Top 60 Denise Lewis Quotes

No, I didn’t break a world record. No, I didn’t win by a huge margin. But it’s how you do in the battle. I’ve taken my place in history and I’m very proud of that.

When I was an athlete I never listened to music because I was constantly so engaged with my own self and body.

In heptathlon, if one day goes extremely well, you’ve got to go to bed and start the next one completely fresh – lose what you did yesterday.

I do love ‘Gogglebox’ and I have done from the get-go.

Life presents us with lots of forks in the road – big choices that define what kind of a person we are and how successful we become.

I don’t think I had great confidence as a teenager.

I really wasn’t well – feeling feverish then cold – so I went to the doctor to find out if I had flu and they did a blood test. I thought: ‘Okay, this is it. I’m pre-menopausal.’ Then Steve said: ‘Are you sure you’re not pregnant?’

Marriage is hard work, and it’s not all romance and flowers.

I love ‘I’m A Celebrity…’ and those kinds of things. But sometimes I find reality stuff a bit distasteful.

I like my glass of wine, but I work for it. You can’t expect to maintain that sort of level of physique if you don’t do something.

I obviously had my family to keep me amused and I took up golf when I retired from athletics.

I’ll never forget how frustrated I felt when I didn’t make the team for Barcelona in 1992.

The magazines drive me insane, because it’s such an unrealistic ideology, that you’re going to have a baby, or even just be out of shape for a little while, and then ping back into shape.

I love seeing the up-and-coming athletes finding success.

There is a point where you have to start regaining yourself and managing your time, and your mental wellness.

My mum is a perfect example of agelessness.

It sounds precocious, but I knew that I had to listen to my own inner voice and ignore what everyone else was saying, even my mum.

I never knew my father.

I keep asking myself if my joints are going to hold up.

For me I tried to not keep a low profile but I was training in a different country as I prepared for Sydney because I had such a realistic gold medal shot. I just wanted to stay focused and not get caught up in all of the hullabaloo and all of press prior to it.

I was part of London 2012 in the build-up and there’s always drama ahead of a major championship or Games.

The Commonwealth Games is an event for everyone. I believe it continues because of the unity and appreciation in respect of diversity, different nationalities coming together to compete under one Commonwealth banner.

I’ve been to many Games and Championships and the mascot plays a special part. It brings a certain energy to the event, to the brand and identity of the Games. Children gravitate towards it and it almost becomes the face of the Games if you like.

My children are good eaters and are always happy to try new things.

You have the burning desire as a successful sportsperson and that needs to go somewhere when you finish. It is a problem so many people have when their careers end and I was no different.

People would measure you by your shape, you used to find a lot of male athletes peeling off their tops – just to say, ‘Have some of this.’ I guess my abs were a sign to people. ‘Watch out, she’s in shape.’

The initial feelings when you step into the Olympic arena representing your country, your community, representing yourself can be really overwhelming.

I’m a soul and R’n’B kind of girl.

Anybody who says the Olympics is just another race is not being honest.

I have moments of happiness every single day.

I have this one room – it has a TV, a sofa, some candles. I close the door, sit down and lose myself.

I did think I might be perimenopausal rather than pregnant.

I’ve always wanted to be an athlete, I loved sport and PE in school and always watched the Olympic Games on TV.

Success breeds success and the more you are around a healthy and thriving athletics team, the more the people who only think they can make semi-finals will be inspired to want to aim for finals and go for medals.

I love babies; there was a need in me for one more.

I’m not very good at eating fruit, so to make sure I get my five a day I often whiz up a smoothie in the blender for breakfast.

I use a Papaya Enzyme Peel by Elemis and leave it on for ten to 15 minutes. When I rinse it off, my skin feels silky and hydrated.

I didn’t exercise like crazy, but I was in the gym.

I love meandering down the streets of Tuscany and the food tastes like it’s been kissed by the sun.

You can’t complain about Sir Steve or Jill Halfpenny in ‘Strictly Come Dancing.’ But Michael Owen in 1998, that really does bother me.

I used to race up all the time and started cross-country from about the age of six.

I don’t like to eat a big lunch, so even if I’m working I still tend to stick to sandwiches or salad.

I did the long jump and hurt my foot. It was a stress fracture in the left foot, which even now, 12 years on, is the bane of my life.

I’d like to see a show about what happens to young sports stars who’ve been pushed too hard by their parents or coaches.

I was injured in the early part of 2000 and spent 10 weeks barely able to walk.

I still wanted to see it officially on the scoreboard but, when it was announced ‘Denise Lewis is Olympic champion,’ it was just like a volcano of elation, relief and satisfaction exploding through my system.

Sport’s been an instrumental thing in my life.

I did ballet, tap and modern dance – I loved Janet Jackson with a passion – and I was good enough to star in lots of amateur shows.

I have moved on now from athletics, but it was difficult initially after I retired.

I was 11 when I first saw the Alexander Stadium. I walked through the door and thought, ‘Wow, this is it. This is where I want to be.’

I’m a big champion of talking about Britain’s colonial past but the important thing is not hiding it away and giving a true account of history.

During my pregnancy I ate healthily, stayed fit and carried well.

Whenever we go out, we’ll need to bring a car seat and tons of baby paraphernalia. In fact we’re going to need a bigger car. As a family of six, we’ll probably need a truck!

I will always encourage any young person, especially young black females. If you want to be involved in sport please do it.

Dickie Davies was a legend. And he’s a really nice man, too.

That’s the British press. Can you tell me one successful sportsperson that doesn’t get slammed?

The thing is athletes get more confidence the more they race, the more they are hitting personal targets – it just gives you confidence.

I love food so I tend to remember places by the food I’ve enjoyed there.

I was determined to be fit during my pregnancy because I didn’t know what I was going to get in terms of labour, so I wanted to be prepared for that.

Sydney has such a cosmopolitan feel to it. The food is great and Australians are so friendly.