An Olympic Miscellany Compiled By MARY HANNIGAN

USA coach salutes Taylor: She is going to go down as one of the best boxers in history

“I could have thrown the kitchen sink at her, maybe drove a bus into her. It didn’t work. She’s the best.”

– British boxer Natasha Jonas after losing to you know who.

“Can anyone defeat Britain’s Katie Taylor, the most proficient attacking boxer in the world?”

– The Daily Telegraph ... who later apologised.

“Ireland is in a financial crisis because they’ve spent all their money on Taylor’s referees.”

– Sofya Ochigava, Taylor’s opponent in the final, sensing she was up against it.

“She is going to go down as one of the best boxers in history. Not just female boxers, the best boxers.

“She can do it all. She can box, she can fight, she is a true world champion.”

– USA boxing coach Basheer Abdullah – and that was before Taylor struck gold.

“Is it me?”

– At the end of her final. It was indeed her.

Winners and losers: The other side of success and failure at the London Games

“There’s something about getting into chlorine water that you just automatically go.”

– American swimmer Ryan Lochte admitting he had a wee in the Olympic pool.

“Sadder than I’ve ever been. Thanks for the love. Life goes on.”

– Paula Findlay of Canada after finishing last in the triathlon.

“My composure was a little shaky in the qualifying rounds, but in the final I came out with fire in my bottom.”

– American trampolinist Savannah Vinsant.

“It’s just an amazing feeling. Then when I was on the podium and it started raining, it felt like my grandmother was crying tears of joy.”

– Felix Sanchez – whose grandmother died during the Beijing Olympics – after winning the 400m hurdles.

“They picked me for a doping test. They simply cannot believe that such a great body can be built without any banned stuff.”

– Hungarian water polo player Zoltán Szécsi.

“I expected to do better, but the weights were too heavy.”

– Micronesia’s Manuel Minginfel who didn’t do too well.

“Our opponents were better than us and we must congratulate them and prepare for our next race. In the pub.”

– Czech canoeist Filip Dvorak, gasping for a jar.

“Watching London’s opening ceremonies. Hard to believe my ancestors were conquered by theirs.”

- American chat-show host Conan O’Brien.

LIGHTNING BOLT STRIKES THRICE

I'm now a living legend.

– And after winning 100m and 200m gold he is too.

Reporter: “What was your race strategy?”

Usain Bolt: “I just ran, pretty much.”

– Giving a detailed explanation of his tactics for the 100m final.

“I had some plaintains, some hash browns, fruit, then a wrap from McDonald’s. It had vegetables in it, so don’t judge me!”

– On what he had for breakfast on the morning of the 100m final.

“The trials woke me up. Yohan gave me a wake-up call. He knocked on my door and said, Usain, this is Olympic year, wake up. After that I refocused and got my head in the game.”

– On being stirred from his slumber by his team-mate Yohan Blake who beat him in the Jamaican trials.