Carly Patterson

Carly Patterson: I've been able to do so many things that most people don't get to do. I have always loved being in the spotlight, and I never want to leave it!

Carly Patterson: Getting the gold was so cool. I mean, I've always dreamed of being an Olympic champion, and to do it my first time was just awesome, and when I was standing on the podium, watching our flag go up, and listening to the national anthem, it was one of the best feelings ever.

Carly Patterson: (at age 17, when she considered competing in the 2008 Olympics) Well, for me, with gymnastics, I love the challenge of it, and I love to compete and win, so it probably won't be too hard for me to get back in shape. I mean, it'll probably take a little while, but I can usually get myself back pretty quickly.

Carly Patterson: (about falling off the balance beam twice at the 2004 Nationals, which she never did before) Everyone asked me what happened, and I was just like, "What did I do to deserve this?" It can be really stressful with everyone watching you, but I just try to focus on hitting all my routines, and that's all I can do.

Carly Patterson: (about winning Olympic gold) I remember my coach just shaking me and going, "Oh, you did it, baby!" and I can't do his accent, but it was really funny. He was a great coach for me, and I was a good gymnast for him, and we did it. That was all we could say.

Carly Patterson: (on how she got her start in gymnastics) Well, when I was 6, I went to my cousin's birthday party, and it was at a gym, and then I just wanted to do it all the time, so I started flipping around the house, literally trying to teach myself. It wasn't scary for me at all; I was not scared, because I just loved doing it, especially floor exercise. When I was little, I used to really love that, and I'd always be like, "When we can go to the floor and do floor routines?" It was always a fun and positive thing for me.

Carly Patterson: (about longtime coach Evgeny Marchenko) He's an amazing coach. He knows exactly how to coach each gymnast he works with, because, you know, every gymnast is different. Some gymnasts, you have to be really nice to, and some you have to push harder, or less push, and he really knew how to coach me. I think he's the best coach in the world.

Carly Patterson: (right after winning Olympic gold in 2004) Oh my gosh, I don't even know what to say or think. It doesn't seem real, you know? You dream about this your whole life, and your whole career, and you never know what's going to happen, and then to win the gold medal is just amazing.

Carly Patterson: (in late 2004, about making the Olympic team) I was pretty confident, since I placed second at Worlds, but you never know. I really wanted it; I was training seven days a week. It was tough watching my younger sister Jordan eat whatever she wanted to eat, stay up all night and have sleepovers with her friends, but I was willing to make those sacrifices, because I love gymnastics. Like, right now, I'm on a break from competing, and while that's nice, I'd be bored if I wasn't training! It's that kind of love for something that helps you stick with it.

Carly Patterson: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.