I had to rush in from London to see our weightlifters. I sympathise abjectly with Chika. She is just a young girl, very strong and promising in the sport and did not deserve to be brought into this kind of situation. I blame our coaches squarely for her predicament. As I see it, the issue is about meeting the right weight and she couldn’t have accessed drugs all on her own. I understand she competed about three months ago in Mauritius and she won without drugs, so how come she used those drugs now? Even if she got them herself, it is the duty of the coaches to know whatever medications their athletes are using and to research to be sure if the drugs contain banned substances."

"My biggest fear is how they will treat this little girl (Chika). She is strong and has passion for the sport but I fear that, as is the case in Nigeria, the authorities may discard her. I plead with them to console her and encourage her. She has a bright future and what happened is entirely not her fault. It is the coaches. The authorities have to find a way to make her forget about this incident and move on with focus on realising the place of her dream in weightlifting."

"true leaders are able to empower others to be better than what they thought they could be and to see in them what they never saw in themselves."

"I guess people only believe in using sport to win or lose, but for children it can develop really the right character, discipline, and leadership needed to succeed in life and I wanted as many girls as possible to have that opportunity to learn that."

"You know, to be a champion, you have to be disciplined. There’s a level of concentration and coordination you need to have."

"I think that if you want to be a doctor, you can be a doctor and be a basketballer, it doesn’t stop you. It only depends on how determined you are and how you want to achieve what you want to achieve. Sports is never a barrier, it’s a plus to what you want to become in life."

"The preparation is nothing to talk about; but I am not discouraged, rather I’m taking it up as a challenge to increase the tempo of my training outside the national camp. We have been in camp for the past two months training seriously, this will enable me to win a medal this time around and I know that almighty God will support my effort. I was in Beijing and London Olympics in 2008 and 2012 respectively, but couldn’t win any medal. However, this is another opportunity for me and I must make the difference this time."

"Thank God for exposure at previous Olympics, continental championships and series of trials that has helped me to garner the basic points that earned me this Olympic ticket."

"It is painful to come to the Olympics and see people who are your contemporaries perform better than you; not because you lack the ability but because you were not prepared like them."

"For me, it is not just about jumping unto the plane every four years to go to the Olympics. Every athlete you see here wants to step on the podium. If you can’t aim to climb up there, you have no business coming to the Olympics. I can only consider going to another Olympics if things change for the better. But if the status quo is maintained, I don’t think I will go to another Olympics again."

"Olympic gold medal doesn’t come cheap. It is painful that one has to suffer and when competition comes they expect you to win a medal with your blood. The people you have to compete with had everything they needed: training grants, competitions and are exposed to the most modern equipment. I had nothing. You don’t expect such people who have invested so much to lose to one who don’t even train adequately."

"I feel 2012 was better. I had better training and my result was better. This time nothing was done to better one’s performance."

"I feel honoured and glad to be voted as the Weightlifter of the Year 2014 by Nigerians. It was an honour that I feel is also a challenge for me to continue to do more, and promise not to disappoint the country (Nigeria)."

"The secret of my success is not far-fetched. With all honesty and modesty, I can say that determination and hard work are the keys to my success and I believe that other athletes can also achieve success if they are determined and hard working."

"I decided to become a weightlifter because of the intimidation from boys. I felt I needed to look like that so I can earn some respect from males and let them know that women can be like them too. Since I started, I have had no regrets at all as I have been able to win laurels for myself and the nation. Also, I can feed comfortable without disturbing anybody and my family is happy."

"I am going to the qualifiers lift the sole aim of picking a ticket for the Olympics. The tournament will actually show how much impact the camping had on me because I have never gone through this kind of camping in recent time. The coaches pushed us to the limit to bring out the best in us."

"We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. If our sports authorities want Nigerian athletes to begin to win like the rest athletes from around the world, we must begin to do things differently to get the type of results others are getting."

"It hurts a lot when you know that you have the capacity to do better but because certain things are not right in our preparations for the Games, one then fails to meet set target. I don’t want to sound as if I am giving excuses for my inability to make the podium. What I am saying is that we should not go to the next Games in four years time in Tokyo, Japan and also be in this same state of poor outing. I am appealing to whoever will be in-charge of Nigeria sports not allow things again turn lout like this. There should be better preparations, more encouragement for Nigerian athletes. Those other athletes (from other countries) that we competed against had everything as in everything to succeed. It just does not make sense to expect good result from Nigerian athletes who are competing with those who have been preparing in the last three years. We Nigerian athletes are just competing with tears and blood. It is through sheer personal determination to succeed that is driving Nigerian athletes. It just does not add up like that."

"I have won a couple of medals in several competitions but I yearn for an Olympic medal. It is the ultimate reward an athlete can get to show that one got to the peak of sport. And so it really hurts when one cannot get to the podium to receive an Olympic medal. Hurts real good."

"I feel really excited about winning. I've had my mind on gold ever since the very beginning. I believed I would get it and I did."

"Usman is the only one for weightlifting event in Rio; she did excellently well at the qualifiers which saw her through and she was able to secure the Olympic ticket."

"I had to raise her (Usman) to 160kg because she was no stranger to that. She lifted 170kg. She went to London to win, but Usman lost focus. I don’t know what happened, but she bungled it. It was painful. I brought her up and I know her capability."

"As an athlete, I have learnt that it is not really good to keep changing your programme. You need to be consistent as long as you know that it is working for you."

"We need the strength test; as a jumper you need to know what your strength level is."

"I realised that you don’t have to mind what people think or do as far as you are doing what you love and what you know how to do best."

"The major challenge is that some people see you as doing a job meant for men and don’t regard you the way they do to the male footballers."

"My parents were not happy seeing me playing football but later when they saw that it was my talent, they started supporting me."

"We lost to Barcelona not because they are better than us; I just believe that they were better on that day."

"I still kept my hope very high and I’m very proud of the team"

"I told myself, ‘just go out there and express yourself.’"

"You shouldn’t be over comfortable in life, no matter where you are, just keep working, keep working."

"You can always go further if you keep working"

"On our legacies because we were their role models. We did not bring the trophy home but that (qualifying for the Olympics) was a trophy for us."

"The idea was to leave a legacy behind. We prayed and worked extremely hard in training."

"We told ourselves that we were not just Nigerians but Africans and that we wanted to make the continent proud."

"For me, there was no substitute for working hard on my own, long after training."

"“I feel blessed to have been the first woman to win this award back then in 1999.""

"I am excited that other Nigerians have done it again and I hope that we will see more of this in future."

"I knew it was right - it was the right timing for me to get back out there. This is our calling - this is what we want to do. We just need the community to support us."

"I grew up living in the New York City housing projects with my seven siblings and my mom. I grew up in poverty so sports was something that helped me to go to college and travel the world and become a pro - things that would have never happened for someone like me."

"My vision for the space behind me is really an indoor court. A place where we can have two courts going and train athletes and players can have a chance to become great right in their own backyard. I envision a place where I can train those athletes and I can be a part of their journey because I understand what it is to be a young girl and doesn’t have much, but has a heart to be successful and I want to help."

"You better believe if we get the community to back us up on this, the girls are going to be out here working too. Whatever we can do - whatever is legal, we don’t want anyone to get hurt - the girls are going to be out here working to make sure they’re a part of this so they appreciate what they have."

"These girls are going to go as far as we push them. So if we keep pushing them, if we have the resources to keep pushing them, then I think that we'll be shocked and amazed at where these girls can go in the next 10-15 years. And hopefully they come back and give back to the next generation of girls after them. But we just need the community to stand behind us, push us, give us resources, whatever we need to help us give these girls what they need to be successful. That's the most important thing."

"Just as I needed the mentorship of the women in my life to become the woman I am today, our girls also need us. It is our responsibility to encourage the next generation of women to be strong, smart and bold. We cannot wait for someone else to do it. As my coach used to say, if you don’t know whose job it is, it’s yours."

"Everywhere I turned when I grew up in a New York City housing project there was despair and there was struggle and there was just so much strife, but when I got to go to basketball, I just felt like I could breathe. I felt like I was safe...I became passionate about it. I want other young girls to find their passion, regardless of their circumstances at home."

"I think any time innocent blood is being shed, whether it is on the Palestinian side or on the Israeli side, it’s heartbreaking. I don’t pick a side. I don’t think that that is appropriate. I just want the killing of innocent lives to stop."

"Last year (2020) I gave my absolute all to the team. I had film sessions every day, I hired a strength and conditioning coach, and we had weights three times a week. We had practice two hours on days we didn’t have games. Before and after practice, I would stay with girls and work on their skills. We had skill sessions where groups would come on certain days. We had pre-game meals. There were so many things that I was able to do last year that I want to be able to do this season, but I can’t devote that amount of time to the team. I know that if I came back, the girls would know the difference between what I gave them last year and what I’m giving this year. I gave them 100 percent last year. This year, I wouldn’t be able to do that. They deserve a coach who’s going to give them 100 percent. If I came back knowing I was only giving 75 percent, 80 percent, I would be a hypocrite. Everything that I taught them last year was: ‘What’s the point of doing it if you’re not going to give your all?’ If I come back not giving my all, that makes me a hypocrite. It’s not who I am. I want to give them 100 percent, they deserve 100 percent, and they know what my 100 percent looks like."

"There is Olabisi Afolabi, the famed NUGA alumnus from Ilorin, who helped Nigeria to a silver medal in the 4 x 400 meters at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the highlight of a very successful athletic career, which included gold at the World Junior Championships in 1994, silver at the 1999 All-Africa Games, and bronze at the 1995 All-Africa Games."

"Am happy about the whole event as my family and friends are excited too. I am very thankful to God and Mrs Ulaeto, my English teacher who discovered me. She was the one who handed me to coach Effiong Ibok who in inturn left me under the professional training of coach Daniel Umoette. I also appreciate Mrs Janet Bassey, secretary of track and field in Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Youths and Sports. I thank all my teammates too as well as everyone that encouraged me."

"It was very tough because of the weather. This is just the beginning of great things in my career. My coach and I really worked hard on this. I’m so excited; it would only get better. Coming here to make so much impact makes me feel so happy. It means more hard work, but the future is so bright."

"I am happy that things are working out well and I thank God for the progress made so far. I come from a riverine area in Ibeno local government area where I used to help my parents to catch crayfish. I am equally grateful to my parents and my coaches who are keeping me on my toes. I look forward to having a successful career in athletics."

"I think that was 2016 during inter-house sports, she was in Yellow House. I just looked at her and said can this one do anything? But she surprised everybody, I gave her the name ‘Kenya’ when I saw her sprinting legs. I told her you are going places."

"Imaobong you have done well, the governor is proud of you, the whole state is proud of you and we are happy that you have not disappointed us. As you are leaving for the United States, please do not lose focus, trust God, work harder and do the best you can at all times."

"I feel so elated, how I wish I could see her with my eyes now, oh how I will hug her. I told her to trust God for everything, and God is with her. Am so elated."

"The duo of Imaobong Nse Uko (400m) and Udodi Onwuzurike (200m) won individual gold medals while the 4x400m mixed and the women’s relay teams also won our first ever relay gold medals at the Championships."

"I started coaching her (Imaobong) in 2017. That was before the National Sports Festival in Abuja. As a matter of fact, she was discovered during the Akwa Ibom Youth Games and I have been coaching her since then. I must appreciate her parents who were gracious enough to release her to us. We were almost strangers then but they allowed her to live with the secretary of Akwa Ibom sports commission who also acted as her godmother. Training her was not easy because she was going to school. While I coached others in the day, I coached her in the evening whenever she returned from school."

"I am fine now and doing much better. I have started my training. I was formerly in South Africa, but presently I am in Akure, Ondo State. But I hope to be in Lagos next week. By October I will be back to start afresh."

"I am so happy to win because four years ago I won a bronze medal but this time around, I am the African champion. This season has been a great one for me as I became national champion, won a bronze at the IAAF World Relays and silver at the Commonwealth Games. I am going to train harder ahead of the Continental Cup."

"Abugan's 'A' sample was found to demonstrate findings consistent with an exogenous origin of endogenous steroids… and indicate an application of testosterone prohormone. She wrote to the CGF waiving her rights to have her 'B' sample analyzed. She also admitted liability."

"The Federation Court has determined that Ms Abugan had committed an anti-doping rule violation. Consequently, she has been disqualified from all events she participated in during the Games, with the results nullified. This includes her silver medal in the women's 400m. As she was also a member of her country's second placed 4 x 400m relay team, that result is also nullified."

"Folashade Abugan returned an adverse analytical finding from a test conducted on October 8, 2010, after competing in the women's 400 meter final."

"Ms Abugan wrote to the CGF waiving her rights to have her "B" sample analyzed and a hearing, as provided for within the CGF Anti-Doping Standard (ADS). She also admitted liability."

"In a situation where everyone trains differently, it doesn’t help in the relay. Another important thing is equipment; if we have standard equipments, we’ll improve in our performance. All what the country (Nigeria) needs to do for us as a team is for them to give us the financial support, make us train together because when you train alongside your team, definitely the spirit of togetherness is present."

"You know in 4×400 meters, you have to work as a team and this was what we did on the track. We had one spirit, one mind and as a result of determination we clinched the gold medal. The next target for the team is numerous. In Africa, Nigeria is number one in 4x400m and we are grateful to God for making us return the gold medal to Nigeria ones more. Back in 2016, the South African female team defeated us in Durban and right now the gold medal has returned to its rightful owners."

"It is a must for you to have challenges when you embark on a sporting journey."

"I wanted to run faster, but in the end, I am happy with my timing. It is a good course with good weather conditions which made it easier for me."

"Famous seem great when we are on our knees. So let us rise!"

"Make and break the records girl. The world at your feet."

"It’s time to show the world how determined,talented and unstoppable you are.Go all out and give all your best."

"You can do it if you believe you can."

"Focus and determination , winning the WAFU Cup made learnt more lessons of motivation to strive ahead with confidence for the World Cup ahead."

"If you really want to get what you want, you have to pump money into it."

"The players will function well if they have a female coach because she will be like a mother to them."

"Racism has returned to football fully and some countries are using that opportunity to abuse players. I will advise players to ignore any form of racist comments because I don’t see racism stopping soon."

"We have female footballers that are married and are good wives. The likes of Florence Omagbemi, Nkechi Egbe are married and are good wives to their husbands. It depends on what you want, not when you marry the wrong person. Just like every other person in marriage, when you don’t get your own person, it will give you a problem, both of you will not flow very well. But when you marry the person that you love and want to stay with, everything will work well."

"Everything is about time, we should look before we leap and not run faster than our shadow."

"If you are doing well and you are still calm, people reckon more with you than when your head is not down, they won’t give a damn about you even if you are doing well."

"In football, you either win, lose or draw, so they have tried their best."

"We need to take more positive steps. There’s no argument about the availability of talent. We have an abundance of talents, but we need to put in structures such as football academies."

