I came from such a simple origin, without any great privilege, and I would say I also wanted to make a mark. It wasn't until I was about 15 that I appeared in a race.

The essence of sports is that while you're doing it, nothing else matters, but after you stop, there is a place, generally not very important, where you would put it.

I trained for less than three-quarters of an hour, maybe five days a week - I didn't have time to do more. But it was all about quality, not quantity - so I didn't waste time jogging, ever.

The human spirit is indomitable. No one can ever say you must not run faster than this or jump higher than that. There will never be a time when the human spirit will not be able to better existing records.

We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves

My athleticism was really the core to social acceptance, because in those days the overwhelming number of students came from more of a public school background than I did.

I enjoy singing, and the instruments which truly move me are the horn, the trumpet and the cello.