Zitate

Winning the gold in Greece was a dream come true but going on this tour with Ian and Lenny and meeting the young swimming stars of tomorrow has been simply incredible.

I have my family and friends, so really I'm just another high school kid.

I listen to Eminem on my headphones. I don't know the name of it but I think that just listening to that fires me up. It's working so far I just hope it keeps up.

If I go to the beach, I don't go in the ocean. I spend enough time in the water.

[on competing in the London Olympics, 2012] It's hard to compare myself now to 2008. My goals are different. This is the closure. It's really, how many toppings do I want on my sundae?

[Wednesday, August 13th, 2008, 4th gold medal after 200 meter butterfly win] I couldn't see anything for the last 100, my goggles were pretty much filling up with water. To be honest, I was having trouble seeing the walls.

[Wednesday, August 13th, 2008, after relay win of 4 by 200 meter, shortly after 200 meter butterfly (solo) & 5th gold medal] We wanted to break seven minutes. That was our goal going into today. ... It definitely feels good to be the first group, first country to ever dip the seven-minute barrier.

[Friday, August 14th, 2008, 6th gold medal after 200 meter individual medley] I had no time. The (gold) medal was in my warm-up jacket.

[After tying Mark Spitz's record of 7 gold medals in Munich, 1972, on Saturday, August 16th, 2008] When I did chop the last stroke, I thought that had cost me the race.But it was actually the opposite. If I had glided, I would have been way too long. I took short, faster strokes to try to get my hand on the wall. I ended up making the right decision.

[Sunday, August 16th, 2008 after winning 8th gold medal in 8th event, the 4 by 200 surpassing Mark Spitz's, seven gold medals in 1972] It's been such an unbelievable roller coaster. It's been such an unbelievable ride. With so many people saying it couldn't be done, all it took was a little imagination. I don't know what to feel right now. It's so emotional. All I want to do is see my mom.

[after winning 1st of 8 gold medals, Sunday August 10th, 2008] I wasn't comfortable after the first 200. I think it made my breaststroke stronger ... coming home in the freestyle it's all adrenaline.

[Monday, August 11th, 2008, gold medal # 2: quote to Bob Bowman] This morning, (Coach) Bob (Bowman) had said the French was saying some stuff, talking a little bit of trash. It fired me up more than anyone else.

[Tuesday, August 12, 2008 & 3rd gold medal] I wanted to jump on the first 100 just to see what happened. The guys in the middle of the pool really wouldn't be able to see me. By the time they did, hopefully I had enough ground where I could hold them off.

[His definite decision to retire after the 2016 Olympics] This is over. This is it.

[on investing in Tech entrepreneurship] I would love to get involved, whether it's in a couple little startups here and there, take a little risk, have some fun and see where it goes.