 "Paris Olympics: 'Born a woman, lived a woman', 'Wolf amongst the wolves' - the best quotes at the Games")
There was a “man from Mars”, a “wolf amongst wolves” and a tennis star branded a “cut-throat”.
AFP Sport looks at the best quotes from the 2024 Olympic Games which came to a close on Sunday:
“I’m the wolf amongst wolves.” - Noah Lyles after winning the 100m by just five-thousandths of a second
“I definitely think French food is good, but what we are having in there I don’t think is the best. But it gets the job done.” - Gold medal-winning gymnast Hezly Rivera on the much-criticised catering in the Olympic village
“This is probably the biggest sporting success I have ever had and the most special feeling.” - Novak Djokovic on finally winning tennis gold and completing the Golden Slam of Olympic title and the four majors.
“I think she goes about things in a pretty cut-throat way. It makes for a locker room that doesn’t have a lot of camaraderie, so it’s tough to face an opponent like that, who I really don’t respect.” - US tennis player Emma Navarro on Zheng Qinwen, the Chinese star who won tennis singles gold
“I look at myself and I’m so normal. I hope nobody looks at me any differently. I’m just the same old goofy Tassie (Tasmanian) girl out here living her dream.” - Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus after defending her 400m freestyle title .
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“It’s only the beginning.” - French swimming superstar **Leon Marchand** after winning all four of his races .
“You don’t beat those guys by one full body length in 100 freestyle. That’s not humanly possible.” - Australian Olympian-turned-swimming coach Brett Hawke after China’s Pan Zhanle shattered the 100m freestyle world record
“It was a record that needed to be off the books.” - Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen on Bobbie Finke breaking disgraced Chinese swimmer Sun Yang’s long-standing 1500m world record.
“You know, they’re gonna boo me. I’m gonna go back at them and tell them to suck it. So it’s gonna be fun.” - Former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid, who was booed by French fans for opting to play for the United States when he was also eligible to play for the hosts, ahead of the basketball final .
“This year started great - two times world champion - but then in May my little dog died.” - Sharon Van Rouwendaal after winning the women’s 10km marathon swim
“It’s the worst and best thing I’ve ever done in my life.” - Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen after swimming the 10k marathon in the Seine
“This is fun no matter what age you are - the coolest, funnest, most inclusive thing that you can do.” - Andy MacDonald on his skateboard experience aged 51.
“We used to get hurt, and then go under the bridge and smoke weed. That’s how we used to recover.” - Dallas Oberholzer, 49, from South Africa on the different generations at the skateboarding
“I am fully qualified to take part, I am a woman like any other. I was born a woman, lived a woman and competed as a woman.” - Algerian gender-row boxer **Imane Khelif** after winning gold .
“In our national anthem, we talk about blood. We’re willing to spill blood on the court. So, it’s no big deal. If it allows us to win gold, I’m offering. Take all of it.” - French basketball star Victor Wembanyama, whose jersey was bloodied when he was cut on the neck during France’s semi-final victory over Germany
“I’m going to relax, and then more relaxing!” - Gymnastics star Simone Biles on her immediate plans after Paris .
“Simone is from another world… To be able to watch her do her incredible gymnastics is an encouragement for everyone to do their best.” - Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, who took silver behind Biles in all-around and vault but earned gold ahead of the American in floor exercise
“I ended up a little blind in one eye but I said ‘here we go, I’m here to fight until the end’.” - Brazil’s Flavia Saraiva who won women’s team gymnastics bronze with a bandage over her eye after a fall
“The Olympic Games are like going into space for me and I feel like I’m on Mars.” - Bulgaria’s Karlos Nasar after becoming the lightest man to lift 400 kgs in competition as he shattered the 89kg weightlifting world record
“To showcase that ‘Yeah, we’re shot-putters - but we have our own style, too’.” - US shot-putter Raven Saunders explaining why she had competed with her face covered by a black ski mask, sporting dark sunglasses and a purple and green hairstyle.
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