"I will want to use this opportunity to advise the federations in Africa to do more for their women’s’ teams. We want to try and develop the women’s game.The more competitions we have against ourselves the better for us, the same opportunity we have to improve their performance level just like with the Cameroonian team."

"We are looking beyond Africa now. And that why I want to plead with Caf to give the women more opportunity to compete for more and not just with the Nations Cup.Because women lifetime in the game is different from the men. Having played Nations Cup two years, we are looking at four years time for the Women’s World Cup.If can engage them more in and out and try to organize more competitions for the"

"They should work very hard, remain focused and, most importantly, put God first in all that they do and He will take care of the rest."

"Nothing is late in life as long as there is life."

"I want to thank the Cameroonian team and the coach for giving us a good game. It was a great final to watch seeing the best two teams in Africa competing."

"I’m speaking out on behalf of Nigeria and the Africa continent. Coming out to the press conferences all the time, we hear different stories about how different federations are struggling for support to get their teams’ ready in women football. Now, we are done with the Nations Cup. We want to focus again and see how we can prepare these teams for a world cup stage"

"I want young players to realise that in doing what you love, you can be an amazing person: a legend, a role model, an icon."

"I want everyone to feel involved and to believe that sport, and football in particular, has no gender."

"I believe that when you touch a life, you add value. And when you support someone, you make an impact in their lives."

"If you don’t fight you can’t get it."

"I like chess because it involves planning."

"I never believed I’d become an inspiration to other people."

"As I played, I only target registering victories, It never crossed my mind I would land the Fide Master title. Upon being announced, I felt honored."

"I played each of my games like it was my last because my opponents were very skilled. I was very serious. This is now motivation for me to train harder as I target a Woman Fide Master title at the Olympiad."

"I want to win every opponent lined against me and this was one driving factor that explains how I won it."

"I keep myself going on the track by telling myself, fight your fear, conquer your victory and always have hope."

"My biggest influence has always been my commitment, training and working hard."

"I realized that God wanted to use me through sports. I know that I've been successful through God’s grace. I had to ask myself, "do you think you'll be able to impact other athletes?" and thought, I really think I can, and I want to."

"I'm fully qualified, I'm a woman, I was born a woman, I lived a woman, there's no doubt about that. These people, they are the enemies of success, it's what I call them, it gives my success a special taste because of these attacks."

"No one’s going to judge you – it’s a community. Being in a park full of guys is not bad, it’s not scary. We’re all human. Get a skateboard, get a helmet and go. You’re good. You got it."

"This silver is more precious than gold. In short, it is golden silver."

"The road to the top is not smooth but with prayers, everything will go well."

"I have since realised that in sports it’s either you make the team or you’re out of it. And in a game like basketball what you take at the end of the day is a win or a loss."

"I can only get better if I leave yesterday behind and focus on the present and the future."

"It was hard for me but I kept pushing and my parents were most supportive of me."

"We can get demoralized by certain events around us but the love and passion we have keep us going against all odds."

"I can’t believe it! At last, at long last, I have won it."

"I did not win a medal here but I’m very happy to have helped my teammate get gold. We planned to wear them down during the race instead of waiting to kick at the finish where they beat us. Linet is stronger at finishing and that is why I accepted to do all the pacing especially when our teammate Florence (Kiplagat) dropped injured and God made our plan work."

"I would still have given it my best go if Masai was here. Sure, it would have made the race more challenging but this victory was not easy as it looks since we had to compete against bad weather."

"Yes, at last, at long last, I have it. I have been through so much pain but God has worked his miracle. This shows if you keep knocking and believing, the door will eventually open."

"I dedicate this to my family since they have been praying so hard for this day. I’m glad to be home so I can celebrate with them."

"Sometimes one needs to taste defeat to sit up. If you win all the times, you might be tempted to believe you have arrived. I learnt from that loss that no player is invincible."

"So, l've been learning chords and arpeggios. In music, just like in Electrical Engineering (my major), theory is one thing, but practical application is another. Applying my new knowledge made me realize I've been playing the keyboard the hard way . I applied what I've learned to a small segment of the chorus of this song, and it's much easier to play now. (Can you tell the line I'm talking about?) Keeping all of my fingers on the keyboard without accidentally pressing the wrong key is still a challenge. I'm looking forward to working with a live tutor soon. And mehn - recording can be exhausting. By the time I got the perfect camera spot, I was already dropping the idea. How do people do that thing?"

"I was not excited, because I came here to set a pv that is what is on my mind. But I still thank God because this is my first time coming to an international competition like this. For making it to be fifth I know next year or any world championship later, I'm going to work hard. So I'm going to better my time and I'm going to work better than this..."

"Great is your faithfulness oh Lord!! My Redeemer, my protector, my sustainer thank you for how far you've brought me and my home, Glory to God almighty!!!"

"Divine Aide Omo from Martial Arts can be identified as a 2w1. As a Type 2, Omo embodies the qualities of a helper and caregiver, driven by a desire to support and nurture those around her. She shows compassion, warmth, and a strong sense of empathy, often putting others' needs above her own. This selflessness is highlighted in her actions and motivations throughout the narrative, as she demonstrates an unwavering commitment to assisting her friends and allies."

"I am very excited because this is my first appearance in the Commonwealth Games. The time I returned didn’t really matter and all I wanted was to win, which I have been able to achieve. I feel good with the way I ended the season. I am surprised at winning the gold medal but it’s late in the season and anything can happen. I would say it was my best race, my best finish to a season."

"I am the only person to represent my country without a coach here. I am really proud of myself."

"Don't forget to get up every once and a while and do some stretching and exercises. Don't let your body atrophy in front of the computer."

"Remember – if you're not healthy, you won't feel good enough to write! But after you've had your vitamins and have done your yoga, write as much as you can as often as you can, even if you spend a lot of time staring at a blank page. If you just hang in there, you will succeed!"

"The deadline is what makes it fun. If I'd had more time to write the script, it would have surely lost some of its organic grossness. I would have tweaked that out in the interest of not making my readers sick."

"There was the one life-changing teacher in high school and then the-rock-and-the-foundation writing teacher I had in college. Both pushed me to explore the limits of my creativity and were very open minded to my wild imagination."

"I love the concept of writers being presented with a blind challenge rather than simply submitting previously-completed work for judging. It puts us all on an even playing field, so anything goes. And I like competing against writers of all walks of life and with all levels of experience."

"I hoped the Challenge would help me to rejuvenate my writing habits by making me think outside the box, which it definitely did."

"It's a fantastic opportunity to showcase our team’s talent and demonstrate our national prowess."

"I always try to perfect my game so that people can say she can do it all, not she could be able to do it."

"it will be wrong for anyone to say we have reached our full potentials in sports."

"The quality of boxers at the Youth Games was “top notch”."

"I tell myself I chose to do this. Let’s say, I chose to inspire people. I chose to be the person that I am. I want to share my experience one day and really get more and more generations here."

"I’m so happy that I have won."

"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."

"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."

""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”"

"“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.”"

"‘'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.’'"

"“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,”"

"“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.”"

"“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.”"

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

"“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.”"

"“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,”"

"“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.”"

"“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,”"

"“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.”"

"“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,""

"I am so motivated (by my family)"

"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 getting that desire in me to win everything."

"I want to win no matter what happens."

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

"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."

"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"

"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"

"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."

"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"

"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."

"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."

"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."

"I have this slogan – I wish I could swim with a cap that says Swimming is just what I do; it’s not who I am."

"Achievements fall away but you want to be remembered for who you are, she said from Paris.I hope that I’m remembered for bringing people joy."

"Swimming is really just a part of and a season in your life, there’s so much more than swimming."

"I'm excited to in the future tell my kids I used to swim there (Olympics) once. I am just grateful that I can walk away with medals. It is any athlete's dream."

"I hope my story inspires one person, and if that happens I've reached my goal. It's never about trying to inspire millions, it's about inspiring that one person to never disqualify themselves from the race"

"The lane space is obviously crowded, so that could get frustrating on its own."

"But it really pushes you to grow as an individual. It helps you find your strengths amid this group because, at the end of the day, you're the one that's going to race the race by yourself."

"I swim because I love it. I also swim for a bigger purpose which is to use my talents to glorify God through my swimming"

"The world has defied success as medals and records where success is different in my mind. And I think that is why I'm very easy to go back and never be hard on myself in terms of that. I just try and find the next thing to improve a little bit more."

"For me, the emotions were really because it took a village to get me to where I am. I know they would have been proud even if I didn't have a medal"

"But it was really for them. I swam for everyone that's been there for me and believed with me."

"Sometimes, us as athletes, we always strive for the achievements, for example to get better or reach a certain goal, and that sometimes takes away from the purpose and passion of the sport."

"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 can’t believe what I had achieved. I had a difficult two years in which I did not once get close to swimming a personal best time. So, I had been quite discouraged ever so often. All I wanted to do at the Olympics Games was to swim a personal best time. It is what I wanted out of the whole Tokyo experience"

"It is always lovely to be recognised for what you are doing, but it should never be the sole purpose to do what you are doing. If you are swimming to get recognised, then you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. You should do it for the love of the sport, the love of being active and the experiences that come with it. If you then get recognised for doing something great it is only a bonus and it doesn’t define you."

"To overcome challenges, it is good to reach out to family and friends and I do believe it means having a great bond between you and your coach to always let them know how you are feeling since all kinds of challenges can affect your training."

"It is always a great feeling to do well with a lot of your teammates and to have hard work pay off."

"I would love to be able to show younger women that we as women are so much stronger when we support one another. I believe that swimming should stay in the pool and as soon as the race is over, you celebrate one another no matter the outcome. Women need to stand together."

"I train together with Tatjana and teammates are very important to me. Your teammates are the ones who push you when you feel like you cannot carry on. The Tuks swim team environment is constantly evolving and getting better but like they say a rising tide lifts all the boats."

"I was not particularly good at everything, I must say. I tried to be good at everything but swimming finally chose me. When I say that swimming chose me I mean that I started doing better in swimming than in the other sports and started loving my time in the pool with all my friends."

"I would give them the advice to never lose the hunger to be better. Every day I wake up wanting to better and to achieve better, but not better than someone else but better than me."

"Make sure that you challenge yourself to be a whole person, work on yourself not just physically but take care of yourself emotionally, spiritually and mentally. It takes a whole person to succeed. Lastly, build a support system around you that will support you through the highs and the lows since swimming is not an individual sport, you might swim alone but it takes a team to get you faster."

"I was actually very calm and just focused on what I had to do and how I had to execute the race, so I think that was a really good thing – learning how to manage the nerves."

"Sometimes there are setbacks, and you just have to sit back and see what needs to be done to ensure you get where you need to be and achieve what you want."

"I really am living my dream at the moment, and am just keeping focused on enjoying the journey and taking it one moment at a time."

"It’s a big step up. The hard work is only starting now, and I love all the new challenges coming my way and I am learning a lot from each challenge."

"Never give up! Your time will come, and some days will be hard, but the good days will be unforgettable."

"She’s had to compete against and chase swimmers, faster and older than her for her whole career and it’s never fazed her. That’s a major reason why she’s where she is today and why she’s so comfortable punching above her weight",Da Ponte"

"Winning the world championship was a dream of mine since I was a little girl. I trained so hard to achieve that goal and it was definitely the best feeling ever."

"I was the youngest player in the league and I didn’t understand what was going on."

"At the beginning, no one encouraged, supported or even gave attention to any sports other than football. So after I had overcome all these obstacles to show that there are other sports [in which we] can achieve even better than football, now I think it will be easier for others to pursue this path."

"I am really interested to help young females to achieve what they want to. I try to be as much of a role model as I can because I want to help and inspire other people—not only in sports but whatever goal they have"

"I am a hard worker and passionate young lady that happened to have little talent and would like to pursue my dream of having an Olympic medal for my country. I would like to share my experience with the young athletes back home to give them the hope and will to succeed by pursuing their dream."

"My advice to young athletes, not only girls, is to never give up on your dreams and to be committed and determined to it because it is definitely worth the journey. So if you want to succeed and achieve your goal, you have to work hard and accept that you have to be out of your comfort zone because it is not easy."

"I think greatness in life is to follow your dream, work hard, fight and never give up till you reach your goal. Then pass your experience and success to others in an attempt to give back to your community."

"It runs in the family as my father used to play football, so I knew I was going to grow up to be a footballer. I was quite lucky with the support I had through my life."

"I started playing with boys in the streets, then a coach saw me to play in a girls’ team. I moved between clubs, until I came to Mameldi Sundowns only this year."

"It’s been long overdue. I’ve been playing football since I can remember and it’s beautiful to see this tournament happening. We thank CAF for taking this step, so now we can deliver and show our talents."

"As a team we want to win, and we believe in ourselves. This will happen by taking each team at a time."

"As an individual, I just want to help the team win."

"Some people say a striker does not do much, but if they play as a striker, they’ll know."

"Focus on your dream! Choose your circle! And don’t neglect your school! Just believe in yourself, you don’t need anyone."

"I believe that my role as a striker is crucial in contributing to the team’s success. Scoring goals not only boost our chances of winning matches but also motivates and energizes the entire team."

"I am fully aware that scoring goals requires hard work, dedication and seizing opportunities when they arise on the field."

"I am prepared to put in the necessary effort and take advantage of any scoring opportunities that come my way. Whether it is through my positioning, speed or technical skills, I will strive to make a significant impact in front of goal."

"It was a historic moment for South African football when Thembi Kgatlana scored our first goal in the tournament four years ago. It was a proud and memorable moment for the team and the entire nation. Seeing her make such an impact on the world stage inspired me and reminded me of the incredible opportunities that lie ahead in this year’s World Cup."

"I am with the Narendra Modi in his Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign and I will work hard and to my full capacity. I will work with the BJP and will help the party in making Bihar a developed state."

"Just like frogs become active in the monsoon, these leaders also become active in the election season. Now, with the Bihar Assembly elections approaching, they are doing a Yatra. But I want to ask, where was Rahul Gandhi in the last five years?"

"I think it is time for calm heads and clear thinking. I think it is also time for some new influencers in the game, new ideas and more openness. I think it is great that we have Ron and Dave Cormack, who are two really creative thinkers who ask the question: “What does the modern game look like? What will it look like? Where do we fit in that?"

"These will be really testing times but really interesting times because I think it is going to change everything. Actually, probably, in some small way, everything in football had to change anyway."

"I thought, ‘you’re having a laugh… I’m not leaving now. There’s not a chance I’m going to walk away when things are tough, if anything it makes me more determined."

"I’m certain there was some whispers, some comments, but never really directed at me and I would say if someone were to do that then they would be getting short shrift."

"Like many people who eventually realise at a point in their life that they are gay, you go through challenges, and I did struggle a little bit, if I’m honest."

"I have started light training with the advice of my coach. I feel no pain in the angle now but I will take it slowly as per the program."

"The injury has affected my year activities as I missed on international competitions and representing my country. However, it’s part of the sport, I aim to come a better person and take off where I left."

