Sacrifice - that is what every athlete has to do if they want to be the best in their business.

For some athletes, it means putting the paper chase on the back burner.

For others, it means staying away from pubs and clubs the night before a big match.

Li Chao in his own words

'She will definitely play in the next Olympics and I will support her table tennis aspirations. After all, she's been playing the sport her whole life.' --On table tennis being Li Jiawei's top priority

'When it comes to kids, you can't just say you want them and you'll have them. But, hopefully, we can have one before the Olympics.' --On his hope of having a child before the 2012 London Olympics

'If Singapore wants her to continue, she will probably try to do her part. I'm not sure if she will be at her peak then, but paddlers like Wang Chen have shown that it is possible.' --On Jiawei continuing to play after the London Games

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