If you're the Olympic champion then they have to wait four more years to get you again.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
The Olympics are only once every four years, so you have to take advantage of all your opportunities, both to be an inspiration to people and help support your sponsors who help you.
At the Olympics, you have almost nothing to lose, but at the Olympic trials, you have everything to lose. You have the last four years of your life to lose.
If I won a second Olympic title, maybe I would be tempted to go after a third.
From 15 or 16, I always wanted to be an Olympic champion, but I don't think you ever believe it until it actually happens.
If I'm able to win the world championships when I'm not even at my best, then with another year until Rio, maybe I could even become Olympic champion.
I had already been into my professional career for six years and had not won an individual gold medal at the Olympics. There was a tremendous amount of pressure going into 1996 to get it done.
What I can tell them is the way you become an Olympic champion is to start working now. I tell them why it's always worth it to put the time and effort into something you want to be good at.
An Olympic pursuit really takes a full three to four years of Olympic preparation.
That people believe I can be Olympic champ, it just spurs me on.
In the Olympics, everything goes back to square one. The world champion or the world record holder or the ninth last year are fighting for the same medal, and you have got to go there like it was the first time.