25 Inspirational Olympic Games Quotes

In honor of the 2014 Olympic games in Sochi, here are 25 inspirational Olympic Games quotes that capture the heart of sports psychology

“The Olympics have been with the world since 776 B.C., and have only been interrupted by war, especially in the modern era.”
-Bill Toomey, American decathlete, 1968 Summer Olympics

“You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours.”
– Coach Herb Brooks

“If you fail to prepare, you’re prepared to fail.”
– Mark Spitz, winner of 7 Gold medals, 1972 Munich Olympic Games

“It’s all about the journey, not the outcome.”
-Carl Lewis, Winner of 9 Gold medals, 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games

“I Didn’t Set Out to Beat the World; I Just Set Out to Do My Absolute Best.”
– Al Oerter

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”
-Wilma Rudolph, Winner of 3 Gold Medals, 1960 Rome Olympic Games

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
-Muhammad Ali, Winner of Gold Medal, 1960 Rome Summer Olympics

“Nothing is impossible. With so many people saying it couldn’t be done, all it takes is an imagination.”
– Michael Phelps, U.S. Gold medalist, Swimming

“Luck has nothing to do with it, because I have spent many, many hours, countless hours, on the court working for my one moment in time, not knowing when it would come.”
-Serena Williams, Winner of 2 Gold Medal, 2000 and 2008 Olympic Games

“What keeps me going is not winning, but the quest for reaching potential in myself as a coach and my kids as divers. It’s the pursuit of excellence.”
– Coach Ron O’Brien

“The Olympics are always a special competition. It is very difficult to predict what will happen.”
-Sergei Bubka Ukrainian pole vaulter, 1988 Summer Olympics

“The Olympics are a wonderful metaphor for world cooperation, the kind of international competition that’s wholesome and healthy, an interplay between countries that represents the best in all of us.”
– John Williams

“The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours.”
– Peggy Fleming, Gold medalist, figure skating 1968 Olympic Games

“One shouldn’t be afraid to lose; this is sport. One day you win; another day you lose. Of course, everyone wants to be the best. This is normal. This is what sport is about. This is why I love it.”
– Oksana Baiul, Olympic Gold Medalist

“For athletes, the Olympics are the ultimate test of their worth.”
– Mary Lou Retton, American gymnast, 1984 Summer Olympics

“It has been said that the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games is something that an athlete will remember for the rest of their life. It is true. That moment when you walk into the Olympic Stadium as part of the Australian Olympic Team, is a moment that I will never forget.”
– Jeff Fenech, Australian boxer

“It’s always an honor to be able to represent your country at the highest level.”
– Coach Basheer Abdullah

“I wanted no part of politics. And I wasn’t in Berlin to compete against any one athlete. The purpose of the Olympics, anyway, was to do your best. As I’d learned long ago from Charles Riley, the only victory that counts is the one over yourself.”
– Jesse Owens

“My only focus was the Olympics because in my sport, that is the ultimate. Everything is geared toward that, and my entire life was geared around getting there and winning gold.”
– Cammi Granato

“At the Olympics, you there to do a job. I feel you should take it seriously. You should be respectful. You are putting on the red-white-and-blue and going out there to perform for your country.”
– Shannon Miller

“Victory is in having done your best. If you’ve done your best, you’ve won.”
– Coach Bill Bowerman

“Never put an age limit on your dreams,”
– Dara Torres, U.S. Gold medalist, Swimming

“You have to train your mind like you train your body.”
– Bruce Jenner, Gold medalist, Decathlon 1976 Olympic Games

“Runners in the western world have a tendency to create psychological barriers for themselves, but Morceli runs at will, with no inhibitions.”
Eamonn Coghlan, 3-time winner, Olympics Games

“A lifetime of training for just ten seconds.”
Jesse Owens, 1936 Olympic Games

If you’ve enjoyed reading these, here’s my collection of great quotes from coaches. All courtesy of sports psychology!