As the only American swimmer to compete in four Olympic Games, Dara Torres thought she was ready to throw in the towel after her gold-medal performance in the 4x100-meter relay at the Barcelona Games in 1992. But nearly a decade later, she surprised everyone except herself by staging a comeback in Sydney and swimming off with five more medals.

Was swimming always a natural fit for you?
I was always very competitive and wanted to be first in everything as a kid. This probably comes from growing up with four older brothers. Whatever they did, I did. I loved sports and grew up with a pool so swimming seemed a natural fit. Even though I competed in gymnastics, volleyball and basketball in school, I loved the water first. I knew I had a natural ability, but I also knew I would have to really push myself to break into the top tier.

Does your confidence give you a competitive edge?
Although I have always been confident in my physical ability, it didn’t give me true confidence. Just because I was good in sports, I didn’t know if I could excel in other things. I had to really work hard to give myself inner confidence. When I train, I’m hardest on myself. I make myself keep setting goals and I never think or say "I can’t." I keep a positive attitude and work hard to make my goals. Whatever I accomplish, I do it for myself. This is what makes me feel truly confident.