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" For kids it's natural to be competitive. "

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" Kids are starting at such a low base rate in terms of fitness that it's taking them years to catch up to where people like me started from. Every little bit is making it more difficult for kids to succeed on a world stage. "

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" I'm competitive - that's what defines me - and I love it. "

" I did not want to be the best black man of the year; I wanted to be the best man of the year. "

" Sometimes you have to resist working on your strengths in favour of your weaknesses. The decathlon requires a wide range of skills. "

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" In my heart of hearts my motivation would always have been to be the best, and I think that athletics is probably what I was built for. "

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" But if kids take up things like hockey and football they will go back to it. "

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" In sport, if you want to be the best you have to compete against the best - I would much rather have come tenth and be judged against everyone than come first and be judged against just a few. "

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