Team Toyota Olympic and Paralympic athletes inspire year-round, and that’s especially true now when believing in our dreams matters more than ever. To celebrate Olympic & Paralympic Day presented by Toyota, and the spirit of the Games, Toyota brings words of wisdom and encouragement from a group that lives the credo “Never give up.”

Daryl Homer:

“Through fencing, I built confidence and the ability to handle pressure and express myself. It taught me that achievement isn’t linear: You’re going to lose a lot more than you win.”

Jessica Long:

“We’re all so different. We all have our own challenges and face different adversities, some more visible than others. But when we talk about them and share experiences, people don’t feel so alone.

 

Simone Manuel:

“My goals are my goals, and I can’t let other outside factors hinder me from achieving them. I won’t let anything like that define my career. That’s what mobility means to me: the ability to go after everything without any restrictions.”

Michael Norman:

“Running is my job. The training schedule is pretty rigorous, but I love what I do. I enjoy every moment of it. Some of the stuff becomes tedious, but it’s what you need to do to become the greatest person you can be.”

David Brown and Jerome Avery:

David Brown:

“We’re both doing exactly what we dreamed of doing, and that’s winning a gold medal. [Jerome] had Olympic dreams of his own, but he put himself aside to help me reach my dreams.”

Jerome Avery:

“I don’t take my job as a guide runner lightly. I know at this moment in time in my life, I was put here for a purpose — to see for someone who can’t see. I don’t know if there’s any other feeling like that, knowing that you had a part in someone else’s successes. If he wins, I automatically win. And that’s how we approach everything we do.”

Jordyn Barratt:

“When you go to the skate park, the people there are like, ‘Let me show you how do this, let me help you out.’ It definitely can be intimidating, but people want to help because we’re all there for the same reason: we all love to skate.”

Lakey Peterson:

“I started my impossible because I think a lot of people just thought ‘girls don’t do that. It’s impossible or it’s not normal for them to try.’ I decided, ‘No, I’m going to go do it. I know I can do it.’ That was a turning point for me, when I realized I can make anything possible.”

Alana Nichols:

“I was given this opportunity to reach an impossible goal. Now I’m ready to give back, to help pave the way and create opportunities for other adaptive athletes.”