"Obviously I want to compete in the Diamond League. It is the crème de la crème in athletics and having one Motswana (Montsho) competing there has given us hope. We have to work harder and stay disciplined to achieve it"

"Every summer we manage to grow as a team and also individually."

"We stayed at their level for much of the time … we must fight for every ball."

"I wanted to be a ballerina, now I dream of an Olympic medal … I have great potential and I don’t feel pressure."

"Being the captain of the National team means having a lot of responsibility and being able to manage them … No regrets … we gave 100%."

"There is disappointment and regret for this loss … we must face the situation and reality without lowering our heads."

"The real victory is in making proud those who have always believed in you, and especially having people who rejoice with you for your successes."

"I would never have imagined playing for Juventus; I had a poster of Del Piero in my room, and today to that little girl inside me I would say: dream, sooner or later it comes true."

"Football has been my great passion since I was little, and I never had doubts about what I would do when I grew up."

"Being captain is an honor and a pride … I see it as a recognition from my teammates … That’s what makes me proud."

"There has been a change in the vision and recognition … all this clearly brings more responsibility."

"As a child I was the only one in the province of Brescia to play soccer. I always played with boys, I was the captain. I've always had great respect from them, sometimes they still write to me now complimenting me. I always felt free to do what I wanted and this was my great luck. I've always wanted to play soccer. When I got home I couldn't wait to go train. When I was 14 years old, a Verona executive called me, I told my parents that I didn't want to go play with the girls. They were the ones who told me that the train only passed once."

"["Your first memory of your mother?"] I'm six years old, I finish catechism class, I go downstairs and find her in front of the door of the oratory. She never came to pick me up; my house was only 50 meters away. "Damn, I think I did something wrong," I say to myself. She looks at me and claps her hands: "Come on, hurry up, let's go get my sports bag. Your game is coming up soon." It was my first official outing with the Nuvolera men's team."

"I wanted to be a basketball player. Honestly, there is no specific reason to why I chose basketball, it just seemed like a really cool and clean game to me. I wouldn’t say it was always my dream because I barely knew it in my young age"

"We just came in ready. We lost to Angola and it’s not because they were better than us, but we made a lot of mistakes and that’s like, as Coach said, I just learned from my mistakes, and last game I had 8 turnovers, That’s a lot for a guard. I’m not supposed to have 8 turnovers. So, I learned from it and now I got to do the best for the team and just get a win one minute at a time."

"People are going to talk regardless, but we just learn to block the haters. We just don’t let that energy affect us. And that’s what I said like nobody believed in this. They say, we qualified because we’re the host team and really we just know we’re the underdogs and we got to come out here and just prove people wrong."

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

"To succeed, you need to believe in yourself and your abilities."

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible."

"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today."

"Don't be afraid to take risks. Sometimes you have to step outside of your comfort zone to achieve greatness."

"The journey to success may not be easy, but it's always worth it in the end."

"Your dreams are worth fighting for. Never give up on what you truly want in life."

"I hope the campaign will reach every child in my country, so that everybody grows up healthy."

"One of the most difficult things for a child, is to be among other children, but feel different, in a country where disability is a stigma."

"I suffered a lot from the negative way people in my community looked at me when I was a little girl and as a teenager, and certainly I felt very sad and in all the stages of my life as I tried to overcome the feeling that I was less than the other girls. But, thank God and thanks to my family, I could overcome that."

"Let your children get the vaccination against polio. A small dose will prevent a big disaster."

"The difficulties and stigma I faced due to polio challenged me and turned me into the Sara Gadalla that I am."

"If I could change anything, then it would be the way society looks at people with different disabilities."

"This program ensures that young players, especially girls, receive physical fitness training and the necessary support to overcome challenges faced in past competitions ."

"This was a tough game but we tried to play hard and came back. They dominated us on the paint and on rebounding and it took teamwork to win this one. The first win is key as it gives us momentum going forward. We will make adjustments where necessary and come back stronger ."

"I started playing basketball for fun at school, and a camp in Gisenyi became a turning point when Coach Jovithe Kabarere spotted me, igniting my passion for the game."

"As an 'allocated Canadian' (for the National Women's Soccer League) I got to list three cities that I wanted to play in and no joke I wrote 'Portland, Portland, Portland'."

"I really don’t think about scoring, but instead think more about being dangerous."

"She has that special quality that I cannot teach; she is just there and knocks the ball in with head, chest, or foot."

"Not everyone who starts the journey with you deserves to be with you at the end. You just need to realise who it is that you need to get to the next level"

"Just like our Grade 7 teachers were amazing, they were irrelevant for tertiary, right? Not because they were bad people, but they were not going to work for us. Many times in life, we are loyal to our own detriment."

"I have a love-hate relationship with Everest. It’s the weather, it’s the route… and when you acclimatise, you have to use supplemental oxygen.But you must never underestimate any mountain, because everyone has their own Everest."

"I want to create spaces where young people are seen, heard, and inspired to take up space."

"Just start! Whether it’s watching games, writing, taking pictures, or even starting a YouTube channel, begin where you are."

"It won’t be easy, but it’s the journey that shapes you and builds your character. Along the way, you’ll be reminded of your ‘why,’ and that’s what will keep you going."

"The knowledge that I can compete at this level was just such a boost and for me the biggest achievement of my life. Look, no prop scrums alone, so it is not about me, but it was great to force my opponent to concede penalties and for our forwards to enjoy dominance over a highly-rated French pack."

"And I want to assist in mauls, make tackles, and carry the ball. The nice thing about all of that is that I can do so with my team and when we play together, we get things done."

"I can an really look back at this day for a long time. Here I was, being part of the opening match of the World Cup and when the action began, I felt at home."

"But because of my body shape, people kept saying, ‘you need to play, you need to play’. I was 18. I just thought, ‘why not’. So I tried. And the rest is history."

"But I want to tell girls that it’s OK to look how you look. I am grateful for my strength. I use my strength to push for my country. Why would I not be proud of that?"

"If I don’t keep winning penalties then someone else will come and take my position. And if I lose my position, if I lose my contract, then my family won’t eat. I can’t let that happen"

"I’ll keep pushing hard. For my family and for South Africa. For all young girls who want to play rugby. Ya, I can say that I’ll always keep pushing"

"Some ugly perceptions about women and women’s rugby still exist in South Africa,To be honest, it’s a pain in the arse."

"When it happens I just smile and maybe just move on to something else. But it’s hard to hear. My parents stand behind me fully so I know that I have their support. So what other people think shouldn’t bother me. But it’s not nice to hear. I know that I’m not like a typical female. I’m built differently."

"It won’t happen overnight, I’m not sure we can change a whole culture. There will be lots of people who will never support us. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do anything. If we start winning and challenging the really good teams."

"It’s nice to be part of a professional group where you can just go out and have everything set up for you, but if I’m honest, there’s nothing that challenges you on game day.The biggest challenge comes in training. As an individual and as a team we’re not really tested on the weekend and that’s not good for us or for South African rugby. We need competition and the only way that can happen is if other teams invest like we have."

"I want to be one of the best players in the world, I want to play overseas, probably in England and the PWR where I can test myself against the best."

"I want to win awards and travel the world and be the best I can be. I want to be a role model and prove to people that South African women can play rugby at the highest level."

"I am glad that I am bringing hope to young women and young girls that anything is possible, and there’s no such thing as you are dreaming too big or dreaming too small. If you strive to get there one day, I just feel like anything is possible, so I am really glad that I could be a role model for the young girls and women."

"Give it a go, give it a chance! Don’t hesitate if you feel like you want to play rugby, and it’s something you enjoy doing, keep on doing it"

"I think women’s rugby is definitely growing in South Africa, and there will be light at the end of the tunnel at the end of the day, so keep on dreaming big."

"Go to the field, go play touchies in the street. It’s all the little things that matter in the day, if we don’t give up and keep on pushing. No one said it’s gonna be easy, but when you think about it, it’s not even that hard, if you are actually doing stuff with passion."

"It means a lot that I’m a role model to many young girls and women. I remember when I was young, I looked up to people, and I am glad I could now be someone that people could look up to."

"For me, in my own area, there are many things happening, like gangsterism, and the kids are looking up to the fact that they can become a gangster one day, and the wrong things"

"I literally feel like we are capable, as South African female rugby players. I don’t think there would be a country that could stop us from getting a Cup, but obviously, we must think of the small blocks towards it, and not just jump through the main thing. That’s an inspiration to bring the cup home."

"If ever, like, I get the opportunity to go to a World Cup again, that is something I would really want to do, just to be part of a group that would bring a cup home."

"I came here for game time and I came here to play against other internationalists regularly in high quality matches. With so many internationals in the PWR after the World Cup the standard is likely to have gone up and that is exciting and a challenge we are ready for."

"As an experience, you can’t beat that. I’m also excited to be able to take what I learn here back home into the national squad and impart my knowledge to help South African women’s rugby continue to grow. Giving back is always one of the reasons why I do what I do and why I play rugby."

"A lot of the girls have PWR Cup games under their belt and we’re just excited to set our standards and a platform and then work from there and see where we’re at as a squad. I am definitely excited for what’s to come and I am excited to be playing in this league."

"I think the biggest ‘work on’ for me is focusing on my attack. I think I focused a lot on defence over the last couple of years and I’ve grown so much confidence in that space, but now I want to be an all-round play"

"Being able to represent my country is a great honour, it’s one of those things that are really hard to describe but I know I want to do it to the best of my capabilities. I believe I’m not just representing my country but I’m representing the community that I come from, I’m representing my friends and my family, they celebrate me the most. They are what has made my journey even more meaningful"

"Playing the sport professionally always seemed like something very far from me considering that it was not professional for many years in my country. I have always been a hard worker, and somehow things aligned so that I could be where I am today"

"There isn’t too much adapting to do, rugby is all the same with different calls, Going into a national camp I just make sure that I am mentally ready because the level of intensity is on another level."

"I have always felt like my strength and conditioning journey only started when I got into the national team. Prior to that, I was just playing rugby without a clue in the world that I had to condition myself. Injuries were a common thing for me and I always think that not having that information was so unnecessary."

"I would like to help in youth development, I want to be able to help young athletes optimise their abilities and just to have the information on how to do that as they develop."

"A lot of things have been put in place so we can get better. In the past, I would have been screaming that the rugby unions can do better, and while they can still do better, I’m witnessing some great things and I am appreciative of the effort."

"I’ve always loved the idea of youth athletic development, as of recently I have been thinking about considering going the forwards coach route and there is also sport psychology. Honestly, I have no clear plan yet, but I’m excited about the possibilities, and I have to admit that it’s kind of scary"

"When we finished playing [against France], I saw a big sign saying, 'Hele, can I swap shirts with you?I asked him to come through, and I said I'd meet him at the gate when I came out.I didn't swap with any of the French girls because I had kept my shirt for him. And when I got there, he was waiting and smiling. That really warmed my heart. I thought 'Aseza, you are doing good.I've inspired young boys, not just girls. It warmed my heart to make someone's dream come true."

"Rugby has changed my life. I am the person I am today because of where I came from and the choices I made.Now, I'm able to feed my family because of rugby. I have my car because of rugby. My first flight was because of rugby."

"I’m a sweetheart, But when I play, you see the monster on the field. I cannot explain how I get to that point."

"When I meet people in the street or in the shopping centre they tell me, ‘You’re so sweet in real life’.But I now like what I see. It’s not that I become a different person. I become a different version of myself. Who I am on the field is me. It’s a part of me. It’s good that I can let that part of me out. I think it’s important to show people that women and girls can be more than just one thing."

"I always say I’m my granny’s daughter. My mom was around, but she worked far away. It was my granny who raised me. She taught me discipline and how to be soft, but also when to be strong."

"At some point I had to make a choice: keep rowing or devote (my life) to rugby. My parents wanted me to stay with the former, but I really wanted the rugby dream."

"I loved rowing but it was the same thing over and over again. The excitement wasn’t there for me, and as rugby was packed with thrilling new challenges, it made it easier for me to make a decision"

"I never thought that I would end up playing sevens, and then I was playing it. The same happened with the 15s and me going to England. The world of rugby just opened up to me, and I had to go through those doors. When I raised my hand, I felt it was the right step for me. It was exciting times"

"I got an email from Lewis Sones (Saracens Women’s Performance Pathway Manager), and I thought it was a scam at first glance. I showed it to our High Performance Manager, Lynne Cantwell, and she said she would look into it."

"I struggled mentally in the first season, as I was not used to the weather or the food. It was a complete change of pace for me. I missed home, my family and friends. However, I learnt so much in that first season, and my Sarries teammates helped me every step of the way."

"When I started playing rugby, I never thought I’d be the first player to score 100 points, let alone 200. But I’m very proud to say I’ve achieved that."

"I hope it inspires young girls in South Africa. We’re seeing more players coming into the system, and I want them to feel like they can beat my record, become the most capped Springbok, or set new standards for the game."

"Bringing South Africa together, inspiring young girls to dream big and lead."

"As I neared the end of my studies, I knew that somehow I would be involved with rugby, be it on or off the field."

"We saw that when we play as a team, we can be unstoppable, even against a top side like Canada. That self-belief is growing every day, and we do have the luxury of testing that against the New Zealand side who are also going to put up a massive fight. So, it is exciting times for all."

"The coaches are really doing a great job in getting us battle-ready and fine-tuning our strengths"

"We played both WXV 2 tournaments at Athlone and that resulted in us getting a regular crowd of people coming to watch our games. We hope they will all be out there again on the weekend and even better, bring a plus one along. That will be awesome to have a good crowd in supporting us"

"Flyhalf is a new position for me. I play 13 for the Border Bulldogs. I think I played one game (at No 10) for them. It’s a fairly new position, didn’t quite go as planned, so I still need to learn a lot in that position, especially about keeping calm."

"I think if I can play flyhalf against the No 2 in the world, then it should become easier. I was very humbled in that position. I learned a lot."

"I put myself under pressure by standing too flat. Just knowing when to be a little deeper, because they had a rush defence, which put us under a bit of pressure"

"If I was deeper, then the rest of the team would have more time on the ball. It's a small thing that can make a huge difference."

"It is always great to have a coach that allows you to play what you see.We have structure, but within that structure you must see what options are open. It’s great that we are allowed to play heads up rugby, either at centre or flyhalf."

"I never thought that I have leadership skills in me until I got this opportunity to lead this brilliant pack"

"Our biggest improvement has also been in the set piece because we’ve been focusing on that.effort, attitude and dedication"

"Heading to the World Cup it will mean a lot to me and my team as we're paving the way to a brighter future for South African rugby"

"What we saw in our analysis is that they are not scared to run with the ball, so there is an element of variety in their play, and they love doing quick taps from penalties.We prepared well and will be ready for everything they are going to throw at us."

