Our favorite Olympic athletes share how their moms contributed to their success

There’s just no one like your mama. She’s there to push you to be the best you can be and you can always count on her to give you the honest advice you need. With the Winter Olympics starting this week, we found that many Olympic medalists attribute a lot of their successes to their moms—and we can understand why!

From being great role models to going to extra mile to ensure their dreams could come true, here are some of our favorite quotes from Olympians on their moms.

“Every single meet since I was maybe nine or 10, she’s always sat me down before the meets and gives me her usual mom pep-talk….She encourages me and never lets me feel down about something for too long.”—Simone Biles

“I’m the only girl in our family and when my grandmother found out I wanted to play hockey, she pulled my mom aside and said, ‘Girls don’t play hockey.’ And my mom responded, ‘Hilary’s going to play hockey. You need to get with the times.’ My mom firmly established that foundation for me, and she gave me the ability to look at the world as an endless opportunity.”—Hilary Knight

“My communication with my mom was always awesome. I’m a very vocal person and I speak what I feel. No matter what it was, she’d say ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ She’d let me make up my own mind.”—Michael Phelps

“I can’t believe what my mom went through—she was so generous. From sixth grade on, at 4 a.m. she’d take me to the rink. I’d practice from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., while my mom sat there. And sometimes after school I’d practice again. Sundays were my day off. She’d travel with me to competitions a couple of times a month.”—Kristi Yamaguchi

“My mom is really tough. I mean, she had a stroke when she gave birth to me. I’ve never once heard her complain about it. She always taught me, no matter what the situation, I can overcome it.”—Lindsey Vonn

“I know how much my mom has impacted my journey and how much I wouldn’t be where I am without my mom. As much as she says she’s proud of me, I’m even more so proud of her because of what she’s done and how she’s been able to raise me and my sisters.”—Elana Meyers Taylor

“I remember breaking down when I learned how bad my injury was. I had never had an injury before in my career, so having a setback was not on my radar. As I was falling to pieces, my mom put her hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Everything happens for a reason. This was supposed to happen.’ For some particular reason, that statement resonated with me. My mom is my rock.”—Shawn Johnson

“My mom was not a seamstress, but I’d see her at 3 o’clock in the morning gluing crystals and sewing every bead. My mom is a warrior, a superhero. When she puts her mind to doing something, there’s no stopping Mama Kwan.”—Michelle Kwan

“I can’t believe she managed that [taking me to practice far away]. She was a single mother of five kids.”—Adam Rippon

“My mother is always standing by with just the right Scripture or inspirational saying to get me through any tough situation.”—Gabby Douglas

“My mom has been the constant for me,” Allyson said. “It doesn’t matter if I win, if I lose, or if I never run again. I know that she is there for me.”—Allyson Felix

“Being a working mommy is something I’ve always wanted to be. My mother is my biggest role model, and she showed me how to do it right. She was very present in our lives and has a great career of her own. Same with my father. So I knew it was possible going in to stay closely connected to my children while also chasing big dreams.”—Kerri Walsh Jennings