Looking back, I’m so proud to have gone to five Olympics – I believe only three other Americans have achieved that.

People talk about retiring. I never said that r-word. People though I went away after the Olympic Games. I took time off to do something I’ve always wanted to be – a mother.

Winning an Olympic quota place itself was a very hard job. Add to that a gold medal as well…. I mean it was a fantastic feeling. All the credit goes to my coach, and ultimately, this was the first Olympic quota place for India, so I’m really proud.

Olympics is everyone’s dream.

I am glad. I am now an Olympic medallist.

To compare Olympic sport with cricket would not be fair. Years back, cricket was a sport only for the classes, and we will also have to make other sports masses from classes like cricket.

The other girls [in team] have experience. They’ve been competing on a lot of international world-class stages. They knew what to expect and what to do and what not to do. Me and Aly [Raisman] just gave them advice on the media side. We said, it’s gonna be crazy. It’s the Olympics. But it’s gonna be fun!

I have no regrets coming back for a second Olympic team [in 2016]. It’s been an amazing experience. It’s been teaching me a lot.

Toward the end of the Olympics, you get physically tired and drained. And no matter how much rest you have, your body is tired.

Even before I competed in the Olympics, I always wanted to write a book.

If selected I will be there. If the Tokyo Olympics is at the front of my mind, and I trust and believe that when the time comes, I will be on the starting line.

When I won the Golden Gloves in 1960, that made me realize I had a chance. And when I won at the Olympics, that sealed it: I was the champ.