"Some players will be desperate to impress with Rugby World Cup selection on the horizon, but we will look at how players compliment and strengthen the system, rather than them doing individual things"

"But God’s timing is always the best because this time I feel I am better prepared physically. I’m well and feeling good. I am excited to go there and have this experience"

"There are going to be a lot of people with a lot of experience at the tournament. I will learn through them. Seeing players that I look up to there is going to be something else. I want to enjoy every moment"

"I think the reason I went for rugby is because people were asking, ‘Why would a woman take up rugby?’ That is why I went for it."

"They would say, ‘It is a man-dominated sport.’ I wanted something that would challenge me, something different from netball and soccer — something that was different. They say rugby is not for women."

"They always have something to say about playing rugby, but it is a sport for all sizes and shapes. Anyone is welcome to play rugby because it accommodates everyone."

"I enjoy the freedom. You can do anything you want on the field, provided it is legal. Maybe if you have anger issues, you can sort that out. There are a lot of things, and you have fun while doing them."

"You get to experience other cultures through it. There are different cultures around the world that you can learn from"

"Rugby has changed my life, and for the best, I don’t come from a great background, but with rugby, I know how to take care of my family and myself. There are a lot of things that rugby has changed for me. I am very grateful that I chose this sport. It came into my life and did good things."

"I’ve been in the system for about a decade, and this is probably the pinnacle of it. It’s been a big honour to be on that journey for so long, and to witness the growth and depth of the squad. I think there’s a lot of improvement in terms of how well the system has been invested in."

"We’ve developed an edge- a competitive edge. There’s just an overall better understanding as to what it means to be a professional athlete. All these factors contribute to the quality of the group that we are now and to where we’re headed."

"We understand that we come from various different backgrounds, but we are able to have a beautiful melting pot of different cultures and different characters even. We tap into that and embrace that because we are South African."

"Certainly, we get a boost from representing Africa as champions at the World Cup. It's a reminder of what we can do if we remain committed, united, and believe in ourselves"

"The World Cup, however, is a whole new level and requires even more of us. Not only will we participate, but we want to compete, proudly represent Africa, and push ourselves to the limit"

"The World Cup preparations are really going well, the intensity in training has been high, there’s strong sense of focus and unity in the group."

"It's important that we build on last weekend’s performance. Our mindset is to stay focused, disciplined and also be consistent with everything we are doing, not stopping our physicality going direct to them."

"I believe we’re moving in the right direction, and starting not to hold back against New Zealand."

"Our mindset is to stay focused, disciplined and also be consistent with everything we are doing, not stopping our physicality going direct to them"

"When I came back to play last year, I was not quite where I wanted to be due to giving birth and getting back onto the field a couple of months later.I was training with the boys and that made me stronger as well."

"I wanted to be the best player. I had to; I have a son to look after. If I play well he eats well."

"For this World Cup, I just want to make my mark. After this tournament, I want people to talk about me. When I was playing u18, I started to dream about playing for the Springboks. Later I heard about the World Cup and then I set my mind on that"

"But we’re not here to just make up the numbers. We want to prove that women’s rugby in South Africa deserves attention, that we deserve respect. That’s on us. We’ll only get that respect if we deliver on the field. We’re all fully focussed on what we need to do."

"We know we’re not going in as favourites, But the growth of our team gives us a lot of confidence. We have structures in place. We have a game plan. We know what we need to do. We’re not shouting and making a lot of noise or promising we’ll do this or that. But keep an eye out for us. That’s all I’m saying."

"Because so many of our players are professional, and because they don’t have to worry about things like a second job or worrying about when they can train, we can work on things on the scrum, the line-out, the maul."

"That’s become our strength and we now love to get physical with teams and we back ourselves to compete in that space. We want to go to dark places with teams. We want to bring them to the gutter. We want to get physical because that’s a South African way of playing. The men’s team has had so much success playing"

"I am just so happy to be back. I love playing for my country and this is such a great opportunity for me to show that I am fit and ready for another Rugby World Cup."

"It is not about impressing the coaches, although that will be part of everyone's thinking, but playing international rugby again. I was kicking my heels long enough, now it is time to play,"

"The crowds are amazing and the support for their home team is just off the charts. For us as players, not used to play in front of 15 000 fans, it is a real experience, and I cannot wait to feel that energy again. It is actually the ideal place to make a return to test rugby for me."

"I still struggle to trust people. I find it difficult getting too close to people. I keep my circle very small. It can be hard. I’ve definitely not had a difficult life. I’ve had an amazing life. But ya, I suppose you can say it had an impact."

"Growing up on my grandmother’s farm, rugby was this thing that brought us all together. We’d all get a braai going, I’d play with the boys and the game was just this way to make me feel part of a family"

"Whenever the Springboks were on we’d all share the gees [Afrikaans for spirit]. When I’d see one of the players do something on the field I couldn’t wait to go and try it in the garden"

"Growing up with that love and passion for rugby, even before I knew that there was women’s rugby in South Africa, helped me deal with a lot of things in my life. Representing my country, realising my dream, it’s been just incredible."

"I now feel a responsibility to be an icon for other young girls. Being raised by my grandmother, I try every day to hold the values she taught me."

"When I go there, I would thank those who helped me along the way, gave guidance and advice and just supported me in chasing my dream. It is just sinking in, how much it means if people put their trust in you and you can reward them"

"The folks there actually joked that I will become the town's first Springbok and now it has happened"

"I was in tears last year for not being called onto the field, but on Sunday, those memories were wiped out when I finally ran onto the field. Suddenly, all the blood, sweat and tears made sense to me.Looking back now, it actually made me stronger and more determined to prove that I can play at this level."

"The fact that I benched last year helped a bit with the emotions when we sang the anthem actually – I knew what was coming"

"It was such a great feeling and relief when I ran onto the field.By that time, I was in the game and really expressing and enjoying myself. The crowd was hectic, but soon I hardly noticed them as I was in the game."

"Without Father Gérard and Mr Hayne Clarke, I would not have been here, there is no doubt in my mind..I was abandoned as a baby and they took me in and became my family and the orphanage my home and my life."

"I can honestly say that rugby has given me everything I could have ever dreamed for, and for me to be playing for the Springbok Women tomorrow is almost surreal, but very true. Dreams really come true, and rugby made that happen for me."

"When I played in my first game, with the encouragement of Father Gérard and Mr Clarke, I immediately felt the sense of belonging"

"I was at ease with the sport from the start and from then on, rugby became a very important aspect of my life. When I first made the Sharks team, I realised what rugby could mean for me and started to really invest back into the game."

"I was offered a scholarship at university because of rugby and that opened even more doors for me. And look where I am now."

"That first year was tough for me, I was young and it was tough mentally, as I was suddenly playing amongst senior players"

"In fact, at one stage that year I almost quit, but I realised that criticism towards me was not personal, but to improve as a player"

"I am a quiet person, but was told that I had to become more forceful in communicating if I wanted to succeed on the field of play. Once I understood not to take it personally and to actually do that, I became a better player"

"It made me realise that I was noticed by the national coaches and the fire to one day play for the Springbok Women was burning bright after that"

"There were so many emotions and thank yous that flooded me, It will be such a special occasion for me, but emotions aside, I have a job to do out there"

".I don’t know if I will miss touch or drop a high ball, but what I do know is that I will leave nothing out there. I will play my heart out on that field, in honour of all who made this possible."

"Making my Springbok Women debut last year was an absolute dream come true! It was a moment I had worked towards for years, and to finally wear the green and gold jersey was an incredible honour."

"My immediate goals are to absorb as much as I can from the coaches, senior players, and the team’s culture. I want to develop a deeper understanding of the team’s playing style, strategies, and expectations."

"Even though women’s rugby is becoming more and more popular, there is still a big support and sponsorship imbalance. It is more difficult for female athletes to find support since many potential sponsors give preference to men’s sport."

"Having a sponsor would offer inspiration and emotional support. It would increase my confidence and motivation to succeed to know that someone thinks highly of me and my skills."

"As a young athlete, I think there are a few essential aspects that can improve our prospects of getting sponsorship. Professional online presence so employers can more easily locate and evaluate us. When we have a great website and social media profiles that highlight our accomplishments, abilities, and personalities (it can work in our favour)."

"We also need to be clear on our goals and vision. As well as outlining our present and future goals, both on and off the pitch. That will show our determination, drive, and success potential. Unique value proposition by emphasising our unique promoting points, such as our abilities, character, or community service, helps companies see how supporting us will enhance their brand."

"Although there have been notable advancements in women’s sport sponsorship, more work remains until women’s sports are on level with men’s sports. I think the following actions can be made to guarantee that more funds are allocated to supporting female athletes."

"Increased internet and television coverage of women’s sports can draw in new sponsors, viewers, and sources of income. It is important to encourage sponsors to develop focused advertising strategies that highlight the distinctive qualities and experiences of female athletes"

"Organisations ought to launch targeted campaigns and programs aimed at assisting female athletes and women’s sports. Governments as well as companies can fund grassroots initiatives, top athlete development, and the infrastructure of women’s sports. The idea that women’s sports are truly less important or marketable must be eliminated."

"My goal is to build myself as a reliable player and solidify my spot on the national squad. Make myself a consistent player and join the team for the 2025 World Cup."

"What we did see against the New Zealanders in Cape Town was that our physicality is tough to live with, and that gives us confidence for the weekend."

"We have prepared well for this one and we have showed that we can play with the best. This is what this tournament is all about, proving that we belong."

"It will be good for us to train against France, as they are in the middle of their current campaign and will be full of speed and intensity, whilst we have not played together since the WXV. Also, as you can see, the weather is quite nice now to play rugby"

"The trick for the weekend will be to look to what we want to achieve and to go out there and enjoy it."

"That's the main reason, or part of, why I'm here – that I can provide for my family and I can provide for myself being in this environment"

"So, yes, this environment does not require me to go and look for work, this is my work. And every rugby player would appreciate that, especially for women in the country"

"I went to the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and that's where I started playing rugby in my final year. My mom did not want me to play any sport before I got my degree and qualification."

"But she was happy with me playing as soon as rugby wanted to pay for my tertiary fees, so that's how I started playing, and I played for the Sharks for over nine years before I now joined the Bulls Daisies"

"I mean, equity is what it’s about in business. For them to be able to have equity at this young of age, I think that that’s power.”"

"I grew up with two older brothers who excelled at every single thing. And so, their shadows were very large and daunting at times."

"You're gonna live longer than the ball is bouncing, God willing, and so there's a whole lot of life after basketball. So you kinda have to learn how to be a good human and, I can't think of a better person than coach Summitt that modeled that."

"The pace, spacing, physicality, and overall athleticism have all taken major leaps, making the women’s game faster, deeper, and more dynamic than ever."

"So starting from the domestic games, coming into national games, I’ve just been determined to keep my game on point and grow so much from it. I then took motivation from my teammates and learned from them"

"I’m one of the youngest players in this team. So I’m always talking with the most experienced player.So staying with them in the same environment just motivates me. And then the thing that they say to me is something that motivates a person. So I think that’s also the thing that they advise me on.That’s the thing that keeps me going"

"I don’t like sprinting."

"I will sprint but I don’t like it. It’s so difficult, I tell people every day I give sprinters a lot of credit because whenever I sprint I feel so much pain."

"I am not scared to say I go for help when I want help, because I think that should be on top of everybody’s list."

"If you want the help, go get the help."

"I don’t put pressure on myself."

"Sevens teaches you to live in those high-pressure moments, there’s no room to hide, every second counts and each decision can change the game"

"That environment sharpened my ability to make quick decisions, manage space effectively and maintain intensity over long periods"

"It also taught me resilience because in sevens you can be down and out in one minute but turn the game around the next. Those lessons have translated into 15s, especially at the World Cup, where the stakes are so high."

"It’s about keeping composure, adapting to what’s in front of you and the skill be it passing, tackling and quickly bouncing back up into the game"

"It was a mix of joy and gratitude. Personally, I thought back to all the years of sacrifice, challenges faced and the faith that kept me going when the road wasn’t easy"

"To finally see it pay off on a stage like the RWC felt like a testimony to God’s grace and our team’s resilience. For women’s rugby in South Africa, it was so much bigger than just us"

"I think it was a message that the Springbok Women belong at the highest level. It means that young girls can dream bigger and the country can start to see the true potential of women’s rugby."

"On the field, it’s about composure, showing younger players that you can handle pressure, stick to the system and still express yourself"

"Off the field, it’s about being approachable, sharing knowledge and making them feel supported in moments of doubt"

"You know they will test every part of your game. For us, the key was discipline and structure. We couldn’t get caught up in their tempo or play on emotion alone"

"Our physicality is always a strength, but it needed to be applied smartly with dominating collisions, slowing their ball and staying patient"

"At the same time, speed and fitness had to come into play, especially in transitions. If I had to choose one thing it was our discipline and structure. That gave us a foundation to compete, to stick to our plan and to trust each other in the big moments"

"I want girls to know their dreams are valid, no matter where they start. I was once a young girl with a dream too and it took years of work, setbacks and faith to get there."

"If you stay consistent and keep working even when no one is watching, opportunities will come. I want young girls to see us and know that it’s possible – whether it’s rugby, studies or something else entirely, you can break barriers"

"My personal goals are to keep growing as a player and leader and to continue representing South Africa in both sevens and fifteens."

"I also want to be part of building pathways for younger girls so that when they pick up a rugby ball, they already see a future in the sport."

"I hope South Africa will keep growing the game at the grassroots level so that we see more opportunities and investment in our athletes. The talent and passion is there – it’s now about building a structure that gives every young girl a chance to reach her potential"

"We respect the Springbok name deeply, but we also know that we’re writing our own story within it. We want to be known for our resilience, unity and courage"

"In terms of style we bring physicality, passion and flair that’s uniquely South African. We want people to look at us and see a team carving a legacy of heart, strength and pride in green and gold."

"We have worked incredibly hard and we know what’s at stake. Every player, coach and member of the technical bench is fully committed to ensuring we perform at our best"

"That match was necessary for us. It gave us a chance to identify areas where we can improve and strengthen our game. We learned a lot — both from our successes and our mistakes — and we’ve been working day and night to address those things"

"We know it won’t be easy, but we are determined. This team is ready. We have faced adversity before, and we know how to rise above it.” She also extended a heartfelt plea to Tanzanians back home"

"Even though we’re far away, we need your support more than ever. We ask for your prayers, your encouragement and your belief in us. We are representing Tanzania on this stage and we promise to give everything we have"

"We leave here with the understanding of tournament football. How you start sets the pace for the rest of the tournament. Against Mali, we felt that we did everything that was possible to win but conceded a late goal"

"Against South Africa, we scored first and against Ghana, we came from behind to equalise but then conceded three more goals. We shall take the lessons. We are going back home to assess our performance and to plan for the future"

"For all of us that played at this WAFCON, this was our first time to feature at the tournament. We came here with the sole goal of going to the final, but we fell short. We did not fail because we leave here with so many lessons learnt"

"We feel that we represented our nation with honour. We gave everything that we could and at least out of the three games, we scored two goals and gained a point against the defending champions South Africa. That is something. Our plan is to come back to the WAFCON"

"I want to go there and do my best with the team and go as far as we can because everyone would be watching our performance and for me in particular, most Ghanaians will be interested"

"We are not only here as representatives from East Africa, we are here to compete as well to fight for the crest and give our outmost best in the tournament"

"Initially, when I came here, I was not okay, it was a bit challenging, food and language and being in a different setting [which] is normal when you go to a new club outside your country. But as time goes on, I’ve got to understand things here and settled well"

"I want to go there and do my best with the team and go as far as we can because everyone will be watching our performance, me in particular, most Ghanaians will be interested. The focus is to excel and progress in my career ambition and get the Simba family happy, they’re very supportive and I hope not to let them down"

"Evelyn Badu is Evelyn Badu, I am Philomena Abakah, I'm not under any pressure to do what she did, as much as I want to do better which am sure and believe I can, her achievement is not what I look up to, I am more interested in what my team can achieve together, I can’t be what she did if Simba doesn’t go far in the tournament. The focus is the club, not individual accolades. If I get it, glory to God but there’s no pressure or competition to do what she did."

