Louis Smith: Who alive today do you admire most, and what draws you to them?

The question

Who alive today do you admire most, and what draws you to them?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

The Guardian's Q&A repeatedly uses this prompt, sometimes dropping 'living' while retaining the same comparative judgment.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Louis Smith

English artistic gymnast

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

My mum, for putting up with me all my life.

The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 July 2013 source ↗

Others on this question

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Gayle King Broadcaster

Oprah Winfrey. She always does the right thing—even when no one is looking.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, July 2016 source ↗

Tony Ross British writer of children's books

Sue Townsend, for creating Adrian Mole, her insight into people and for overcoming the problems she's had.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 April 2013 source ↗

John Simpson English journalist

The problem with my job is that you meet people you admire and then you don’t admire them so much. The only one I carried on admiring was Nelson Mandela.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 3 December 2016 source ↗

Barack Obama 44th President of the United States, 2009–2017; United States Senator from Illinois 2005–2008

People ask me sometimes, who inspires you, Mr. President? Those quiet heroes all across this country -- some of your parents and grandparents who are sitting here -- no fanfare, no articles written about them, they just persevere. They just do their jobs. They meet their responsibilities. They don't quit. I'm only here because of them. They may not have set out to change the world, but in small, important ways, they did. They certainly changed mine.

Recorded Barnard College, New York City, The White House (Obama administration archive), 14 May 2012 source ↗