Quotes from Mary Lou Retton

For athletes, the Olympics are the ultimate test of their worth.

There can be distractions, but if you're isolated from the heart of the Games, the Olympics become just another competition.

As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we've been given.

A trophy carries dust. Memories last forever.

For six years, I kept my five Olympic medals wrapped in a plastic bread bag beneath my bed.

You give up your childhood. You miss proms and games and high-school events, and people say it's awful... I say it was a good trade. You miss something but I think I gained more than I lost.

I love her attitude, but as much as I'd like to bring my medals to a speech or appearance, I never do.

If I had a bad performance in a particular leotard, I threw it in the trash.

As a kid, I was a pretty good little sprinter.

Pay-per-view would deprive many kids of the delight of seeing the Olympics.

The endorsement game has been very good to me.

Getting to know athletes from all over the planet is a big part of the Olympic experience.

Erase the word "failure" from your vocabulary. No case is ever truly closed, and no challenge is ever over.

Many medal winners dream of competing in a sport other than the one they're famous for.

Companies that support sports developmental programs in our communities should also be applauded.

I love her attitude, but as much as I'd like to bring my medals to a speech or appearance, I never do.

Former Olympians also get paid to make appearances. Many of them won their medals in an era when Olympic success didn't go hand-in-hand with financial success.