Olympic Quotes from Media Summit in Ottawa Nov. 19

ASHLEY BRZOZOWICZ

Born: Dec. 17, 1982

Birthplace: Toronto

Hometown: Toronto

Sport: Rowing

"The Olympic dream is a very powerful, motivating experience. It's something that is part of our daily lives. It's an amazing thing to be able to live your dream and to work every day toward such an amazing goal."

ADAM VAN KOEVERDEN

Born: Aug. 29, 1982

Birthplace: Toronto

Resides: Oakville

Sport: Canoe/Kayak

Olympic Experience: 2004 in Athens, gold in the K-1 500m; bronze in K-1 1,000m

"Having been to the Olympics once I sort of know what to expect. For the most part, racing in the Olympics and World Championships is very similar in terms of the competition and environment. If anything, that just adds to the excitement the athlete feels and the kind of pressure that internalizes and makes myself bring the best in terms of competition out."

SHERRAINE SCHALM

Born: June 21, 1975

Birthplace: Brooks, Alberta

Resides: Toronto

Sport: Fencing

Olympic Experience: 2000, 2004

"It's a time to do your best on the day you demand it, which a very small percentage of the population can do. I'm excited to challenge myself and say today, I want to perform because you only get one shot especially in fencing it's do or die. When you win you advance, but as soon as you lose, you are out."

ERIN MCLEAN

Born: Nov. 9, 1985

Birthplace: Ajax

Hometown: Whitby

Sport: Softball

"To me it's something as a young child and you see the other athletes performing on the world stage and you think 'That would be amazing, that would be really cool.' You might not know how you are going to do it or what sport you're going to do it in but eventually it's realizing your potential in whatever it is you're passionate about."

WENDY DOBBIN

Born: April 30, 1964

Birthplace: Scarborough

Resides: Oshawa

Sport: Assistant coach women's softball

"We call ourselves Olympic junkies. We've had the Olympic dream in many different ways ever since we were little kids as well. All of us are showing it and expressing it in a different way. We are thrilled and excited, we bleed red and white. Anytime you can put Canada on your chest in whatever role you have it's a proud moment."

ALISON BRADLEY

Born: April 27, 1979

Birthplace: Walkerton

Hometown: Pinkerton

Sport: Softball

Olympic Experience: 2004

"I think you go in with more experience and a little more heads up of what you need to do to prepare yourself. I'm going in a lot more prepared this time mentally."

SASHA MEHMEDOVIC

Born: March 18, 1985

Birthplace: Pancevo, Serbia

Hometown: North York

Sport: Judo

"It started when I was 11 or 12 years old and I was watching the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. It was a great thing to watch and that's when I knew that I wanted to be there one day."

MICHAEL BROWN

Born: May 5, 1984

Birthplace: Oshawa

Hometown: Perth

Sport: Swimming

Olympic Experience: 2004

"It's an unbelievable experience. The 2004 Olympics was phenomenal. You watch the Olympics as a kid growing up and you're like 'Wow, these athletes are super human.' It's pretty spectacular and the whole country gets behind it and everybody is so passionate about it. And then in 2004 I'm one of those athletes and realize no, we're not super human. Yes we're gifted athletes and train extremely hard to do what we want to do. To represent your country is pretty spectacular, especially at the Olympic level."

---