Women In Sports

"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 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."

"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"

"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."

"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"

"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."

"So, when I feel like I want to give up or cry, I don’t. And the outcome is much more beautiful."

"I think learning to take something difficult in your stride is something life teaches you."

"Running teaches you patience, and I didn't want to give up. After all, if you don't give up, you just continue."

"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?"

"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."

"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."

"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 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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"I dreamed, I worked hard, I received."

"When you achieve that dream, it shows anything is possible if you put your mind to it and work hard for it."

"I put the pressure on myself because I love what I do."

"I also like to give back in life. I like to make sure the way I live my life I can influence young people."

"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 feel like I had an innate gift that I was born with to run."

"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."

"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"

"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."

"As one of the leaders, it is my job to bring Cameroon back to the top with help of other players"

"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"

"Cameroon needs me as a leader and I will be that leader"

"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."

"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."

"The real race begins when the pain starts."

"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."

"I don't challenge myself to be better than the next person, rather better than myself. I think everyone should compete with themselves."

"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 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."

"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."

"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"

"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"

"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"

"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."

"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"

"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"

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

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

""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"."

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

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