I know how hard it is to be bullied about a part of yourself that you can't change, or just because of who you are. It can turn you into an angry and bitter person.

The trial of Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has kept me fascinated and shocked in equal measure. But like many women, I was relieved this week when he was found guilty of culpable homicide after killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

It shouldn't be down to charities to be the sole help for those who fall through the cracks.

I have been the beneficiary of donations in the form of human tissue and of a cornea which gave me sight when otherwise I would have none.

I've got a shadow on the lung as a result of being in intensive care, so I find running quite hard. I breathe mainly through my mouth because my nose is damaged, so I keep swallowing flies.

As well as being my doctor, Mohammad Jawad is so kind and caring and we have a father/daughter relationship. When I left hospital he found out about a revolutionary rehab centre in the south of France and spent his August bank holiday taking me there in 2008 to see it - such a happy time.

My feminist icon is Michelle Obama. To me she represents the definition of a strong and intelligent woman who has used her platform for so much good.

It can be embarrassing paying someone a compliment, but, in the modern world, these don't even have to be done out loud. When you're scrolling in the morning on Instagram, don't just like someone's photo, but make a point of going into the comments section and write down one nice thing that you see or feel about that picture.

Always, always, always pass a good book along on to somebody else.

What is kindness? For me, it is about treating people how you would want to be treated – but, with so many of us living out our lives on social media, it can be harder and harder to show compassion to those around us.

I always tell myself that nothing ever is worth holding onto if it hurt you, because the longer you hold onto anger and resentment, the longer you feed it and keep it alive.

My training diet can be quite strict when I'm coming up to competition; it's a weight-making sport, of course. But I eat quite healthily anyway, and it's less strict when out of competition.

I'd like to thank everyone for all their support and prayers. I'm so humbled by that.

People say, 'You will be 30 years old; you're too old. You'll get your nose broke,' say dad's a pushy dad. You hear stupid things and put them out of your mind.

I want to go down in the history books as one of the greatest female boxers of all time, and I think I'm on the right path.

I have a lot of confidence in myself, and I love that challenge as well. I love going to every competition as the favourite. It's something I relish.

I owe so much to my dad and what he has done for me. And it's hard work doing what he has done, so he's entitled to a break.

It's the training that's the hardest. It's the preparation. The months and months of preparation that nobody really sees, that's the hardest part.

I wouldn't be where I am without my dad. He's a genius.

When you're so consistent, people have to stand up and take notice. I don't think people recognise or praise consistency enough.

I've had losses in my career before, and I've always come back stronger from those losses.

I want to tell girls, it's not about make-up and how you look that's important; you are so much more than how you look.

I'm not going to be boxing forever, but I've put no time-cap on it, really.

I'm in a privileged position, but I still feel like the best is yet to come, and people still haven't seen the best of me yet, and that is so exciting for me.

I've boxed many people in their own backyard plenty of times - in China, I boxed a Chinese girl in the final of the world championships, and I've boxed Russians before in their home nation as well.

I never think about losing. That's why it's so hard to accept a loss.

I know MMA isn't for everyone. It is a combat sport; some people don't like watching it, but it is entertainment for some people.

It's great to be boxing a local boxer. The atmosphere is always fantastic. I love those fights. I really relish those fights.

With amateur boxing, you're just entered into a competition. And to be the best, you've got to beat the best. You're not waiting around to get these fights organised.

I always feel like the freshest boxer going into competitions.

We do the weigh-in, then go for a walk, then have breakfast, then I listen to worship songs on my iPod because I'm a Christian. I always read the same Bible verses, too. We do the same warm-up a lot of the time as well. But, I have no superstitions before a fight.

I'm just sorry I couldn't come home with a second Olympic gold medal.

The Bible is my sport psychology manual.

There's not a lot of positive role models of women in newspapers and magazines. I think it puts pressure on girls. They think that the image put out, it's the way you have to look.

I tend to think year-by-year and tournament-by-tournament.

The thing with professional boxing is you have to have the right promoter and the right fights. It is a cut-throat business.

The Olympics is a dream of mine.

I'm honoured and delighted to be named the 'Irish Times'/Irish Sports Council Sportswoman of the Year 2014. This has been an amazing year for me and for Irish women in sport, and I would like to congratulate all the finalists in their respective fields who have excelled at major sporting events.

I'm a huge fan of Conor McGregor, an incredible athlete. What he has done for MMA is phenomenal; he has been a great supporter of me.

I'm in the public eye. I'm recognised a small bit more. That's part and parcel of it.

I want to leave a great legacy behind me and continue to win major championships.

I don't really change much; there's not much I can do about the judging in front of a home crowd.

I never think too far ahead.

I think, probably, my best asset would probably be my all round game.

God is my psychologist. And my dad is probably the best sport psychologist in the world.

People need to get out and do some more exercise, especially children who are stuck inside with computers.

I know exactly what that's all about being in a male dominated sport. Sometimes it just takes one person to step out, to be a pioneer, a trailblazer, really.

You have to make sure you have the right people around you to get the right fights, and you're not guaranteed to get the best fights.

I look at what's in front of me. I concentrate on that and then hopefully move on.

It's so true: the fight is won or lost in the gym, and those words really stuck with me throughout my career.