"We are not under any pressure. The drip we came to Morocco with should tell you we are okay. Everyone in the team is confident [that we can succeed]. We are not only here as representatives from East Africa, we are here to compete as well to fight for the crest and give our utmost best in this tournament"

"Personally, I’m not demotivated. We know the level of Women's football in our world. It’s getting the deserved attention now, so every opportunity should be taken. Hopefully, it gets better -- we played qualifiers not knowing what the reward will be"

"There’s a lot of difference between the football operation in Ghana and Tanzania. In Ghana, there is little or no support but the story is different here. Because of how passionate they are, fans here are even able to fund a club when they are embarking on a trip, that alone is motivating enough to fight for the club"

"For me, it’s always been an honor to wear the nation’s badge"

"It’s a dream come true"

"I lost my temper during a heated match and acted in a way that was below my standards. To Yasmin in particular, I extend my sincerest apologies. I hope you are well today and wish you nothing but the best for the future. I am sorry"

"My actions yesterday are not representative of me as a person. I lost my cool in a heated match and acted in a way that leaves me disappointed in myself. To Yasmin in particular, I offer sincere apologies. I hope you are feeling fine today and only wish you the best going forward"

"The mood in the squad has been amazing heading into the new season. Playing for this team on its own carries a lot of pressure because we have set ourselves a very high standard. That means we have to push even harder to stay at the top."

"The mandate is clear—win every trophy we lost. It starts with winning COSAFA because that puts us in a strong position to compete for the CAF Women’s Champions League title. If we get another shot at competing Continentally, I believe we will perform better because we have already experienced that level"

"We stayed on our toes, even during the festive period. We were given individual programs to maintain our fitness and keep the momentum going. Having an early preseason has also been a big advantage, giving us more time to get ready."

"Our esteemed supporters are the 12th player on the field. I want to thank them for their continuous support and encourage them to keep coming in numbers to witness more great football at the stadium(s)"

"My priority is to help the team concede fewer goals so we can win more games. But football is evolving and defenders now play a crucial role in attacking too. I want to improve my ability to push forward, create opportunities and even score more goals."

"I believe our chances will greatly improve if we can get six to eight players playing in Europe, South Africa or elsewhere. The exposure of playing abroad is massive, and it will greatly improve our rugby"

"I’m looking forward to playing with some of the top players from not only France but also the rest of the world and sharpening my skills and improving my rugby knowledge"

"We have had memorable battles with them, and we are quite unfortunate to lose against them last year. We have grown as a team and playing in the Challenger has hardened us, and we are looking forward to doing well on home soil"

"I have always found strength through my son, despite my busy schedule I celebrate being a mother and a professional player because it's not easy balancing in between."

"A typical day in my life is when I came back from maternity leave, balancing wasn't a walk in the park because every time I was thinking about my son when I left behind if he was okay or not and I ended up not full concentration in training, traveling days was my worst knowing that am going to leave my son behind for a while that, I use to call back every time but I’m grateful I picked up and got support from his dad"

"I do train age-grade kids, anytime I go for training I usually go with my son and he joins the under 9 years category, and when I have club games I normally go with him as he watches."

"To those mothers in sports, I would say it's never easy raising a family while in sports but never give up doing what you love because you are a mother, let your kids be the motivation towards your goals"

"I was emotional as I walked up to take the penalty kick"

"I believed we could win the final, and that mentality drove me as I approached the box"

"I concentrated on the ball, not the penalty kick itself. I told myself, 'This is our chance to take the lead.' Luckily, I scored, and it means the world to me and the team. I'm relieved I didn't disappoint"

"Honestly, it was tough to think straight"

"I was praying in my head, 'God, help us,' while closing my eyes. Then, I just heard the scream, 'Goal"

"The mental picture of what could happen if I scored was what kept me believing and focused within those few secondsn"

"When we qualified, I told everyone it was possible and we could win it. I'm thrilled we achieved it together as a team, and I look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead"

"Every team comes here to become champions. Nothing is easy, but we are ready to give everything to go all the way"

"Seeing the victims - children, mothers, fathers who've lost loved ones, and families torn apart - was heartbreaking"

"It's been hard to cope with"

"For me, the support I offer is simple: when I'm on the pitch I feel compelled to win, even if it's just to bring a small moment of happiness to our people"

"It means a lot to me, I've been trying to get it, and upon getting it, I was really emotional," said Shangase"

"At the same time, I [had to remind myself] it's still not over, the game is still on, and I still need to wipe those tears and go back to carry on with the match."

"At the moment, batting is in front now, and judging from both – I can't judge, it's two different skills and I love them both," she acknowledged."

"I think the creation of a professional franchise women's league in South Africa needs to start happening in the next year or two. I think that is the only way we can start bridging the gap between our provincial set-up and the national team"

"We need to play more competitive franchise or club cricket throughout the year, and we can't just rely on four players that go to the WPL, the Hundred, or the Big Bash"

"Every day, every month and every season teams change, and it is going to be hard, but we have to fix ourselves instead of looking at other teams, and we have to work hard to achieve what we want. So far, we are doing well, we have frustrations here and there, like mistakes on the field and we have to fix those – it’s difficult but we are working hard,"

"We are more focused on what we need to be doing on the day when the Ghana game comes, and we are really working on that. We are focused on ourselves and not stressed about other teams, and we just need to make sure that we do (on the field) what we train"

"So many people look up to us because of where we come from."

"It is important that they know that one has to work really hard to get what you want. Honestly, success does not really fall from the sky. You need to wake up early."

"Gugulethu is like a community, like a school. You learn a lot from the people there. They are all parents to us. If you are able to take all the lessons from them then we can succeed. That is the weapon to achieve our goals."

"I never dreamt of being a footballer. I used to play Netball and I was very good at it but one day my teacher told me to try and play as a football goalkeeper and that’s how my career started like a joke."

"For me, football is more than a game; it’s a way of life. We survive because of football. I feed my family through football, so I always make sure I work really hard and do my best during games"

"I am happy to be back and I am sure my experience will help Buffaloes. I know most of the players here and I will easily adapt"

"It felt so good [to score the penalty] because we normally [practice it] ; whenever we have a session, we train for it,"

"I think this was the sweetest victory we had"

"I really had so much trouble that I had to change where I would stay"

"I went for a holiday at my grandma's place. And I really cried because I wanted to stay there and enjoy my sports career. So, I had to do that. And it really helped me a lot"

"She used to play netball, and in the process I wanted to do something different from her sport. So, I began playing football and from that time, it has been my favourite sport"

"She would encourage me. She told me to focus on school but also play football because I like it. So, she understood me so well and it really gave me the zeal to keep on going"

"I think the moment I started being named in the national team, that's the time my parents stood up for me and began supporting me. My mom is now my biggest fan"

"I feel like that moment, that's where everything began"

"That's the very year we also qualified for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations for the first time. If you look at the team that qualified for the Women's World Cup, half of it came from the U17 World Cup"

"I really want to experience more, because now it's at a senior level. I'm very excited and looking forward to the World Cup"

"He called the next day. He was like 'you really adopted my spirits', and I was like, 'wow, yeah"

"It feels so great. Kennedy is my inspiration so, for me, this is so encouraging and it really gives me more hope and more courage to keep on working extra hard"

"I think we're not just physically on the field, but spiritually, in everything that we're doing, together"

"Barbra keeps pushing us, telling us 'girls, we can do this' in every word that she speaks. She says 'we' and of course, it really encourages us to say 'OK, she's not playing but obviously she's among us"

"I feel it's a very great achievement, especially for women's football"

"The development is very great and I feel everyone now is focused to say we can go further - even to those people that were doubting themselves are now encouraged"

"I’m over the moon to announce that I’ve joined Zesco Ndola Girls Football Club"

"After years away from the pitch due to injury – years that were devastating, breaking, and emotional – I’m finally back. Thanks to Zesco Ndola Girls Football Club for this opportunity"

"I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude towards my stay in New Zealand , I got injured a few days to the biggest tournament which is the World Cup. A Tournament I have always wanted to participate [in] as a young dreamer"

"The injury almost made me lose hope of ever going to play and walk nicely on both legs but the unmatched love and care in New Zealand gave me some hope"

"I have massive hope of relighting my career on the field of play within the possible time, everyone in New Zealand has been supportive and encouraging while I was out there injured. Massive thanks go to the Zambian Government, Sports Minister Mr Elvis Nkandu i really appreciate for the father figure role you played, The Football Association of Zambia, The Ministry and the people back home for the support and warm encouragement"

"Hazel is a fantastic goalkeeper. She was at this tournament for Zambia. She’s already over a year out of play. So she did not train in any club"

"She did not play any games. So for me, of course, when she’s back on the training pitch, which I hope is going to be soon, then she will be in focus for the national team"

"But it’s never possible to call up a player who was more than a year out of the game and even in training practice"

"I’m adapting to the new weather and the food here in China"

"Competition for places is high and the league is tough so I just need to work hard to keep up with the competition"

"It’s God’s time. I have been praying for this opportunity to play professional football outside Zambia for about 4-5 years and finally God has allowed it"

"I feel good to be back on the pitch"

"I feel even better about scoring two goals on my return to the Red Arrows squad. For the remaining matches, my personal target is to score 10 goals"

"I just have to push so that my team can finish the league in a good position"

"Now that I have started playing, I just have to push harder to get back to the national team"

"I still want to play professional football outside the country. After all is done and I am back on the pitch, signing for a good team outside Zambia is one of my targets"

"Red Arrows has helped to improve my performances. The coaches have been encouraging me to work hard, and before we came here, they told me to work hard, and now I am scoring goals"

"We didn’t underrate Malawi; we came into the same with one team spirit, which has carried us through to the final of the tournament"

"It was difficult to accept [Nali’s injury] but we now need to accept. There is nothing we can do. I am the one who is there so I need to prove people wrong so that they trust me that even without Hazel, we can take Zambia far"

"I want to prove people wrong, they need to trust me, I need their support,” Musonda said in an interview with FAZ Media"

"I need to have concentration, on the pitch and in training. The first game is very important. We need to work hard as a whole team"

"The preparations are going on well. As a team our target is to go past the group stage"

"It was difficult to accept at first, but now I just have to accept and prove the fans wrong to have faith in me without Hazel. I can still put the country on the map"

"The Germany game was okay, but tough I just went with a positive mind of hardwork. Now that Hazel is injured, I just need to concentrate and keep pushing my teammates"

"We need to win that game, first game is very important according to our preparations. We just need to work hard as a team"

"I want to put up an impressive performance and join a top-flight team in Spain or anywhere else and ensure people have faith in me"

"It was a hard-fought game from start to finish. We knew it was not going to be easy, and the University of Fort Hare challenged us, especially in the first half. I honestly feel we could have scored more goals — we created some good chances but just lacked that final touch at times."

"What made the difference today was our perseverance. We worked hard for each other, stayed composed, and stuck to the game plan. We implemented everything we had practiced throughout the week, and that helped us maintain our structure under pressure"

"As defenders, we take great pride in protecting our goal, and the fact that we have not conceded all season is something we work extremely hard for in training. Every player—from the forwards pressing high to the goalkeeper—contributes to that defensive effort."

"I feel we did very well as a team, especially with our build-up to the game. We worked hard in training to sharpen our combinations and it was fulfilling to see several of the ideas we practiced come to life today. It was an intense match, but we kept our focus from start to finish"

"The coaching team was very clear in their instructions, and we all played with purpose and confidence. We are growing in every match and this result shows what we can achieve when we stay united and disciplined."

"The game was eventful and everything we planned and prepared for throughout the week resulted in a good win for us. We are so happy with how we managed the game from the first whistle to the last"

"Our defensive structure was solid and we capitalized on their weaknesses at key moments. The communication between the backline, midfield and attack was excellent and that made it easier to control the tempo."

"One thing the general public does not know about me is that I work very hard behind the scenes; I even have a personal trainer. I train twice a day, with my club and then with the personal trainer. So, I put in a lot of practice, especially for my passing. What you see on the field is a result of that hard work and practice"

"I’m not a person who likes to become comfortable in one position – I want to constantly improve as a player. I never want to hear people say ‘Bambanani can’t play football anymore’. So, I need to always work hard, especially because age is also not on my side"

"I’m grateful for the support I was getting from my wife, family and team. That really helped me bounce back from that setback, even though it was not an easy journey"

"I will continue playing until I feel that I can’t do it anymore. Everything we do in life is about timing and I feel as though I can still continue playing for the national team. After all, everyone is entitled to their own decisions,"

"But I’m happy for the retired players. They raised the level of women’s football in general, not just at Banyana Banyana"

"We spoke together after the loss of the last match. We agreed that we should keep fighting and that’s what we did"

"I thank god for the award of Woman of The Match, it crowns our efforts and so does the win"

"In our first match, we were nervous and were not yet aware of the situation. But we managed to pass through this one"

"In our first match, we were nervous and were not yet aware of the situation. But we managed to pass through this one. We came to qualify to the final game; this is our level and we are ready for AS Mande"

"It’s a huge responsibility because we have so many young ones in this team so we (the older players) have to motivate them and show them the ropes"

"But, it’s also not that difficult because we have been in this team for so many years, so we know what is expected from us, so we have to make sure that we keep the kids motivated to do better"

"[For the new players] it’s a matter of them adjusting to the game plan of the team so I believe that even with coach calling them, she saw something in them of which it will help boost the team"

"Soccer became my escape and comfort."

"Football teaches you how to behave on and off the field."

"As long as I keep going, nothing will stop me."

"Before that I wanted to be a coach, but I didn’t know how big I could be as a coach."

"If you really want something and you put all your effort in it together as a group, then anything is possible."

"I never punish. I never shout. I never swear. What are they afraid of?"

"I’m Dutch so I am clear in what I want. I think the fact I am maybe different – that is what they have felt. They are not used to women being direct."

"Because I’m a female coach, I’m undermined. A male coach who treated their players so well and put himself on the barricades would be praised. I did my job protecting players."

"If I would have been a male, this would have never, ever been an issue."

