Quotes from Caroline Buchanan

One medal. One shot. One lap. Eight riders. No lanes. No right of way. Just go.

You can't take my batteries out; I'm always on the go.

Any race I go into, I've always got the attitude of throwing myself into and wanting nothing but No. 1.

I'm made to ride a bike, not do washing.

There were times when I was down and frustrated being in a male-dominated sport: you don't get the support. It affected me. Layne Beachley helped me beat that. That was the difference for me and helped get me through.

I quickly realised that there is no 'I' in team. So I am so fortunate to have a supportive family that has been there for me since day one.

I've got to know my strength and weaknesses and the same for my competitors.

I like pressure. Diamonds are made under pressure, and I definitely enjoy it.

The majority of the time, I'm just in my team training clothes or work-out gear, but whenever I'm killing time, I always like to watch 'Project Runway' or 'America's Next Top Model.'

When I compete, I love a huge crowd, expectation, pressure, and I like to have nerves: the butterflies flying and my hands shaking. This way, I am completely amped, focused, and ready; otherwise, I tend to be to relaxed, content, and don't perform at my maximal potential.

BMX is still a young sport in Olympic terms. So the sport science behind it is also relatively new. As a program, it's only going to get better as the sport gets bigger and more extreme.

If I had to work a 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. job in the public service, I'd freak out.

There's so many levels. You can rise on the day to win a national event or a world title but the level you need to rise to win an Olympics Games is another one altogether.

I think, in BMX, it's a lot like horse racing. I wouldn't really bet on it.

I really want to win a medal and would want to win gold. It's my fire and fuel, life and dream, everything.

You learn a lot from your first Olympic Games experience. Everyone thinks they're prepared, but you never are.

I definitely thrive off adversity. I know it's always up from there.

It's an honour to be a world champion, and it can never be taken away from you.

I've always been a bit of a daredevil, even as a little girl with a pretty high pain tolerance and things like that.

You never hold back. If I turn up to the track and feel cautious or not committed, I turn around and go home. If you don't have that full commitment when you're pedaling into a 40-foot jump, there's not much room for error, and you'll come off worse.

I started racing BMX when I was five years old. I followed in my brother's footsteps, and I was a little tomboy. When I came into the sport, there wasn't many women. I raced with the boys; I looked up to the boys, and all my mentors were boys.

You have got to act on instinct; you've got to ride from your heart and let that performer come out. You can't over-think it too much because if you're thinking, the race is already over.

Any race, I'm always going for the top step on the podium.

At the end of the day, I'm riding a little kid's bike around a track; that's what I've done for as long as I can remember. Now it's just on a bigger stage at the Olympics.