TORI BOWIE

My mother dropped us off at a foster care centre when I was just two. But my grandmother ended up fighting for us and winning custody of us. We didn't have much, but she gave us character.

My grandmother told me a long time ago, 'I don't care if you're sweeping a porch for a living.' She said, 'You need to do your best.' So I've lived by that every single day.

One day, I hope that I can come to Sandhill, and there's a huge sign that says, 'Welcome to Sandhill, Home to Tori Bowie.'

The first thing I pack for meets is my makeup bag!

We all have a story, and I wouldn't trade my story for anything.

It's important for me to create a brand because branding allows me to create a lifestyle that goes beyond track & field. It also lets my fans and followers get a better picture of who I am as a person, my interests and my passions.

Your body can't get stronger or more powerful unless you're balanced.

I do mascara, I do lipstick, I do eyeliner and a little powder, and I fill in my eyebrows because mine are a little thin... I love makeup.

I enjoy where I'm from. That's me. And my family never let me get far away.

Being a runner has brought me a lot of patience, and patience goes a long way in life.

One day, I would love to learn how to play piano and guitar.

My favourite place to train is in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where I train with my aunt and sister during the off-season. It is basically a flat, grassy area by the side of the road where we have made a path to run on.

My family is so weird.

Most people are like, 'Oh, you shouldn't eat steak. It's so heavy.' But I love steak the day before a meet. Or the day of. I try to get that red meat in, some extra energy.

I went where the boys in the family went. We would shoot basketball. We would shoot guns. We'd play cards. We'd go fishing at the pond.

My grandmother has always been my biggest fan, and she was my whole life. The only thing that kept me living after her death is my commitment to training. I took my pain out on the track.

In 2012, I thought that maybe I could be an Olympic gold medalist. It just came from sitting home and being injured and watching the Olympics on the TV.

You have to bury nerves, because they can either destroy you or give you that extra boost. You have to use your nerves in a good way. Don't let them destroy you.

I love the Bosu ball. At least two or three times a week, I'm on the Bosu ball just doing a ton of balance work. It keeps my body in tip-top shape.

I think the most important healthy habit is to rest. Eight hours... every night.

I train my entire body to be strong. To be a professional athlete, we need every part to be strong - the core, the legs, arms.

The 200 is tragic! It's my favorite race, but it takes so much out of the body - and it's too much time to think.

Image is one of the most important aspects in branding. People identify you and your actions with your name and the product you endorse. The image that you show to fans, followers, consumers, etcetera will affect your marketability and your overall appeal to diverse audiences.

It's hard to find powder and things for my skin tone. I look at Rihanna's collection, and I'm always in awe because there's a shade that exists for every skin tone.

Making the Olympic team was the biggest thing I've ever accomplished. That was something I had to wait four years to accomplish.