"I took care of the players. I’m direct. I’m opinionated, but nobody touches my players."

"I am the only coach in the world who’s always at the subs training because I know it’s awkward as a sub."

"It’s only a woman that can be criticised like that. Do you think Pep Guardiola would get this on his plate?"

"It’s my job to get the best programme on the pitch."

"Where in men's football would a player be given be given the opportunity, who's only played so few minutes (for their club), to go to the World Cup and be apart of it?"

"Five times I became coach of the year. Do you think this is because of my nice glasses or something?"

"In my opinion, no head coach in the world would accept interference of the executives in technical football affairs."

"What has stood up for me the most is fighting for one another on the field even when I make a mistake my teammate is there to motivate me and that has kept me going and made me want to give my all."

"I started playing football when I was seven, mostly playing with boys at home."

"My flow of the game depends on the tempo."

"The positive energy and vibe that I bring into the team, by merely playing the drum, is very important to me."

"Football will speak for itself."

"I grew up in a family that was football oriented."

"When I play football, I forget my problems. It is my joy. It is my happiness."

"Pressure is a privilege for me."

"I like being criticised because if I am not being criticized, I get worried because it means that people care."

"Glasgow is my home. I call it my second home."

"I do not only represent my team or just my family, but I also represent kids from back home."

"“It’s very important for us to achieve things and make history for the next generation. When they come here, they must know they can’t take things for granted and need to work for the nation."

"I used to play football with boys before playing with girls."

"It’s every player’s dream to play in the World Cup. Everyone that is here is trying to find their ticket to the World Cup."

"I think the lesson for us is that if we put the badge first and remember the people on ground who support us. That is what pushes us as a team. We are just taking lessons from the previous experiences, and just want to do it for the badge and for the people."

"I think, one thing about experience is that you can't buy it, you need to earn it, and being part of this tournament earned that experience for the team, and the individuals to show what we're made of in South Africa and the type of skills and players we have."

"Grassroots football is so important."

"It’s not a coincidence for me to be where I am now. It’s something that I’ve been working towards for years, without even changing the recipe – just constantly showing up and working hard, even when nobody is looking."

"For me, the biggest drive has been my family, to ensure that I achieve my goals so that I can make life better for them. That’s my biggest motivation."

"Being where I am now is definitely a dream come true – something I’ve been working towards for years. So, it’s quite fulfilling."

"As a footballer it’s also important to have a purpose besides things on the field."

"White girls played hockey and netball but my love was always football."

"The nearest women’s team I could play for was in a township and as the only white girl it was difficult at first. I had to learn a different culture and background and a whole different language of the game. I had never seen such living conditions in my life. Some of the girls didn’t have any shoes or football boots and I was getting football boots every second or third month. It made me realise how privileged I was and what I had."

"At first it was really difficult to fit in. The boys wouldn't pass me the ball, they didn't accept me into the team so I was kind of isolated from everything."

"The reason I continued was the determination of wanting to do well. I knew I had it in me to be a good player. I wasn't weak, I could kick a ball and I just loved playing the game."

"Nothing worth having comes easy and I worked hard to make my dream a reality."

"I believe in living a life that’s free of the fear of judgement, the fear of criticism and the fear of not being enough. And when fear does creep in, I confront it and fight back against it."

"I believe that women have an inner strength and are able to accomplish anything we put our minds to. Be yourself, be a leader, be courageous and strong, take risks and trust that you can achieve anything you want."

"The core principle of the dream was to create opportunities for girls of all ages to play football in a comfortable environment, where each player is encouraged and motivated to participate and give their best according to their ability."

"When I was younger, there were many times when I felt isolated and not part of the team because I am a woman. There have been so many barriers but I have continuously let my passion and my love of the game shine through."

"You know, when you see yourself being able to compete against boys you automatically become confident in yourself as a girl."

"No road to success is smooth."

"Any athlete will tell you that. It’s all about sacrifices and hard work and dealing with disappointment and all kinds of failures."

"Most of all what has kept me alive is my passion and love for the game."

"Without this sport I am not sure where life would’ve taken me. Everything I am and have achieved is through this beautiful game."

"I started playing from a young age with the boys who moulded me into a strong and bold woman. They shaped me into what I am today and to stand out among the rest."

"Women are powerful and strong."

"I believe that Africa has quality and phenomenal talent that clubs abroad are benefitting from because of the lack of high-level competitions in our respective countries."

"Football is my life and I wouldn't want to live without it. Every day is an opportunity to get better, whether you are injured and you want to heal to get better, or you don't have confidence and you need to be that better player."

"I just take every day as a new opportunity for me to be a better player and give the best I can towards the game."

"I want to help develop young girls -- and not necessarily [only] young girls, but players in general, and just share my expertise and my knowledge that I have gained over the years to other female football players."

"I didn’t even think that I would reach 100, never mind 150. I was just playing soccer and representing my country. I was just doing what I love. I didn’t even expect that one day I will be one of the most capped players in senior women’s football. I was just playing soccer, being a girl from a rural area, just doing what I love, that’s why I said I feel blessed that I am amongst those legends in Africa."

"I’m proud of myself because I never thought that I would be where I am today."

"You know, that’s why I say hard work pays off. Just keep working. God will answer your prayers and just keep praying."

"When the young girls watch us on television they tell their parents, I want to play like Mpumi Nyandeni or Portia Modise… Thanks to the SABC and Hollywoodbets our games are now on television, if they can’t go to the stadium they can still see us and they know they can still watch women’s football. This will inspire them to play soccer because they are now able to see us and in that way, we inspire them to achieve their dreams and even achieve more than we have."

"I will say to the young, upcoming footballers, they need to work hard, stay disciplined and carry themselves (well). What is important is how to carry yourself and don’t forget to pray and work hard, because your hard work, is going to pay off. So they need to work hard and leave the friends that have bad habits."

"Choose your friends but focus on yourself and believe in yourself. So that is most important if you believe in yourself, no one can take that from you."

"The way I loved football, I just wanted to be around the football pitch; I would ref sometimes."

"I am a firm believer that discipline, hard work, and passion are the best form of ingredients for a player to last as long as I have in the game."

"For me, personally, no one has the audacity to come and tell me when I should retire because that person was not there when I started playing football."

"I will retire when my body is no longer able to carry me. I will retire on my own accord."

"Football is my world – without it, there’s little else for me. My passion for the game is boundless, and I aim to keep playing for as long as I can. That’s how deep my love for football runs."

"I think showcasing our talent and competing on a global stage will definitely bring positive change into the sport."

"I think when you go there, you must be brave and be tough. When you start to be nervous and you see players who have long been playing in the World Cup, you won’t cope."

"The first game is where you push. No matter what happens, how bad the result or score is, but if you push in the first game, that’s when you’ll realise you can push in the second as well."

"All the players who are based abroad are ambassadors and we need to set good examples and standards for those that are back home or those that will follow in our footsteps, so yes there is a lot of pressure on all of us – but it is the kind that motivates us to well and represent our country in a most outstanding way. To be honest, I am excited and nervous at the same time – excited about the move, but also nervous that I am going to a new country, which means new beginnings. This is a really a dream come true"

"You don’t have to leave where you’re from. Access and opportunities should come to you, to elevate your career and give you a chance. Leaving home wasn’t easy; leaving my parents behind and chasing this football dream. But when I made it, my life changed."

"I managed to get into university because of football."

"I had good mentors around me."

"The women’s game in Africa has seriously evolved. Five or six years ago, when we were still playing, things were different. Today’s players enjoy more financial incentives, programs, and better opportunities."

"Equal pay isn’t just about salary. Are we getting equal platforms? Equal access? Equal broadcasting rights? Women’s football must be visible for people to know about it."

"Football gave me everything. I’m truly grateful."

"It's not just a major win for me personally in my career, but for many other aspiring women who want to be in the commentary space."

"As a former footballer, I know what it's like to be on the pitch."

"Interpreting a game is not always easy. It comes with confidence."

"I fell back into soccer, because at every corner boys were playing football and I just stood out as the only girl."

"At this rate, we may not see how much of an impact this team has had on women's football because we always water down their achievements."

"We’re deliberately stifling the growth of women’s football while boys' youth programmes and senior competitions keep getting the mileage and recognition. It does feel like women’s football is on its own."

"It’s not easy playing with a target on your back."

"The challenge of not being prioritised and empty promises still lingers because we still treat this team like or as an afterthought."

"There is nothing like family support for me. Family is everything."

"To know that there are people who care about you and wish you success is very motivating."

"Ultimately, working as a team will be key. Team spirit will help us prevail."

"I think every defender can say that the minute we step on the field and in training, we try not to concede because the team won’t lose if we don’t."

"It's about what you want in life. Studying and playing football at the same time is a nice challenge, it keeps you focused. I am not finding it difficult at all."

"I’ve never doubted myself, but I never thought I’d be here this soon!"

"It is a dream for all African players to come to Europe and play football, so it is a dream come true that I am now standing here in Farum."

"I am very goal-oriented as a player, and if I had to describe myself in a few words, I would probably define myself as a “silent killer” on the pitch."

"Excited is an understatement for me, I still pinch myself now and then just to make sure that I am not dreaming."

"We understand the significance of our supporters and we aim to give them a reason to cheer. They have stood by us through thick and thin and it’s our responsibility to put in a performance that they can be proud of."

"Our supporters are our 12th player on the pitch and we know that their energy and enthusiasm can make a huge difference to our performance. We value their contribution, and we’ll do everything possible to ensure that we give them a reason to celebrate on Saturday."

"I believe that this says a lot about women’s football in general in South Africa. It means women’s football is growing in a positive manner. Each and every staff member and players gave their best and that’s why we were able to get the gold medal at the end of the tournament. This is a positive sign for the future of our national team."

"Yes I did and I think there are more young girls now who are seeing that it is possible to become a professional soccer player because of others who have led the way."

"As I pointed out, when I was young the only thing I saw myself being was and still is, a professional footballer."

"I think every player needs to be patient because their time is coming as well."

"She had that thing that football is for boys only."

"It’s actually not easy to juggle school and football."

"Sometimes you've to go to camp, while you have assignments. So it’s daunting but doable."

"As time went by, I had to start at church before going to Sunday games. Even my coaches understood that on Sunday I’d arrive late because I’d start at church. It was either that or I don’t come at all. But now she’s so happy for me."

"From day one, it became clear that no sports career lasts forever. We had to be as passionate about our studies as were about football."

"Being a versatile player is one of the things that work to my advantage."

"I love every position as long as I’m playing football. Whatever role I have to play in the position that I’m selected for, I always make sure I do my best."

"I always prepare for whatever comes my way."

"Honestly I do, I feel like the hard work is paying off but I realise that I still have a lot to learn, a lot to improve on and consistently playing is helping me improve a lot, so I'm grateful for that."

"So, I'm happy because it makes me feel at peace knowing that I can make a mistake and they will correct me. Also, knowing it's comfortable that they are happy for me to be here and it's good."

"It's gonna mean the world, I really love presenting the country."

"It was also one of his dreams to see me playing abroad, he would be very proud and happy for me now. My dad was very supportive with my career and came to watch each and every game I played, coaching me here and there. I know I am where I am today because of him."

"It is every girl’s dream to take part in the biggest women’s football tournament on the African continent, and I am no different."

"NEVER give up. Always lift your head up. Always be positive."

"My family is extremely proud of me and very excited. They spoil me every time I do well at sports."

"I want for other learners to know that there are opportunities in sports and if they continue studying doors could open, let your talent make room for you."

"I had to make a decision on my own, that I wanted to be a professional footballer."

"But it’s tough. Especially when there’s no women’s team. Because where do you start? Hopefully one day it will change. Hopefully I can be part of that change."

"It felt great knowing people notice the talent I am blessed with. It gives me the motivation to work hard and to get better."

"I believe if our league can have more sponsors it would help teams to build good structures and prepare properly for the league and games."

"To Market more women’s football games and promote each team just as much as the top teams."

"Netball opens up a lot of opportunities. For example, it can help you further your studies by getting a high school or higher institution bursary. Besides that, you can play abroad, which is a dream come true for many. Above all, you can make a living out of what you love."

"Being captain isn’t just about wearing the armband, it’s about connecting with people, understanding what motivates them, and creating an environment where everyone can perform at their best."

"I’d say my leadership style is calm but intentional. I believe in leading by example, through my work ethic, communication, and consistency. I’m also big on empowerment; I want my teammates to feel trusted and confident to make decisions."

"Leadership for me is about guiding, not controlling."

"They have taught me that leadership is never one-size-fits-all. Every person in the team is different; some need encouragement, some need accountability, some just need to be heard. I’ve learned to listen more, to be patient, and to celebrate others’ strengths."

"When I look at where netball was when I started and where it is now, the professionalism, the exposure, the opportunities, it’s truly inspiring."

"The younger generation now sees netball as a career, not just a passion."

"I always strive to better myself and give my best on and off court."

"I tell myself that what I do now counts for what lies ahead! So not focusing on the future but making sure I give my very best at each task now because later I will reap the rewards."

"Lastly, that little netball player that we inspire, will get to see live how it is possible to reach your dream."

"Where you come from or even how you look doesn’t determine where you are going. It is important to know where you want to be in order to set goals and chase them. Believing in God and believing in yourself is vital to achieving your dreams."

"I’ve got goals to achieve so I need to keep working."

"The decision to continue chasing your dreams and not focusing on the loss is also one of the most difficult decisions in life, but it has made me who I am today."

"Having doubts about yourself is inevitable, however, it is important to use those negative thoughts and emotions to keep you motivated and continue pushing on."

"We have provincial teams that consist of national players, which can be used to reach out and conduct clinics for the less fortunate. I also believe that young netball players should have access to netball facilities that are well-equipped and looked after."

"Difficult circumstances don’t determine who you will be or where you will go, you can use them to become a better person and example. I love netball because it is an escape, but you also learn life lessons from it."

"Netball opens a lot of doors and it’s helped me become a person I never thought I would be."

"What’s what makes a good leader, your actions in the present, it’s not always necessary to talk so much, you must lead by example."

"Being the first coach to help take South Africa into the top four is a milestone, but it’s also just the beginning of where we want to go."

"The pride of seeing the team celebrate victories together is something I’ll never forget."

"Preparation is everything."

"We are former players, we have played in the same together, and we have always had the same goal, so the connection is great."

"The players can be inspired by their coaches who have played at the highest level before."

"“Also being an athlete, I know what it feels like to not get what you’re supposed to get. My job is to communicate with federations, captains and managers to make sure that everyone is happy within their roles and codes. Just to make sure everyone has what they’re supposed to have."

"If athletes do not have the support and their basic needs are not satisfied then they die out. Young athletes drop out of sport because of the lack of support from around their communities."

"Netball has really changed my life drastically and I’m hoping that someone will follow in my footsteps. To take the journey that I’ve taken by using sports to change their lives."

"I think education is the key for all the young players. Going to school is important, especially being a female athlete in South Africa. The sports that we play is not professional, you need to have another source of income."

