The General Secretary of Sports and President of the Organising Committee of World Athletics Final IAAF/VTB Bank, Mr. Stavros Douvis, expressed his satisfaction for the fact that the IAAF was delighted of the high level of the organization.

“A great competition is over in the best way for Thessaloniki. I want to point, not only the satisfaction of the people of IAAF, but their enthusiasm for the high level of the organization.  Greece has continued the expert tradition of organizing successfully big sporting events”, mr. Douvis said, after the closing ceremony of the games.

Carmelita JETER (USA, 1st place in 100m Women - 10.67, best time since 1998): «I had eaten 5 gyros (NoR: Greek pork meat specialty) lately, that's why I ran so fast! I was expecting to do something good, before the start I was telling Sanya Richards that I wanted to 'skip the sevens' and have a 10.6 mark! When the gun ran off, everything felt slow. My coach has told me that, when everything around feels slow, it's because you're going fast!
At around 60 metres, I felt bouncing down the track, that's how I felt. Then I just wanted to get to the finish line. I thought I had run in 10.9 or something like that. When I saw my time, there were  tears in my eyes.
I train under John Smith's guidance since last November. I wanted to get faster and I knew he would teach to do so. He's one of the best coaches, who has trained some of the best sprinters, such as Maurice Greene, Ato Boldon, Torri Edwards and the list goes on and on.
Ever since I started training with him, it has been an learning process. I have been learning all season, bits and pieces... As the year has gone on, I'm putting it all together.
John Smith told me that, if I listened to him, I'd win a medal this year. I had to pay attention every single day, and it definitely paid off. He's a tough, but in a good way. He wants you to be the best, he pushes you to the line.
There's still room for improvement. My finish is the best part, so now I have to work harder on my first 30 meters and on my transition.
I believe that breaking the World Record is definitely possible. With a lot of hard work, in the perfect race and with the right people competing around me, yes, it is possible.
I grew up in a basketball household. My brother, Eugene, has played in Spain and Ukraine. I took up running when I was in the 9th grade of the high school. I was also playing basketball, but I ran for the track team, I did 11.7 so I stuck there!
My 12-year-old sister, Keshawna, runs 100 and 200 metres, too, although in fact she is a 400m runner -but she doesn't like 400m!  She won the 3rd place in th Junior Olympics.
I don't think of what happened in Berlin. Hands down, the other gilrs beat me at the World Championships, but that's in the past and I can't turn back time. I just  take what it is and move forward. If I thought about the past, I would be stuck there.
The season is not over for me. I will compete in Shanghai on the 20th and in Daegu on the 25th September. I will go there mentally ready and prepared to do the best of my ability. I'm not going out to improve, just keep doing what I do, stay with my technique and go home healthy.
All the other girls hugged me and told me that I had a great race. We are competitors, we do our job, but we do not hate each other, there's nothing bad between us. After the race, they came over and gave me a hug».

(answering on a question about the doubt that raises such a great performance:)
«Actually, I wish they would put up all the tests that I have been through this year. They literally come at my home and blood test me twice a weeky, I'm probably the most tested person in the USA track & field team right now. My coach, my team and my family know that I'm clean, God knows I'm clean...
It's really unfortunate when you get so fast and everyone thinks  that you cheat. I know I'm training hard, so when I hear comments of people who can't see my progress I laugh about it. I didn't start to run fast overnight, I have been trying hard day and night».

John SMITH (Jeter's coach): «you always expect stuff like that, around 10.7. However, when you see it happening, you feel 'wow!', you feel as surprised as anyone else. I didn't really see Carmelita's race, in fact she was moving too fast!».

1st place: RYAN BRATHWAITE (BAR): “All eyes were on me, as I was the last winner of the last WAF. Surely, with Liu, Robles and Oliver in the race I could have run faster. I ran 13.16 by only giving 80% of my strength. Next year I feel I can run a sub 13 race”.

2nd place: DEXTER FAULK (USA): “Very fast race. I was tired, cause thiw year my 54th race of the season (including heats), but no the best. I wanted to win something big this season, but I didn’t make it. It seems I luck rhythm, but I am satisfied because I stayed healthy”.

1st place: CARMELITA JETER (USA): “I am faster than in Berlin because this year I’ve changed coaches and it took me sometime to find my rhythm. It’s all a matter of trust. When I started trusting the things my coach said, I got faster. Before that, I was always thinking “don’t to this, don’t do that”. But now I have a more possitive attitude”.
(On how far is the world record): “I believe I can run faster. It used to be a dream, but now it is pretty closer”.

2nd place: SHELLY-ANN FRASER (JAM): “Very fast race! After Berlin I relaxed a little bit, but when I get on track I am always competitive”.

1st place: USAIN BOLT (JAM): “Today I didn’t surpise myself, like in Brussels. I want to run faster but I was really tired after a long season. No more races for me, it’s time to rest”.
(If he feels he has “ruined” the event, like Bob Beamon the long jump back in 1968): “No, didn’t do any damage! Look at the crowd! As far a my competitors are concerned, I only run to win”.
(On his motivation from now on): “Keep winning”.

2nd place: WALLACE SPEARMON (USA): “ It was difficult to follow Bolt’s pace. The race was too fast for me. After Thessaloniki, I will compete in Shanghai”.