Saori Yoshida Quotes

With athletes, it's never fully understood the level to which we push ourselves. Especially in an endurance sport.

Back in 2014, I felt like I was ready to win a world title. I felt like I was prepared and I was as good as anyone else, but I knew I didn't have the equipment.

I treat every camp the same. Every fight since my debut has always been a must-win.

As long as I have that support from my team, and I have that confidence in myself that I train really hard, I think there's no one out there who can defeat me in my weight class.

Many athletes are seeking new and novel ways of pushing their limits, and the challenge of running back-to-back races is certainly one way to test the boundaries.

My favourite event was the 200m, so as I won the 100m, I thought it was possible I'd win the 200m.

I'd rather be able to play great tennis at a slam than make eight finals of little tournaments and then lose first round of a slam. That doesn't sound too good.

My concentration level blocks out everything. Concentration is why some athletes are better than others. You develop that concentration in training and concentrate in a meet.

If all goes well and my body reacts well, and I feel I have a good high level to compete amongst the best then I'll come back and play.

As professional cricketers, we have to ensure that we are battle-ready all the time.

You have to go into each match believing you can beat all of the players.

I'm slightly influenced by sport in that I like the idea of trying, like an athlete, to keep absolutely ready. That's an emotional thing, almost. I don't mean physically, although I play tennis. But you try to keep yourself ready.

Although I have won many times now, each time when I have a lead, I start to think about winning. It's very difficult not to think about winning. Every time, there are new challenges. Every time, there are new issues to overcome.

You can't control what the other athlete is going to do; you can't control anything except for your competition and how you execute the race or how you execute the task.

And then when I went to stay in '68, I can honestly say that I was not focused on my career and on what it took to be a major league pitcher and to be a starting pitcher.

You can teach all the other stuff, you know. You can teach shooting the ball, you can teach having a good touch... passing and whatnot, but when you get out there on the field, it's just a mindset you need to go into the game with.

No one will ever win a 5,000-meter by running an easy two miles. Not against me.

I have always maintained that in basketball the importance of the mental to the physical is about four to one.

During my first Olympics in 1980, at the age of 23, I was physically in great condition but mentally too inexperienced to cope comfortably in the pressure cooker of an Olympic year.

You have to be that 1 percent or 2 percent better physically so you have more power and energy left than your opponent when you go to a third set.

A gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics is what I'm looking for. I have to pace my training in such a way that I'm at my best in Rio, and when I'm in form, no opponent can come in my way.

I'm just super competitive. Squash, tennis, water skiing, computer games... Even if I played you at pool, I'd have to win.

I don't think I was a perfect hurdler, but I guess I did win all the time.

Nobody can walk on a track and beat me unless they have an extraordinary day and I have a bad day, which I keep from happening.

It was different when I was young, aged 20, playing the French Open. I didn't have so much experience. I just played tennis because I loved the game.