You need to work very hard, you have to spend a lot of time practicing your sport - six to seven hours daily.

You need to work very hard, you have to spend a lot of time practicing your sport - six to seven hours daily.

I have spoken with many former athletes, and they tell me the best time they had was in sports. I listen to them and use their experience in my career.

Often you need to take some risk, but it must be a realistic risk, you can't take a crazy risk.

I am alone, some people help me, but, basically, I can do what I want.

First do it, then say it.

I love the pole vault because it is a professor's sport. One must not only run and jump, but one must think. Which pole to use, which height to jump, which strategy to use. I love it because the results are immediate and the strongest is the winner. Everyone knows it. In everyday life that is difficult to prove.