I have a real passion for children. I always wanted to teach and only became an athlete because my parents told my brother Parenthesis and me that we should use any God-given talent we had.

- Gail Devers

People talk about retiring. I never said that r-word. People though I went away after the Olympic Games. I took time off to do something I've always wanted to be - a mother.

- Gail Devers

I have a real passion for children. I always wanted to teach and only became an athlete because my parents told my brother Parenthesis (sic) and me that we should use any God-given talent we had.

- Gail Devers

My grandma passed away at 98 1/2 and I want to live to 100. I want to be able to do what I can do even at 100.

- Gail Devers

Looking back, I'm so proud to have gone to five Olympics - I believe only three other Americans have achieved that.

- Gail Devers

It's totally different now, traveling to different meets and different cities and actually being able to enjoy the cities I'm in.

- Gail Devers

I was blessed with a long career where I won gold medals for myself and my country. Nothing stands out as a disappointment.

- Gail Devers

I never read my press when I was competing. I never got caught up in what I was doing at that moment.

- Gail Devers

I didn't get nervous when I ran, but I get nervous watching other people now. I root for anybody with a USA on their chest.

- Gail Devers

People see me now and ask if I'm still running. I may look like I am, but I'm really not. People think I still run every day but I ran for 25 years and I deserve to not do anything but walk or ride the bike with my kids.

- Gail Devers

While receiving radiation treatment for a thyroid illness, I had refused to take beta-blockers - a medication that would have eased its side effects - because they were deemed illegal by the sport's governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations.

- Gail Devers

I am very thankful that I have lived the life I have lived. I am thankful for my Graves' disease, and I tell people, if I had my whole life to live over, I would have it, because it has really made me into the person that I am.

- Gail Devers

It's a challenge between me and the hurdle, and the hurdle has always won.

- Gail Devers

Looking back, I'm so proud to have gone to five Olympics - I believe only three other Americans have achieved that. My true gold medal, though, is my daughter, Karsen, who is 18 months old. And I have a wonderful husband, Mike.

- Gail Devers

Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.

- Gail Devers

I always said a prayer before I ran, and my prayer was to win. My prayer was that God would allow me to run my best on that day, or better than my best. So whatever the outcome is, I have to be satisfied with it if I know I gave it my best effort.

- Gail Devers

In February 1991, I was rushed to the hospital in Los Angeles to have my feet amputated. Three years earlier, I had broken the national 100 meters hurdles record while a student at UCLA and was a favourite for the event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

- Gail Devers

In my race, there's 10 hurdles, but in life, there is always a hurdle. There is always something you gotta get over, and it's what you do, you know.

- Gail Devers

I was diagnosed with Graves' disease, an illness of the thyroid gland. Instead of surgery, I was given radiation treatment.

- Gail Devers

I don't have a thyroid anymore. I had radioactive iodine treatment, which destroyed my thyroid. I take medication every day.

- Gail Devers