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London was my first Olympics. It was my dream to get there, and I literally had the time of my life.

It's very special that the Olympics is in London. As a first Olympic experience, it's going to be pretty incredible.

The Olympics meant everything to me. Going through them is like nothing else you will ever experience. For those few weeks, you are in another world. At that point, I couldn't see how there could ever be anything better.

London was the Olympics that I was most nervous about. From coming into the venue and stepping on to the mat, people were supporting with 'Saori' banners and waving the Japanese flag, so even though it was London, I felt much more like fighting at home that way, which was really inspiring.

London was my first Olympics, but I tried for three beforehand. I was measured for the Olympic uniform three times before London, and I finally made the team. It was a big deal, and it was quite emotional, which is probably one of the reasons I didn't perform at my best.

I have always loved the Summer Olympics.

I have prepared myself to be at my peak in London. But in the Olympics, there are so many factors. You need to stay alert all the time, and a lapse of concentration, even for a second, will let you down.

Getting the Games for London has been the fulfilment of a dream. It is one which I truly believe can change the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people for the better. But in the end, nothing can quite compare with winning your first Olympic gold medal.

You never really think about what happens after the Olympics - you're just like, 'I want to compete. I want to do well' and thinking about that. After it all happened, it was such a whirlwind. I've gotten to do so many amazing things. My favorite thing was getting into acting.

I love the Olympics. Something about the Olympics just makes everything competitive.