Cesar Cielo

“Brazil doesn't get a lot of gold medals, so whenever I get a chance, everybody expects me to win, and to get second is a big disappointment.”

“In the Olympics, everything goes back to square one. The world champion or the world record holder or the ninth last year are fighting for the same medal, and you have got to go there like it was the first time.”

“Being favorite counts for nothing. I am focusing on doing the best time of my life, whether or not it's the best in history or the best in the competition.”

“Each day in practice, I try go perfect. I try to be perfect every turn, every stroke. That's the way I feel comfortable.”

“My mind is in another planet behind the blocks. Sometimes I'm up in the blocks, and I'm like, 'What am I doing here?' I'm just not trying to think too much.”

“The most important thing is winning, not breaking the world record.”

“Popov was double Olympic champion in '92 and '96, and then Gary Hall came along and won in 2000 and 2004, and I would be the next on the list. That's a good goal, to have my name on that list alongside these guys.”