When you've won a gold medal and you're at the top of your sport, everyone's trying to beat you. I find that incredibly motivating.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
People think the gold medal is yours and they say you're going to win - but they have no idea how hard it is. People aren't doing it negatively - they're mostly lovely and they really do want you to win - but they don't understand the difficulty and intensity of competition.
For so long I wanted to win the gold medal. Then I won. I had to figure out what was the new motivation to take myself to that place again.
My biggest motivation is knowing what it feels like to win medals and thinking that I want that feeling again. It was incredible to succeed in Beijing and come home to your whole country behind you but, importantly, all your family and friends.
I used to think that losing made you more hungry and determined but after my success at the Olympics and the U.S. Open I realise that winning is the biggest motivation.
I've dominated past competitions, but I've sweated blood and tears for every medal. I take nothing for granted, and I'm fully focused on doing my best.
I feel like the thing that motivates me is not making the Olympic team. If I'm having a rough day, I think about how bad I want it.
What drives me is winning medals and going out there and enjoying it.
My goal is to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games, and I'll fight and continue going until I do that.
It's not hard to motivate myself because once you get a taste for winning races, you simply don't want to do anything else. You get a buzz from it. You want it every day. Only someone who has experienced winning can understand how good it feels.
I've won a world championship, I know how that feels. I don't know how it feels to win a gold medal. I want to feel that; I want to know that.
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