North East and Cumbria Olympic Dreams

Great Britain get the gold medal. Yes! Kelly Holmes of Great Britain,

what a performance. Absolutely brilliant. It is going to be

brilliant. It is going to be Britain one and two. Good speed,

The North has produced some unforgettable moments in Olympic

history, but who will be our heroes in seven months' time, when the

Games come here to London? Anybody has a dream to win an Olympic gold

medal. Desire and determination is going to be a key in the Olympics.

Winning a medal at the Paralympics would be awesome, to win a gold

medal would be unreal. In tonight's programme we will follow some of

the athletes from our region as they try to make their mark on

Olympic history. Winning the Olympics, that is what it is all

about. I am thinking about today's training sessions, tomorrow's

training sessions. I'll find out from some of the

stars of yesteryear what it meant to be part of the greatest show on

Earth. There were three middle- distance runners who all got

Olympic medals, so when I got back to Tyneside I was not even the best

First tonight, we meet the man who many feel represents the best

chance of a podium place in the athletics arena. He makes his

My name is Chris Tomlinson, I am the British indoor and outdoor

record holder, European medallist at the long jump. I am from

Middlesbrough and I am going for gold in London 2012. The last

summer has gone really well. I broke the British record. It was a

world-class jumper. He has got such good speed. He knew straightaway

that was a big jump. Unfortunately just before the World Championships

my knee started playing up and I needed an operation. I had an

operation six or seven months ago. Some intense training. I have to

make sure I do not overdo it. I was absolutely devastated, I got the

injury at the start of September, I had two months waking up every

night and thinking about it. It was microsurgery. He went into the

tendon. Below the knee cap you have got a tendon, and it was inflamed.

As a result, every time that the knee would travel forwards it would

give me a hell of a lot of pain. They go in there, then you need to

give it time to heal. This is one of the problems of being an athlete,

you have to be really careful what medicine you take. You look like

At the moment, believe it or not, I have got to lose weight. That is

far too much. It needs to be like that. It is sticking out. I am 6 ft

6 and I need to get down to about 84 kilograms. When you are jumping

eight metres, you do not want to be carrying any extra weight. You have

to be super-skinny, super-fast, This morning I did my weight

session. It consists of a lot of conditioning exercises, over the

last the years I have been doing it a bit more than I like to, so I

need to get over my injuries. I do not like doing weight-training. It

is boring. I prefer doing sprinting and long jumping. It is not the

height of my week. I had a few interviews recently, I was in the

papers. It is rather embarrassing, I am on the back page. There is a

bit in there about drugs cheats It is 9:10am on 25th November, I

have got the day off. The knee is coming on well. I have spoken to my

agent about flying out to Moscow on 5th February. I might be ready for

that, but my priority is for the Olympic Games, I need to get back

into competitive shape as soon as He is in third place, now into

second place. People are talking to me about London 2012, but I am

thinking about today's training session, tomorrow. That is what it

is like for me. Getting ready for the baby coming. We have got loads

of stuff. When are you due? March. March 17th. But the world

championships are in Turkey on 10th March.

I would like to be here for the birth. If it was the Olympics it

In my event, I'm fortunate I don't have a world record holder. I'm not

going against Usain Bolt. They're very good athletes, but not the

greatest ever. I have a chance. A medal is a medal.

Chris is back in full training and returns to competitive action next

month at an indoor event in Moscow. From sand to sea, because not every

event takes place on dry land. Sailing takes place here at

Weymouth Bay. The perfect place, I fell off my motorbike, and broke

my back. I was lying in the ditch thinking, "This is not good."

Immediately you know it's not right. The accident left John paralysed

from the chest down. He was forced to give up his career as a weapons

mechanic in the RAF. Why give up? You have a wobble, but realise,

This boat has been to the Olympics? Yeah, we used her in Athens, 2004.

John is part of a three-man team in the Sonar class at the Paralympics.

What's your role? Not to crash! Not to fall over. My job is to steer.

You're the helmsman. Hannah does the tactics, Steve does the

mainsheet. What makes a good helmsman? Shut up and do it.

what you're told. John is the practical joker of our team. He's a

character, a typical Northerner. jokes are quality. It's that Greek

one. The double-dip, hummus and taramasalata. Double-dip recession.

John is deadly serious about gold. He swapped life in Sunderland for

the south coast to prepare. The team has been sailing together for

a decade. They competed in 2004 and 2008.

