Sachin Tendulkar
India Test and one-day international cricketer, 1989–2013
In the last 24 years that I have played for India I have made new friends, and before that I have had friends from my childhood. They have all had a terrific contribution. As and when I have called them to come and bowl to me at the nets, they have left their work aside to come and help me. Be it joining me on holidays and having discussions with me on cricket, or how I was a little stressed and wanting to find a solution so I can perform better. All those moments my friends were with me. Even for when I was injured, I would wake up in the morning because I couldn't sleep and thought that my career was over because of injuries, that is when my friends have woken up at 3 o'clock in the morning to drive with me and make me believe that my career was not over. Life would be incomplete without all those friends.
Recorded
Farewell address, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, ESPNcricinfo, 16 November 2013
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Kobe Bryant
United States basketball player, Los Angeles Lakers, 1996–2016
And so I ran.
I ran up and down every court
After every loose ball for you.
You asked for my hustle
I gave you my heart
Because it came with so much more.
Recorded
Retirement poem, The Players' Tribune, 29 November 2015
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Dan Carter
New Zealand international rugby union fly-half, 2003–2015
When I started getting my first fan letters, I made a point to try to respond to every single one. The wins always felt that much more special because I knew I was making so many people happy. And losses hurt that much worse because I truly was invested in not wanting to disappoint those who supported my side. But more than anything, I always appreciated the fact so many fans invested their emotions in my performance.
Recorded
Retirement letter, The Players' Tribune, 20 February 2021
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Tanni Grey-Thompson
British wheelchair racer, 1988–2007; member of the House of Lords
In the whole of my career, there were very few training sessions that I missed. Even when I was pregnant, I trained all the way through. I was back training when my daughter was two weeks old. You've got to commit to this, because it can be really easy to walk away from the track, convince yourself, "Oh, well, I'll do it tomorrow, I'll catch up". You can't and what I say is it's all pennies in the bank. When I say that to my daughter, she rolls her eyes at me, but you put a couple of pennies in every day and when it matters, then you've got this bank to call on, as opposed to you can't stick them all in two weeks before.
Recorded
Pursuing Better Together podcast, Arch Insurance, 25 May 2022
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Of all the gifts that tennis has given me over the years, the greatest, without a doubt, has been the people I've met along the way: my friends, my competitors, and most of all the fans who give the sport its life.
Recorded
Open letter, 'To my tennis family and beyond', Reuters, 15 September 2022
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Katie Taylor
Irish professional boxer; Olympic champion 2012
The reason I've been able to keep going for so long is because of how much I love my sport. I still haven't lost that drive. I'm still as passionate about my sport today as I was when I first laced up a pair of boxing gloves. I love preparing for battle and getting into that mindset you must reach when you're putting your body through torture in training camp.