Sports Quotes of 1992: The Olympic Games: 'The strongest and fastest I have ever felt'

People came up to me in the street - some of them were men even - and started saying 'I'm not afraid to say I cried for you'. Really. It is a touching thing. Linford Christie on life after Olympic gold.

It was the strongest and fastest I have ever felt. Sally Gunnell, 400m hurdles gold medallist.

As soon as I saw the Red Cross people coming towards me with their stretcher, that was it. It was animal instinct - get up and run. There was no way I was going to be carried out of the Olympics. Derek Redmond on his struggle to the line after pulling up in his 400 metres semi-final.

It was so close out there it was like dying. Mike Powell, long jump loser to Carl Lewis by three centimetres.

The sun will be out tomorrow, and the stars will be out tonight. It was only a race. Michael Johnson, after losing his 200m semi-final.

We have mummies, skulls and human skins on display. What is the difference between those and a stuffed African? Mayor of Banyoles on the fuss over the local museum that almost led to the cancellation of Olympic rowing events in the town.

After Barcelona, all countries will have the right to parade a flag in the Olympics, but many will not have the right to compete. It's the end of Olympic tourism. Juan Antonio Samaranch, head of the International Olympic Committee, on raising qualifying standards.

The Mexican athletes were a bit worried at first, but they came out smiling. Dr Bernard Dingeon, deviser of controversial new sex test in operation at Winter Olympics.

Until we conceded the fourth goal we outplayed the Australians. Bernie Cotton, British men's hockey manager, after 6-0 defeat.

It was worth getting your knickers wet for. Jenny Cardwell, England women's hockey manager, after victory over Spain in the rain.

We're not here to make friends. We're here to beat them. We have a saying back in Utah: 'The Indians did not dine with Custer'. John Stockton, of the US basketball team, on their refusal to stay in the Olympic village.

Well, at least people don't shoot at you here. Antun Vrdoljak, Croatian national Olympic Committee chairman.

I miss crime, murders. I miss Philadelphia. There hasn't been a brutal stabbing or anything nasty here in the last 24 hours. I really miss America. Iran Barkley, of the US basketball team.

I slept not a wink. There's people snoring in seven languages out there. Irish journalist on cramped conditions in the Olympic village.

I didn't know who they were. I just thought 'couldn't they have waited a bit?' Jennifer Capriati on the arrival of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia during her victory over Arantxa Sanchez Vicario.

It's fine that women do it, but not in the Olympics. Give it a one-way ticket to Sea World with the barking seals where it belongs. John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Examiner on synchronised swimming.

Look, these are my Games. Michel Barnier, Winter Olympics co-president, barred by an official because of insufficient accreditation.

They treat us like dogs on the World Cup circuit. The Germans, Swiss and Italians think they own the sport. Kerrin Lee-Gartner, Canadian gold medallist in the women's downhill.

By the time they took the bus from Brides-les-Bains to Albertville they'd be too tired to shoot. Christopher Bowman, US skater, on the likelihood of a terrorist attack at the Winter Olympics.

(Photographs omitted)