John and his team are yet to get a medal. But the omens are good. They

finished 2nd at a test event and have home advantage.

Getting used to everything here is pretty good. How important is that

Massively important. We've learned so much in the last 8-10 years.

Realised what you need. Hopefully third time lucky? Hopefully. What's

the appeal of sailing to you? getting out in the water, having

fun with your mates. That's the key to it. If you didn't enjoy it you

wouldn't do it. And it's a level playing field. Absolutely, it's one

of the only sports where you can compete against able-bodied guys.

It's like anyone else, really. No discrimination or prejudice, just

He's the messiest bloke you'll ever meet, yet when it comes to sailing,

he's a perfectionist. Winning any medal at a Paralympics is awesome,

but gold would be just unreal. You've given a lot to the sport.

Has sailing given you something? It's given me everything. Direction,

a job, something to strive for. I would never have had the chance to

sail for my country, win World I am pretty fortunate, and proud to

To another watersport, rowing. The north-east has a great chance here.

We've no fewer than five athletes from the region training full-time

at the Team GB base a few miles The dream of all means an early

start, where training is under way. It was going to be pretty special

and it will be a massive event. We have a lot of experience. We have

new people as well. We are all going through this together.

Normally we trained three times a day. The worst parts are non-stop

training and being tired. Her love of rowing began here on the River

How big a part has this club played in your progress? Massive. I would

not be where I am today without them. I started here when I was

This picture of me is horrendous. That is my twin sister. We won a

It is quite hard to get out of rowing once you get into it. Before

you know what you are an Olympic rower. I used to bring them down

every day to train. Sometimes it was before school, every day after

school. We were -- into the house, a quick sandwich. -- we would go

into a house. How long was it? People at a similar age to you, you

can train with them. The parents would all help out. It must cabin

quite exciting for you? -- it must have been. We are looking forward

to watching it on the telly. seems like you slot straight back

in. I think that have matured slightly. I spent several years

You for your son or daughter or through what they're doing and if

they get to the next level, you do what it takes! We have been all

over Europe for an to China. What was she like to coach? Very easy,

because she just got up and did it. There was never any question of

slacking off, it was 100% every time. Two weeks of cycling on the

rowing machine -- two weeks of cycling, on the rowing machine,

lifting some weights. We aim to win an Olympic gold medal. It is a

realistic dream. We were 2.5 seconds behind the Americans this

year and then the world championships. I think it would be

bigger and better than you ever think about anything but to be very

special to bring it back to Durham and it would be unbelievable and

everything I ever dreamed of. One sport making an appearance at the

Olympics for the first time is one in's boxing.

It is a dream come true for Amanda Coulson from Hartlepool. She faces

the fight of her life just to qualify for 2012. Some people think

something so impossible that I do not.

The desire and determination will be there to get me to the Olympics.

She is one of the greatest female boxers this country has ever

produced. All she has ever wanted is the chance to show the world on

the biggest stage. I have been boxing now for 14 years and it has

always been my dream to be part of an Olympic cycle. But a man as a

problem. Bill and bigger authorities have allocated just the

weight categories for women. There is just one British fighter allowed

in each division. -- the boxing authorities. There is good

competition. It is wide open and it is all to play for between the

three goals at this stage. I know what their weaknesses and strengths

are. Once the bell goes, they're not your friend any more. Despite

competition from two younger girls, Amanda is not about to throw in the

Tote. She has taken a two-year career break from her job with

Cleveland Police to train full-time with team GB in Sheffield. It has

improved me. I am a lot stronger and sharper. Amer more clever boxer.

I have made some sacrifices. If people are out partying, I do not

bowl. If people are on holiday, I do not go. I've had to give up my

job, so there is a financial burden as well. It is like putting your

life on hold. It is late November and demand a faces one of the

biggest boats of her life. -- and Amanda faces. She's fighting one of

her rivals for an Olympic place. Defeat today would be a disaster.

The winner and Great Britain champion, Amanda Coulson. Ed meant

everything. I put it in the performance of my life. You Olympic

dream is very much alive? Are definitely has after that

performance. I would say so. Back, the Hartlepool Catholic boxing club

where it all began, Amanda has time to reflect on her success. There

was it a lot -- there was a lot of desire of hunger to achieve that. I

put in the performance of my life to get the decision. She has had

the same coach since she first came here as a 14-year-old. He reckons

she has put herself in poll position for selection. I believe

that she is better than the other girls. Only one of them will get

selected and I believe that she has a really good chance. I started and

Hartlepool with a heart liberal Catholic boxing club, and that is

where my heart is. -- with the Hartlepool Catholic boxing club.

