Now I'm an old Christmas tree the roots of which have died. They just come along and while the little needles fall off me replace them with medallions.

Former Olympians also get paid to make appearances. Many of them won their medals in an era when Olympic success didn't go hand-in-hand with financial success.

Team GB's success at the Beijing Olympics can in part be said to have been made in Manchester. For example all the cycling medal winners trained at Manchester's velodrome the National Cycling Centre.

Actually I always dreamed about getting a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle in Olympic swimming. I always thought that would be the epic award in sports to get.

Three events. Three gold medals. I was news big news in the sports world.

Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat determination and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.

I was at the Olympic Games winning medals and I still doubted my image. I doubted what I looked like. That's sad.

In the military I could exercise the power of being automatically respected because of the medals on my chest not because I had done anything right at the moment to earn that respect. This is pretty nice. It's also a psychological trap that can stop one's growth and allow one to get away with just plain bad behavior.

It really means a lot that I won the gold medal - but I woke up the next morning expecting to feel different. I felt the same.

No matter what like I couldn't - I could break a world record get an Olympic gold medal and my mom would be like you could have done better. But you looked pretty. That's what she says all the time.

I think the biggest thing was that I was putting pressure on myself leading up to Beijing. Now I am learning how to take that pressure off and seeing this as an incredible opportunity but not like 'I absolutely have to medal.'

I graduated a the top of my class in the '84 Olympic Games I won a gold medal.

God will not look you over for medals degrees or diplomas but for scars.

Many medal winners dream of competing in a sport other than the one they're famous for.

It was never about winning medals or being famous.

My kids love it. I thought I was the coolest dad in the world when I got to be in a Bond film but 'Harry Potter' too? Well I think I qualify for a medal for exceptional parenting or something don't you?

We have to be able to grow up. Our wrinkles are our medals of the passage of life. They are what we have been through and who we want to be.

I love her attitude but as much as I'd like to bring my medals to a speech or appearance I never do.

I think as a Canadian hockey player you go through it in your mind so many times being able to stand on that blue line and hear your national anthem play and being a gold medal champion you dream of that. And then to be able to accomplish that and actually win a gold medal and represent your country its an amazing feeling.

Trophies and medals have never meant much to me. I've had amazing experiences which let you feel like you've accomplished something.

Receiving the Newcombe Medal for a third year in a row is an amazing honour. The Newcombe Medal is a great occasion for the Australian tennis community to come together and celebrate our sport recognise people's achievements and contributions to Australian tennis.