I would say that one of the hardest things for an athlete, and really anybody of any profession, is that we create our identity in what we do.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I think being an athlete prepares you for more things than people give us credit for.
As athletes, we're defined by what we've accomplished. Those are what most people remember and what you get paid for. But I learned more from my failures than from all of my successes put together - failures as an athlete and as a person.
As athletes, our job is to train and compete.
Sportspersons have to reinvent themselves every day. It helps them improve.
We train and work so hard in our sport, we would be nothing less than a warrior. Day in, day out, this is our life. It's everything. The Olympic dream.
Athletes are sort of part of the community at large. They have to be dedicated to what they do, and go through lots of peaks and valleys. And there's a lot of training that goes into their careers. It's a struggle. Very dramatic.
The things that people do now in sports, you can't even believe. These are complete total athletes. To see what human beings can do in the highest level is amazing.
As a professional athlete a lot is going to be said about you - but I just try to move forward and try to achieve my goals.
Athletic competition clearly defines the unique power of our attitude.
As an athlete, you figure you work your whole life to have what you have, and to be able to show the world what you have and how proud you are of it, that's always fun.