Bibby be absolutely amazing if I got there and fingers crossed it

happens. Also threatening to make a splash in 2012, the women's what a

poor team. The squad includes two women from

Cumbria who are sacrificing everything for their shot at

Olympic glory. We both live in small villages in Cumbria and

moving to such a big city, Manchester, is a better if a shock.

The village I am from is only about 20 houses, and they think I am a

massive celebrity. They are like, we're so proud of you! Welcome to

Manchester, home of British water polo, where our girls are fighting

for a place in the British Olympic team. I never dreamed I would have

the chance to compete in a home Olympics. It is amazing. This is

said, we are run a home run now. Alex had a bit of her dual role.

She used to be a right winger. She has changed position now. Chloe

plays on the left wing. Water polo is a seven-a-side game divided into

quarters. It is very tough. Poor rugby, it is probably one of the

most physical sports to play. -- below rugby. There is a lot of

pulling, kicking, scratching, especially with girls. It is very

physical. That means a training outside of the pool can get a bit

rough. The wrestling is coming in very handy! My answer really can

this morning. -- my arms. Only 13 of the goals will make the Olympics.

-- of the women. If the pitch themselves, they will have

incredible chances to get into the final 13. The train full-time, paid

for by the National Lottery. The money has had a huge impact on the

girls. They have gone from doing jobs are going to university and to

water polo in their spare time to move into Manchester and training

twice a day really hard. They have water pours the profession. -- they

have what report as their profession. -- water polo. It only

received funding five years ago, so they face a steep learning curve of

the are to become competitive on an international level. We are going

to have to take it game by game. We're probably ranked seven in

Europe. We're looking for the top 10 in the world, which is massive

progress. Like Alex and Chloe, most of our athletes are still to find

out whether they are competing here later this year. He is a quick

guide to some of our other Olympic hopefuls.

$$YELLOW# I'm on the edge of glory # And I'm hangin' on a moment of

truth... # Daisy Smith getting really involved

here in fifth. # And I'm hangin' on a moment with

# I'm on the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge

# The edge, the edge, the edge # I'm on the edge of glory

# And I'm hangin' on a moment with # I'm on the edge with you, with

you, with you # I'm on the edge, with you, with

Those athletes have real hopes of glory later this year. They are

following in the footsteps of some great North Olympians of the past.

Charlie Spedding from Gateshead to part in the marathon in 1984 in Los

Angeles. He went down in North East folklore. I had been nervous the

entire week but I also saw it as the greatest opportunity of my life.

It was my third marathon. I tried the marathon out in Houston in

January. I thought, this is the event for me and I had to then run

the London Marathon, because that was a trial. I won that one as well.

So I went to the Olympics as a bit of a novice at the marathon but

also undefeated. It was a really nice position to be in. What a

tremendous effort it will be if Charlie Spedding gets any medal.

Did you have a plan? Can you remember how the day went? Yes, my

plan was just to view the best I could. A fine run by Charlie

Spedding. Was ecstatic at winning any medal at all. I think it was 16

years since a British man or woman won a marathon medal. Nobody has

done it since you. Are you proud? It is quite nice to hold any sort

of record and to do something that is unusual, but now I wish someone

the British would win a medal. Margaret Auton was just 15 when she

appeared in the Mexico Olympics in 1968. I felt all right at the

beginning of the race. I did feel rather badly. I did just about my

own fastest time which, at altitude, I was very pleased with. And

Hartlepool, I was, I suppose, a bit of a celebrity. I was invited to

pull a raffle ticket out at Hartlepool United football match

one time. That was about as good as it got. Charmian Welsh from County

Durham was just 15 when she almost one a diving medal in the 1952

Olympics in Helsinki. I started diving in 1950. A lot of my diving

was trial and error. I just went at it time after time after time. I

ended up bruised from here right across my back. It was this ippon

be used to cool the pet. The water was always warm. It was black and

you could not see the bottom. -- to cool the pit. I knew if I went too

far off the board, I would land on concrete. A great incentive to get

your dive right! Definitely. Despite having no coach, she

qualified for the Olympics. I finished 5th, although we should

have been fought. But the British judge was stung and he did not see

my dive. Appear wasps stung him. Apparently, he stuck up a zero. Can

you believe you were part of that? Looking back on it, know. -- no. I

did not think any different about it at the time. It was part of my