Quotes by Cuban authors

"If you want to achieve a high goal, you're going to have to take some chances"

"We want to promote the great qualities of athletics - and maintain its integrity - all over the world"

"I've run a lot of miles over the years, some fast and some not so fast. I've won some big races and I've had some big disappointments, but I enjoy the freedom of running and the challenge of training and competition as much now as when I first started back in high school"

"We may train or peek for a certain race, but running is a lifetime sport"

"An athlete who tells you the training is always easy and always fun simply hasn't been there. Goals can be elusive which makes the difficult journey all the more rewarding"

"Early in my career I was accused of being overconfident and even cocky, but I really was confident that I had done the training and didn't see any other reason to say otherwise"

"Then I received support from the Government to compete for my country, and to represent Cuba in competition"

"I am always fighting inside the Council to get the message across that at each competition venue, we should send somebody to inspect and to make sure the athletes will be looked after in a correct manner"

"Be very strong... be very methodical in your life if you want to be a champion"

"In Cuba we use our champions to promote the sport"

"I got involved in athletics during physical education lessons at school"

"And then you have the responsibility and the duty of being good examples to youngsters, not smoke, training hard, go to bed early, don't drink alcohol, don't take drugs, it's very important to have a policy for educating against doping"

"We do not use managers, we are the representatives of our athletes, and that is why I am deeply involved in athletics, I follow our athletes careers from start to finish, 100% all the way"

"We are just not made up to be middle distance runners"

"My main point in this regard was to compete for my country and my people and to receive the support of the entire Cuban society, to carry my flag in whatever competition I was in, the Olympic Games, Pan-American Games"

"We want to make sure our athletes have a future once their athletics careers are over"

"We need to be aware of all aspects: To check how they travel, how they eat, the competition conditions"

"The most important part of this is to prepare the athlete for life in general and then be able to compete"

"If we carry on filling up the calendar, we keep on pushing the athlete, we shorten the athletes longevity. The risk is to shorten a career that could have lasted 10 years because the athlete is burnt out"

"I run in practically every single road race in my country, 5k, 10k just to promote the sport"

"I love music, and outside of work my family keeps me very busy, I have five children to keep track of"

"I thought that I was going to have to pay them to do what I wanted to do, that was how much fun I was having. You're 20 years old and you're hanging out with rock stars and going to fabulous parties, and then you talk about it!"

"I love sitting down and talking to people. CNBC gave me a chance to do it in a way that I liked. They gave me a chance to also develop the skills to learn from my mistakes"

"You have got to pay attention, you have got to study and you have to do your homework. You have to score higher than everybody else. Otherwise, there is always somebody there waiting to take your place"

"Fits did not go over well in my house. There was a lot of discipline and obedience and you had to be very ladylike. Ladies didn't curse and I still don't curse in front of my parents"

"I think I would have been so much in awe of the movie set, the people and what everybody's job was, that I don't know if I would be able to concentrate on the character"

"I just smoked a Cohiba the other day. It was great. You have to appreciate everything that cigar is"

"When I was a junior, boys were allowed to come visit me at the house. We could sit on the porch until about 8 o'clock at night; that's when it started getting dark. That was it"

"To do a really good interview, you have to be truly interested in the person"

"You are not alone with a guy until you are a proper age. You don't go to certain levels with men until you are married or you have a certain relationship"