Quotes

What's the worst that could happen? You're going to come second or lose? It's not like someone has got a gun to your head.

I've become the hunted. I'm enjoying that. It's better to be the hunted than the hunter.

Your barber always knows everything that goes on in the town, doesn't he?

Grime reminds me that swimming is very gladiatorial.

I like the dark undertow of grime, and it gets me aggressive. You need that aggression.

I think the rest of the world has a very wide, very slow kick. It's very simple, breaststroke. People think it's highly technical. But the more narrow, more effective and quicker you can execute it, the faster you are going to go. There's less drag, basically.

Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to set a time that nobody can touch for many years.

Every day I try to push the boundaries, and it's paid off.

I'm not a cheater, but if I win Olympic gold and people are looking at me and saying I am a cheat because I've won, it's hugely disrespectful given the hard work I've put in.

In sport, a massive amount is to do with genetics.

There is enough going on in Olympic year without having to do my own cooking and washing.

I believe in that gladiatorial mind-set. I love it.

I don't think I'm a good dancer.

My family are massive fans of 'I'm A Celeb,' so that would be pretty cool. There's so many areas where you can go in and enjoy, but I just like meeting new people.

I love tuning into Radio 1 on a Friday night after training and hearing the new stuff.

I'm into my grime, hip-hop, dance, and house music.

I like Jaykae. He's a great artist, and I absolutely love Dr. Dre's album and a bit of Calvin Harris now and then.

The roar of the crowd when you come out for a final is like nothing else: when 15,000 people are cheering you, a lot of adrenaline goes right through you.

Ever since I did that 57.9 last year, the Americans have been analysing me in detail. You can see on the swimming web pages. They are breaking it down in every detail. How many strokes I take. How quick I am in and out of the wall.

A lot of people put pressure on me, but I don't think I feel that type of pressure. It is more of a good thing that people are trying to do that.

For the last seven years, I have been racing the best in the world and making my way through the ranks. I am in that spot where I have got a real opportunity to produce something. I am not going to take it for granted because I know those guys will step it up.

I've been going to the same barber the last few years, and we have great chats whenever I'm in the chair. He'll ask: 'How you doing? How's the training going?' Just ordinary, obvious things, but then, like you do with your barber, you start talking about personal stuff.

Before competition, I start to question things. I don't know why it happens, but you've got to control it so you don't get too far out of the race.

Not a lot of people get to go to the Olympics - especially with the chance I've got.

People make the mistake of thinking they've got to perform just because someone has said something about their potential.