"It was amazing for me to witness these young South Africans seeing a future for themselves in netball."

"Netball is an easy sport – all you need is a ball and a bit of space. Everyone can understand it and relate to it, no matter who they are and which part of the country they’re from."

"People have commented that when we walk onto court, we move as one – and that’s how it feels. We want this culture to trickle down to netball at every level. We need to respect and support one another so that we can be united. Then, everything else will fall into place."

"I believe strongly that you can’t just stick to making your home better – you can drive just 100km down the road and find a life that you can change in an instant. And that’s the stuff I’m really looking forward to."

"I will remain a proud ambassador for the beautiful sport of netball, and I will remain fully committed to maintaining my humanitarian and philanthropic endeavours."

"The passion I have for netball is at another level."

"Netball has given me many fantastic opportunities just because someone looked after me. And I looked at how I can use my experience on how to help others so that they can have more or less the same opportunities that I had without having to pay. It was a thoughtful process to start a project and up until today I am really pleased that I actually did."

"There are players that are really doing well despite their upbringing and background."

"It makes so much of a difference if you know you can play a part in someone’s life. If they don’t have shoes you can contribute towards that."

"Netball has changed over the years with the make-up of the team in terms of representing who we are as a country. South Africa is diverse and netball is currently a true reflection of who we are."

"The role models that the kids can look up to are so diverse. They can now actually relate to a particular person because of the numbers and the mixture of the group."

"Diversity is our strength."

"An opportunity given to players of different languages and skin colour allows the national team to influence kids from all backgrounds. Every player brings something different and the unity that the team brings is also a big advantage for the team going forward."

"You also have bills to pay. Sport can also assist in that sense, so it’s a fantastic opportunity that one can explore."

"I always had a support system even outside my family through Netball. I’ve seen first hand how netball can change one’s life through guidance, support and opportunities!"

"This for me is what I take from the sport and will always hold dear to my heart. Through this, I’ve learnt to love the sport and the competition. I’ve learnt to grow from the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities to discover myself continuously and to live limitlessly."

"I have always enjoyed working with people and wanting to help where I can while showing them respect. When it comes to leadership, I don’t think there’s an exact way of leading people, every situation calls for a different type of leadership. Some situations require you to involve everyone and get their opinions, and other situations require you to give direction. Knowing the fine line between the two and being unbiased is what separates a leader from a great leader."

"Personally, I prefer to be respected than liked because with respect comes understanding and value in my teachings."

"All I know is what you see is what you get."

"Investment in women’s sport has grown tremendously. However, there’s still a lot of room for growth. Women’s sport needs long term sponsorships to invest in the growth of the sport. I have seen big corporations show up to major events however, do not continue their investment within the sports afterwards. Inconsistent sponsorships do not allow development and sustainability for the longevity of the sport."

"There’s room for growth through the opportunities that constantly arise, the rules adaptations and the potential careers within and through the sport."

"I have learnt that I am more than who I perceived myself to be before the sport. The sport has shown me that I have a lot more to offer and my potential is limitless."

"Do not be misled by the glitz and glamour of what you see now. There is a lot of work being done behind the scenes for many years; late nights, challenges and sacrifices. It’s the positive mindset, commitment, passion and continuous hard work behind the scenes that will set you apart from the rest. Your drive and determination will determine your path in your journey."

"Every encounter has added to the person I am today. I am blessed."

"As a woman in sport, there are areas where we can still be better but now and then I look back and think about those who changed things for us or played their part in making sure that in a few days, we can celebrate Freedom Day."

"Women are getting to sit at big seats at the table, and this makes me proud."

"Cherish that moment because it’s not guaranteed, nothing in sport is a lifetime thing, it’s really about that time when you are still able to and can still run around injury-free and healthy."

"I like experiencing progress and I always think it is best for the future. I can proudly say that amongst all the black players in the Spar Proteas‚ none of them would say they feel marginalised or ill-treated because of their skin colour because we all matter."

"We black people sometimes do treat white people differently to how we treat other blacks."

"I have been in a situation where I needed assistance at a hospital from a black lady with my mom and I had to wait. Right at that space‚ a white man came with more or less the same request and was assisted immediately."

"Random situations where I had to say ‘sorry I didn’t hear’‚ but the conversation or coaching was in Afrikaans‚ which used to be a norm."

"I have to thank God for the idea of knowing when to take one big decision, moving forward into the next level, not just my netball career but my life in general."

"Because I know if anyone is given a chance, are supported fully and obviously given the right information, they can actually be as big as they want to be. I love that I am seeing this with the girls."

"Every time my name is announced in the national squad there is a feeling of excitement."

"I love having the opportunity to help empower women and I want to give hope to all girls in the South African community."

"Sport has the power to change things. For instance, I have become much more confident from being involved in netball."

"I am extremely proud of what I have achieved and am grateful to many people behind the scenes who have made this all possible."

"I believe that passion, leadership skills, valuable knowledge and experience, confidence, fairness, and time management make a good coach."

"I don’t know where I would be without netball. It gave me an opportunity to travel the world, represent my country, make an income and to be a beacon of hope and inspiration for all the young girls who have dreams of following in my footsteps."

"Anything is possible through hard work and determination. I didn’t ever think that my life would turn out this way coming from poverty and lack of resources. I am so grateful for what netball has brought into my life."

"Whatever you want to work towards or whatever you want to achieve, it doesn’t matter who you are, your height, or whatever your circumstances are, you can achieve it and it comes with a lot of hard work."

"I would like to offer a piece of advice to the incoming captain; refrain from micromanaging, avoid biases, adopt a generous approach, prioritize fairness, uphold respect, and lead by example. Base your decision on facts and align with the federation’s objectives. Don’t hesitate to seek clarification by asking questions."

"Keep working hard. You can’t just be talented and not put the work in. You need to put the work in every single day – even during the holidays or any period that you might have off. Of course, recovery is key."

"Listen to your body. You know how you feel. But, you need to be hungry to get out there and play so it’s about that winning mentality you have to have. Without that, why would you want to go out there and compete?"

"Having good coaches in a sport system also helps a lot. It also just comes from getting to go to a good school, which contributes to exposing some more netball. I think I got lucky there because we went on tour for a netball tournament and I think that is where. I was fortunate enough to have gone through a system that exposes you to more structural areas in terms of how the pathway is given to us as players and students."

"It requires a high level of mental strength and physical preparation, in terms of what you need to do to get back into the court."

"Getting there is hard enough, but staying there is harder. You have to be so consistent, you can’t drop the ball on anything that you commit to. It’s hard work, putting in the extras where you lack or know where you need to improve."

"It is challenging mentally because some days, you don’t want to do this but you have to. It’s tough, but that'’s what you’re there to do, that’s your job. That’s the level of competition that you’re playing."

"You have to set the standards, and you can’t drop the ball."

"Over the past years it has not been easy being a female footballer because of the whole concept of it being a man sport but now people understand that we too can play football so that pressure has toned down."

"I think it is very important that you do not neglect either and if you think you are a great footballer you also dont know where football can take you so you need something to fall back on, which is a career."

"I think the current situation faced in the football fraternity is a sad one as football in general is a great investment one can make as you are also creating a name for yourself and marketing yourself."

"We have a high fighting spirit. We are consistent and resilient and we want to win. We feel like this is yet another chance for us. My heartfelt gratitude to all the supporters who always come out to watch us play."

"It’s down to teamwork."

"I was there to save my life, and that was my mentality."

"Whether I was happy or sad, whatever emotion I had, I would just drink on."

"I was in such a bad place that I didn't care what happened to me."

"I felt like I was drinking to die because I had nothing left to give."

"Some people think that going to rehab is the final straw, that it's the end. But it's not, it's the beginning - and the acceptance of that was the start of something very beautiful for me."

"I am still alive, I am sober and I am grateful. It has taught me to take each day as it comes and not to worry about tomorrow."

"I have got a lot more to give."

"I am going to wear this, I am going to go to bed with it, I am going to shower with it, because this wasn't even possible for me. This is probably my gold…. for now."

"I was walking away from cricket."

"I went to rehab and now to play the final four months afterwards, it's pretty emotional."

"Social media doesn't support you. You have a really tough day and people just bullet you on social media. That sent me over the edge. It just wouldn't stop."

"People are allowed to have their opinions but it doesn't define who I am. I am forever grateful for that."

"The one thing I learnt in the time off is that it was always a behaviour thing. I must be the same person on the field as I am off the field."

"Cricket is a game where you wake up and you have another day."

"entered rehab and that humbled me, but I still didn't admit that I was an alcoholic. At that point I realised that if I lose my cricket career, so be it ... It was my life that I was trying to get back. Whether I had a career coming back, it didn't matter."

"No-one turned their backs on me during my struggles. I'm no longer playing for myself like before because it was always about me, now it is about how I get better for the team."

"I'm not worried about what happens on the outside now, I'm more focused on getting the simple things right and looking at the package."

"I am my biggest critic, but in 2023 I learnt I have to fill in the work and everything will take care of itself."

"I don't see it as success. For me, it's literally just the 24 hours that is very important to me. And I think when I went into treatment, that was the one thing that I wasn't focused on. I was more focused on what I am doing outside of the game."

"You literally focus on that day because that's the most important."

"If I think too far ahead, I don't know whether relapse is coming tomorrow. But if I know that I'm sorting out what I'm meant to do today, I won't relapse tomorrow. It's more like a domino effect. And I think anyone that's going through anything with addiction or with sobriety in general, it's okay."

"I think if someone told me that it was okay and [if I had] asked for help, I think that's the biggest thing. There's nothing to be ashamed of because your story is not done yet."

"And I always think of life as chapters. It was just another chapter of my life. So now I'm looking forward to the rest."

"I always say I know a few people within cricket or football or whatever, where there is an element of struggling with addiction. And I think once you open yourself up as yourself, being sober, I kind of use it as a platform to say to someone: Hang on, you still have a chance."

"And I think that's what I've always tried to portray. Yes, you might have messed up somewhere, but that doesn't mean that it's the final story. I think if you put in the work, it will always multiply into something great."

"Yes, I think there's a really conscious mindset [now] because sometimes you won't understand why a player is going through such a ditch, but you don't know where that player is."

"And I think it's that, I'm not saying level of grace, but I think one has to step back and be like: Where I'm sitting, I've also struggled with something."

"And I think it's just awareness from everyone around, whether it's spectators, fans, coaches, players, and I think it's always just being vulnerable enough to say: Hang on, I'm struggling here."

"And I think it's just be open because you're helping the next person by you being open."

"Yes, I remember my mom used to be a big fan of Makhaya Ntini, and actually Ntini was the reason I started watching cricket."

"I want to also motivate young kids to take up the sport and I want to be a role model as well as a good individual."

"I would simply say, never give up, there is no shame in failing, but it is important how you pick yourself up after that."

"The person you get on the field is someone who gets on their knees every day. I am not in control of anything. God is always in control."

"I lost who I was."

"For me, a leader is always just someone that can obviously implement – and it's all about action, like I think their action and everything that they do."

"I've always had a positive approach in whatever situation I find myself. I tend to find that as soon as you go negative, immediately, people around you tend to be negative. So my focus is to just stay positive as long as possible."

"To lose like that, it does hurt. If it doesn't hurt, it doesn't mean anything. But no one game like this makes us a bad squad."

"I’m the only girl in our home, and my father used to play football. So, I started playing football at the age of 6 with a boys’ team. To be honest, I’ve been lucky to have my family’s support. Even though they got scared for me at times, of getting injured, specially playing with boys, but they kept supporting me. My mother even used to take me to my trainings."

"When you reach a certain age, you realize that being only a footballer does not help you financially, as women’s football does not have enough money as the men’s game. So, I made sure to secure myself with another full-time job. I had to work on both at the same time."

"To be where I am today, I owe it to my supporting mother, and to my recently passed away grandmother. I’ve been through many challenges in my life, but it all made me the strong woman I am today. So, girls must not give up; everything comes with time. Do not get distracted with downs, consistent work and training gets you where you want."

"We are not just aiming for a win; we are looking to make a statement and solidify our position at the top of the league."

"But winning away from home always feels good. Securing all 3 points is crucial, regardless of who the opponents are."

"I am thankful for everyone who have contributed to my growth, good and bad, and I am ready for the new challenges ahead of me that requires new focus."

"I am happy to have contributed to their growth with opportunities that were not around when I started as a young kid."

"We don’t approach football games seeking revenge."

"It depends on the coach. Every player and every coach has their own preference. So, if the coach prefers a certain player you won't make the team. In South Africa when you reach 30, they think you are old."

"We don't believe in experience and experience can't be bought. You build experience. So, this thing of 'We are building, we want new blood' I feel like we still have a long way to go."

"I believe if you mix new and experienced players it makes a good team. Younger players have energy and experienced players have the experience to build."

"At training or on the field of play it is not so much an issue because football language is universal, and I understand most words. The main challenge is when I have to converse with my teammates off the field, but I am getting there."

"My love for football goes beyond just playing the game to the best of my ability. I love all facets of the game and being a coach excites me. While I was abroad, I had the privilege of interacting with several people who broadened my holistic understanding of the game. My journey thus far as a coach has been an interesting one because it has opened my eyes to several ideas about what goes on before, during and after the game."

"I am very happy with the way the world is paying attention to women in the game of football."

"I always feel so emotional when I see youngsters knocking the ball around with confidence. I see myself in them and it excites me to train them. I hope that they keep their heads down and learn more about the game. I hope they eventually exceed my achievements because they are very talented and I am working hard to help them achieve their potential."

"It’s always a good feeling when you have a positive impact on the outcome of a game."

"Football has given me so many memories and lessons that I will carry for life."

"The will was there to continue, but the body was no longer responding the way it used to. I had to listen to it, respect its limits and make the tough decision."

"The transition from being a player to stepping into a coach has been exciting and humbling. As a player, I was used to being on the field—scoring, assisting and making things happen. Now, I lead from the sidelines, but with the same passion and drive. It is a different kind of responsibility that requires vision, clarity and patience."

"What makes it easier is that I have walked the same path many of these players are on. I know what they are fighting for. I am here to guide them—with honesty and experience."

"I am excited for what lies ahead and ready to continue building a legacy that empowers the next generation."

"I don’t normally like to talk about it. Coming from a royal family, being a female and wanting to play football. The family… they wanted me to be something else."

"I would say they do support me today, even though they would prefer if I was a princess. But I refuse to be that because football is something that I love, it completes my life and my world."

"It is not easy playing with the ‘big guns’, but we enjoyed ourselves and the experience we got playing there, we are using it now."

"We did not just do it for ourselves, but also the young ones out there, the next generation so that everyone can recognize that in South Africa we have good players. That will hopefully open the doors for others to get a contract overseas."

"Age is just a number, as long as I can still play and run, that is what matters most."

"The only problem that we have as Africans going overseas is our development."

