"Running fast is my passion,
fashion my challenge for the future"
Being a bit shy Merlene Ottey is not a person storming into a crowd of journalists telling them everything they want to know. But a lot of journalists has the impression that when she is giving interviews, she is always very careful to give answers with a meaning. Below you can find quotes from different interviews given by Merlene Ottey.
Merlene Ottey during one of many interviews
Merlene
after having received Slovenian citizenship
(8 May 2002):
"I am very happy to have found a new home in Europe. I have been living in
Europe for more than 10 years and decided that Slovenia is the right place for
me in the future. This is a small place like Jamaica and I like the lifestyle
here. I am honored to be a citizen of this country but will never forget my
Jamaican origin. The complete procedure of acquiring citizenship was done with
lots of good will, recommendation and help from several organizations and
individuals."
Merlene
after being acquitted of all drug charges by an IAAF Arbitration Panel (3 July
2000):
"I am very relieved and happy about this ruling. It
confirms my innocence once again. It has been a difficult and emotionally
draining time for me. However, I have been training well in preparation
for the Olympic Games in Sydney and I am looking forward to my first
competition. I would like to thank my defense team and all the people
around the world and at home in Jamaica who have supported me during this
difficult time."
Coach
Srdjan Djordevic on Merlene
Ottey's image after her acquittal (4 July 2000):
"After building an image for 20
years the damage that has been done in the past year is irreparable".
Merlene
Ottey
on the BBC One Show "Onside" (3 May 2000):
"I am going to keep on training
and hoping I will have the opportunity to be in Sydney".
"I have decided that this year will be my last year and hopefully I will
get the chance to have this dream come true to run in Sydney and then
retire".
On the fact that IAAF has not yet set a date for the
hearing at the IAAF Arbitration Panel:
"I think if they really want to hurt me they could wait until the
(Olympic) 100 metres is finished. But they could give me a date as early as next
week. I am hoping I will get one soon and my attorney is pushing for an early
date".
Ottey
at the Nebraska's 25th Anniversary of Women's Athletics Celebration (30 April
2000):
"Nebraska taught me self-esteem,
determination, honesty and the will to fight. Because of my time in Nebraska,
whenever I faced tough tests over the years I was able to keep on fighting.
Nothing is too strong or too hard for me to overcome".
Merlene
Ottey after being acquitted of all doping charges by JAAA (13 November
1999):
“I am very relieved and happy about this ruling that confirms my
innocence. It has been a difficult time for me and I am looking forward to
competing again. I would like
to thank my defense team and all the people around the world and here in
Jamaica that have supported me during the last three months.“
Merlene on continuing her career in 1998:
"Es macht weiterhin so viel Spaß, daß ich nicht aufhören kann.
Ich brauche diese Atmosphäre. Und ich bin auch noch zu jung für die Rente."
Merlene Ottey after the World Championships in Athens 1997:
"Ich bin sicher auch im nächsten Jahr noch einmal dabei. Es gibt so
viele Leute, die mich unterstützen. Sie können mich zwar nicht zum Sieg tragen,
aber ich möchte sie noch nicht missen."
Ottey on the 3 minute standing ovation in Stuttgart 1993
after winning the 200 metre gold:
"I believe it was because I was the one always there, always trying,
always doing my best. I wouldn't quit" (having lost to Gail Devers by
0.001 seconds in the World Championship 100 metre final, Ottey took the 200 metre title to be acclaimed
with the longest standing ovation anybody could recall).
Merlene
Ottey on running against Eastern bloc athletes in the Eighties:
"When the Wall came down, I felt a lot better. It made me look at
some of my bronze medals and wonder what they were really worth."
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