"I would start by introducing school football and development academies for girls, and then ensuring there were sponsors for female teams and seeking support from the department of sport and other organisations to assist with the growth of women's and girls' sport across all provinces."

"When I was young, they tried to stop me from playing football, but I refused and told them I was not interested in royal duties, my mom was not happy."

"Being a coach is not as easy as everyone thinks. There are so many aspects of the game that you have to pay close attention to. You need to understand the mindset of the players, as well as their mentality to buy into your philosophy. Being a coach also makes one understand the psychological aspects of the game because I am now able to understand the frustrations of a player when things are not going according to plan. Overall, by becoming a coach, I have gained a broader understanding of the game."

"We have learnt that there's a much quicker way of moving the football, we learnt not to give the ball too much."

"Consistency is very important, it builds the team's confidence."

"My football career started at the age of 13. I was very hyped and excited for football, playing for the national team and my team. I was just enjoying the fact that I’m playing football."

"I faced many people that always told me football is not for girls, but it’s not about that, it’s about what I love."

"Every dream has its challenges, and those challenges build you. It’s always about how you get up."

"Every girl has to be strong and push forward, never listen to any negativity. People will hate and love, you must face it all. That’s life, it’s never easy."

"Growing up in a small town, I never had small dreams. Only big targets and destinations! I always dream big."

"To young girls, you should not try to be someone else. You do not what people go through to be who they are. Do not listen to people saying, ‘you cannot do it’. Only you can decide that!"

"I'm busy, but I don't find it difficult. When it comes to my lifestyle, the industry, I get a lot of time cos I know no one dictates for me. It's about me."

"When it comes to football everything runs on time, on their a schedule, we must be there. We signed a contract, and working for them. But as an individual, I'm working for myself."

"What I like about me, I can transfer this energy. If I'm at soccer, I'm at soccer, I train I keep the energy. I go home, get a bit of rest, and I go back to the studio. On and off the pitch I can still work, than someone who can complain 'I'm from soccer' and they sleep. I'm not like that."

"Dancing has always been there, as part of street culture."

"Amapiano is a vibe, it is a culture and it is a celebration of being young."

"I'm happy with the way I am. I'm a product of God. People should be supportive about my career, not be judgemental."

"I want people to respect and support me."

"When you score goals, you increase your chances of winning games. As such, we are determined to score more in April. I am happy with the way even the new signings have hit the ground running in terms of putting the ball in the back of the net."

"I am grateful to pursue my love for music and football simultaneously. Doors that I have never imagined are opening for me because I work hard in all that I do. It is a marvellous time to live a dream that I never saw coming. Now that I am realising my dreams across both fronts, I aim to keep soaring higher. Like I always say, believe in your dreams, because if you do not give up, that dream will become a reality"

"What a time to be alive. I appreciate the fact that we live in a time where we as the youth are reaping the blessings that our ancestors struggled for."

"I want them to watch how I navigate my career and how I carry myself, more imperatively they must watch how I treat people. Everyone you know brings you closer to your next yes."

"Reality is we are all from different backgrounds [that is why] it’s a special place to find family within a work space regardless of the industry. The family aspect of it all, everyone at Sundowns has yellow blood."

"Soccer has positively influenced my life in many ways. It has ensured that I could further my education at tertiary level, it has groomed me holistically, it has also helped me to become the individual that I am right now."

"Stay disciplined and focus on your goals ."

"Believe that whatever you want is possible to achieve, do not let your circumstances define where YOU WANT to end up."

"Work hard, hard work always beats talent when talent doesn’t work."

"Having to be mentally strong is very important in life and having an understanding that things won’t always go our way is important. Dealing with hurdles is important."

"Teachers played an integral part of my life. They were the ones who constantly kept me on my toes academically and with my football. The support was the most important part from my teacher and lecturers throughout my education years. The understanding that I am a student athlete was very important."

"To the educators, support the kids, by all means be the mentor that they never had growing up or they wish they always had. Encourage learners to pursue their dreams however emphasise the importance of education, especially to the girl child! The fight for equality in sports continues."

"I had to make time management one of my main practices and prioritize my studies before my football, because I was a student before being a soccer player. Discipline, dedication and hard work – these are some the traits that helped me balance my football and studies."

"It is important for girls to have someone to show them the way, and I take this seriously. I would love my values and actions to inspire the next generation and give hope to the hopeless; to be someone young girls wish to emulate. I also want to help young girls feel like they belong, especially in a sport seen to be male dominated. They need to be inspired when looking, hearing, or seeing me."

"Try to accept yourself and be kind to yourself. It’s the most important and perhaps the toughest thing to do. Practice looking after your needs and refrain from putting your wellbeing at risk to please others. Continue loving yourself even when someone treats you poorly, bullies you, or shows you disrespect."

"No matter who you are or where you come from, have confidence in yourself and follow your path. Rise above your circumstances – never let them define where you can or want to end up."

"Things that keep me hungry for success are making myself and my family proud. Wanting to give back and to be remembered. To leave a mark everywhere I touch or pass. My desire to win and to realise my goals."

"The World Cup is every soccer player’s dream, including mine. I would love to play at a World Cup and believe that if it’s meant for me it will come to pass. For now, I can only control the variable in my power, continue to work hard, stay disciplined and determined. The rest is up to God."

"But at the end of the day, you don’t do things to please people but to please yourself and for your well-being and what you think is the best for you. At the end of the day, it’s about you."

"We did apply ourselves and did everything we could to win, but sometimes when it is not your day, it’s not your day."

"Yes, we might sweat, but at the end of the day, we need to go out there and collect all three point."

"At 6 years old, football was very interesting for me. My family encouraged me to play and then I started playing with a girls’ team after playing in the streets for a long time."

"There are many players who wish to be in our place right now, we are very grateful to be here. And I feel it can open more opportunities for me, so I’m grateful."

"We are never taken seriously as female footballer, but I feel that this is changing gradually. We should be equal to men in this sport because we play it well."

"Every girl should keep on working hard because anything is possible in life. I never thought I’d end up here one day, but it’s possible. It happened for us, and it can happen for anyone. And never neglect your school, school comes first along with football. Education will make you accomplish your dreams, so take your future seriously, that’s what I tell our youngsters in the team."

"I went through a lot in my life, it was never easy. You need to be disciplined in your life, to focus, take responsibility and work harder than you can, that’s what I did and will keep doing."

"As coaches, we are genuinely delighted with the remarkable form displayed by our girls. We take immense pride in their techniques, solid positioning and growing tactical awareness. It brings us great satisfaction to witness their diligent implementation of the training sessions. Naturally, we are also thrilled with their consistent winning performances. However, as coaches, we recognize the importance of preventing complacency and nurturing a hunger for continuous success. It is our responsibility to guide and motivate them towards reaching new heights and achieving even greater accomplishments."

"We work for one another; we die for another on that field of play. It doesn’t matter who is playing or not playing. Whoever is chosen does the job. Even when the coaches change things up and bring in new players, you cannot see who has been subbed off and who has replaced them."

"But I think it's good, you can tell women's football is growing. The coaches are now becoming more wiser in how they approach games. It is good for the fans and it is good for the league."

"I was so overwhelmed with the mantle of responsibility that was presented before me. It was a great privilege to lead the line and I will never forget this opportunity."

"This captaincy role has further improved my knowledge of the game. As a skipper, there are so many aspects of the game that must always be studied in real-time. Although we did not finish the tournament the way we anticipated, I understood the challenges of what leadership comes with. The experience obtained is priceless and if the opportunity to become a captain arises again in the nearest future, I will be willing and ready to step in and showcase my abilities."

"That was a minor setback, nothing more. We are a team built to win and that is not about to change. Our focus is already set on the next challenge and Sunday’s game will be a perfect opportunity to bounce back."

"We are preparing quite well and focusing more on our composure in front of the goal because we realized we created lots of chances, but we only managed to convert one in our previous game. We do not want to leave anything to chance on Sunday. We will be sharper in front of goal and that will make all the difference."

"Finding the right balance between offensive and defensive moves, anticipating your opponent’s next move and making calculated decisions to gain an advantage are crucial aspects of both chess and football. Both games demand a combination of skill, foresight and tactical awareness to outwit your opponent and secure victory."

"The ability to think several moves ahead in chess has translated into improved anticipation and decision-making on the football pitch. I can now better identify potential openings and visualize different scenarios."

"All I can say - is that we have players who are always willing to take instructions - they make our job easy and we are very proud of their achievements this season."

"It is such a great opportunity to be given a chance to showcase my talent as a woman."

"I am very proud of how far I have come and I am hoping to inspire more women in football and across other disciplines they find themselves in."

"I am proof that gender cannot prevent one from becoming what they want to be."

"At the end of the day, it comes down to the application of one’s self in whatever he or she is doing. Again, I am very thrilled at the prospect of making more history as a woman."

"I believe that everything starts at training, as coaches we make sure we apply good tactics, so that when we face-off with tough oppositions we can have players follow the game plan."

"It was a dream come true. In a way, I have been preparing for that moment because I've always wanted to be a coach."

"Before the match, I spoke about the unpredictability of the game of football because there are no pushovers in the sport anymore. It’s incredible to see how much momentum the women’s game is gaining across the continent. Nevertheless, the final allows us to showcase our attacking capabilities once again. We simply cannot wait."

"I remember just admiring her from afar but when we started speaking, I knew this is someone I’m going to have in my life for a long time."

"I’m not worried about the public’s opinion, they will talk no matter what. I’ve come to the realisation that people don’t know what the definition of love is and with Refiloe and I showing the love we have for each other, maybe it’ll teach them something from a different perspective."

"In all honesty, I only value the opinion of people who mean the world to me, and if they are happy with what I’m doing, then that’s all that matters."

"I want to be the reason that somebody never gives up."

"I vow to teach and equip, in and outside the classroom. May we protect the talent in our communities. I had a dream as a young girl and the journey is still in progress: Being the changed I wish to see in this world 🌎"

"If you are goal-driven, you won’t be discouraged or side tracked by every challenge thrown your way."

"I was born for a purpose and I’d like to believe my purpose is around sports and sports education and coaching."

"I’m just inspired by seeing people win, seeing people do better and not to be taken advantage of. I wake up every morning thinking how am I helping the next person win? For me to get to where I am, I’ve had challenges but equally there are people who aided me."

"It is important to have structures, systems, experts. It’s important to know what you are doing. You need to be knowledgeable. Create systems, create opportunities but you can’t create them without the framework there’s a certain blueprint that needs to be understood."

"I love teaching and coaching. I love educating."

"There’s less academic professionals in this industry and if we let it die what’s going to happen to our industry. It’s important that we keep studying and keep going further. There are a few people with a Masters in Sport Management let alone a doctorate. It’s important to have some form of education, it becomes easier when you have the knowledge. There’s certain skills that you learn such as critical thinking that you learn in the classroom. Managers, mentors should be knowledgeable so that they don’t lead athletes astray and help get the best out of athletes."

"I always share my own journey and hopefully it’s relatable and can help others. Start early. For those who are starting, know where you are going, know the bigger picture. What you do today should speak to the bigger picture. There may be deviations, there may be detours and challenges and obstacles but ultimately when you see the bigger picture and you see the destination it becomes easier."

"For those who are at home, don’t give up and get involved, be intentional about what you do and where you go, who you speak to. Also try other things related to what you do. Don’t give up."

"Yes I wear many hats and all the hats I wear are in sport."

"I’ve built myself in a way that I’m connected in various sports channels that allow me to go anywhere. Practically equip yourself that’s the most important thing."

"I hope to water this seed called women’s football."

"We need to position ourselves and serve by creating a path for the future generation. I would like to change any narrative that fuelled inferiority in our sports and in the society. I wish to better other people’s lives."

"Today media coverage of women’s sport is better. Today we have at least one or two women in sports leadership positions. Some women are paid and can put a bit of food on the table. Women can perform on the world stage, so there has been a little evolution."

"My youthfulness and being female had disadvantages as many doors were closed because I am young a woman and not experienced enough, regardless of qualifications and knowledge."

"I refuse to back down, I refuse to stop working hard, I refuse to stop living my truth and be the change I want to see in the world. I still get up to create a better tomorrow and I thrive on challenges."

"We need active systems, qualified people monitoring those systems and accountability."

"I want to be the reason women don’t give up, positively changing one life at a time."

"I am committed to keep doing my best whenever I am called upon."

"This move will definitely help my career grow as a person and as a versatile footballer passionate about the game."

"Me coming to Italy and playing for AS Roma is a very big, life-changing experience for me. It will help my career grow and also help me grow as a person and a footballer."

"My target is to help the team achieve their objective and plan for the season. My other target is to improve as a player."

"Believe in yourself, no matter where you come from. In Paris, only discipline and passion matter."

"We’re often reduced to speed or power, but African women’s football is so much more than that."

"This tournament brings a different intensity, a unique emotion. It’s our legacy."

"There are so many things I love here. What stands out the most is being able to train every day alongside exceptional players. Every session is a learning moment. Some of them I used to admire on TV when I was younger, so now sharing the field with them and learning from them is such a rich experience."

"I told them to believe in themselves. It doesn’t matter where you come from—your background should never limit you. Being from a particular country or region doesn’t define your value. What matters is what you show on the field."

"Self-belief is the key."

"It sends a strong message to young girls across the continent: if we made it, they can too. They shouldn't limit themselves to stereotypical traits."

"No team should be taken lightly."

"We live with it. The pressure has always been there. When you wear the Nigerian jersey, you know the expectations are sky-high."

"Today, things are changing—and that’s excellent. The more people understand the importance of this competition, the more African women’s football will grow."

"But that’s the point: no matter where you come from, the path may be different, but the destination can be the same. We can all reach the top level, each in our own way."

"You have to believe in yourself and never doubt. You set your own ceiling."

"If you tell yourself you won’t make it, then you won’t. Don’t let anyone convince you that you can’t. Work hard, believe in yourself, and go for it."

"After every tough game, you just have to get over it. There are things you can’t control, and I try to focus on the ones I can. It’s okay to reflect and work on your performance, but the key is to move ahead."

"Be yourself, do your thing, and be confident in yourself. But most importantly, know God first, because God is great."

"We are strong. We never say never. We are the Super Falcons of Nigeria. That was our mentality."

"We motivated one another. We believed we could do it. We believed in what we are capable of."

"It’s a competition, and everyone is going there to fight for the trophy."

"This is a step toward achieving our aim in this competition. We want to keep winning until we reach our goal."

"The spirit in the camp is high. We are good to go. I know we are here to compete. Going to the Olympics is so special to me. I will always cherish this moment because so many people dreamt of playing at the Olympics and it never came to pass."

"I am going to say it is tough. It's a mental thing. It is just about getting your mind focused and ready for anything that comes because I know what I am putting myself through."

"I feel like the moment I stop playing and growing, so many people coming after me are going to suffer."

"I always keep pushing myself and staying focused on everything I do."

"The world is changing. Football is changing. People are growing. We still need to do more back home. The facilities need improvement. For me, I think we need to get the grassroots teams back"