Key Stage 3 3, 2, 1, Go!

Sports people must be fast,

strong...

..and deadly accurate.

But did you know they wouldn't be able to compete without maths?

Time-keeping...

..scoring, speed...

shape, distance.

It's all mathematics.

A tenth of a second or just a few millimetres

can transform an ordinary person into a world champion.

Great Britain get the gold!

-This is...

-3, 2, 1...

-Go!

We take teams to a secret location...

This really IS a special place.

This is fabulous!

..to be given a behind-the-scenes tour...

HE SCREAMS

..and meet their sporting heroes...

Hi, nice to meet you.

..who'll give them a maths challenge.

3, 2, 1, go!

-Go!

-Go!

And if they get it right...

17!

One, two, three, four...

Probability suggests we should dive to the bottom right hand corner.

..they win a gold medal.

This challenge is all about football.

Football is played on a rectangular grass pitch up to 120 metres long

and 90 metres wide. Two teams of 11-a-side kick a round ball

into a goal on the opposite team's half.

On the pitch, only the goalkeeper can handle the ball,

and only in the penalty area.

The games last for 90 minutes and the team with the most goals wins.

So, are you ready? 3, 2, 1, Go!

Today, football fans Hayden and Romario are being taken

to a secret location to complete their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge.

They have no idea where they're going.

They've both been playing football since they could walk.

I get so much enjoyment out of it.

Yeah, and you can get away from all homework and stuff

-and it's just a way of freedom, really.

-Yeah.

Hayden gets to enjoy a lot of that freedom

because he plays for the Potters Bar Crusaders.

And with them, he has won the league.

He's also played in the Arsenal soccer schools, which is good,

because they're both die-hard supporters of one club.

BOTH: Arsenal.

I used to live sort of around that area, so it's sort of my home team.

Romario plays for his local club, Barnet Azzurri,

and has been on two successful tours with the team.

He's also played AGAINST the Arsenal Academy,

but they both hope to play FOR Arsenal one day.

I like the way they play, really. The players are very skilful.

They ARE extremely skilful.

In fact, they're one of the most successful British clubs,

winning 13 First Division and Premier League titles,

two League Cups and no less than ten FA Cups.

And it looks like the lads have just spotted where they're going.

-Arsenal Training Centre.

-Arsenal Training Centre.

Yes, that's right.

-Amazing.

-Amazing. Absolutely great.

This is where their favourite team Arsenal train.

With ten full-size pitches, each to the exact specification of their home stadium,

they come here to prepare for all their matches.

Today the pitches are covered in snow, so they're training indoors.

It's a top-secret location,

and usually only the players are allowed in.

Hi, guys, welcome to Arsenal Football Club. These are for you.

If you'd like to follow me.

But today, Romario and Hayden are going to be given special access.

BOTH: Amazing.

So who've you spotted, lads?

Thierry Henry.

Yep, there he is, playing keepy-uppy with Johan Djourou.

-Sagna.

-Pires, Sagna.

And there's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain playing table tennis...?

And one of the top players, Per Mertesacker, has taken a break

to give them their 3, 2, 1, Go! maths challenge.

-Hello.

-Hello, nice to meet you.

And there's someone else with him, too.

-And you?

-Romario.

-Do you play football?

Yeah. Hello, Wenger!

Um, that's Monsieur Wenger to you!

After all, it is Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager. Best behaviour, boys.

-Do you play football?

-Yeah.

-What position?

-Centre mid, up front.

I play right back.

I'm impressed.

New talents...for our club, maybe?

Per Mertesacker is a defender and, as well as playing for Arsenal,

he's also played for his national team, Germany,

where he's won 78 international caps.

And it's rumoured that he was bought by Arsenal for £10 million.

What's the best game you've played in?

Oooh, I've played many games for the national team of Germany,

and...we have some good games,

but with Arsenal, every game is very massive.

What's more fun and exciting - playing for Arsenal or Germany?

The German league is good, obviously is very good,

and I like to play there for a long, long time,

but now I change my mind and England is much, much better.

OK, enough idle banter, then. Time for their 3, 2, 1, Go! Challenge.

OK, listen, here's your challenge.

Our goalie Wojciech Szczesny always studies

where strikers place the ball.

Speak of the devil, there's Wojciech Szczesny himself!

Anticipating where penalty might go is key to saving it.

Watch where the strikers aims the penalties

and predict where his next one will be.

3, 2, 1, Go!

So the boys have been given their prediction challenge.

But first, an outside pitch has to be cleared of snow.

Wow.

I wish I could just jump in and play!

Yeah. In an Arsenal shirt.

Now, the boys are up against the 3, 2, 1, Go! striker,

nicknamed White Boots because he, um, has...white boots.

Some say he never misses the goal.

Now, the boys have to watch White Boots take penalties,

then predict which direction he will go when they face him

for the final shot. You feeling lucky, boys?

Right, we've got to work out what side he favours

and plot them on the board. Let's get our pen. OK.

Right, on the board is a diagram that represents the goal.

It's divided into four quarters. The boys have to mark on the table

which quarter White Boots aims each penalty,

so they can work out his statistics afterwards.

And there he goes with the first shot.

And White Boots puts it straight in!

-First one right.

-Yeah, right in the corner.

So, they've marked it on the board.

-Let's see where the next one goes.

-Yep.

-Bottom left, yeah?

-Yeah.

Now, I know White Boots is a deadly shot,

but this keeper doesn't seem to be trying very hard.

-Bottom right.

-Yeah.

Predicting where a striker is likely to place a ball

will give an added advantage to any keeper.

-Bottom right again.

-About there?

-Yeah.

And to know that, they must study a striker's form.

That's bottom left that time.

Oh, White Boots, off the bar but behind the line.

-That one had a bit of a bounce there.

-Yeah.

Like a penalty. Top left, little bit more middle. Yeah, about there.

About there, yeah.

And deadly White Boots is racking up the goals,

he's giving the boys plenty to think about.

-Bottom right again.

-Up there.

-Yeah. He favours bottom right.

Bottom right-hand corner, yeah.

Statistics are incredibly important to sport teams.

It helps them to know how good their players are

and also to size up their competitors.

-Bottom right again. About there, maybe?

-Yeah, yeah.

Right, White Boots has finished his run of penalties. What's next, lads?

Now we need to add up each quarter and see how many there is.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.

Nine for this one.

There's just one in this one.

This one's got four. One, two, three, four.

And the last one's got one, two, three, four, five, six.

-So add them all up.

-That's 10... 14 plus 6 is 20.

They've got the number of shots aimed at each quarter of the goal.

So we've got 20 shots, so we need to work out the percentage out of 100.

Exactly. To work out what percentage of the total goals

went into each quarter of the goal, they need to work out

what percentage of the total each individual goal is worth.

So that would be 100 divided by 20.

-Which equals...

-Five.

-Five.

So that equals one single shot.

That's right. For 20 shots, each one is 5% of the total.

So what percentage of the total went into each quarter?

So that means each one equals 5. So 9 x 5...

That equals 45% for this quadrant.

This one's just got 1, so that will be 1 x 5, which is 5%.

This one down here has 4, which will be 5 x 4, which is 20. 20%.

And the last one up here's got 6. 6 x 5 equals 30,

so that means 30%.

So the right-hand corner was the one with the most percentage of him shooting.

That's right.

45% of White Boots' shots went to the bottom right-hand corner.

So now it's time to face him yourselves. What's your plan?

-It's most likely...

-Most likely to be the bottom right-hand corner,

as the probability is 45%.

-He could go here, as that's second highest.

-Yeah, second highest.

All the others are less.

So probability suggests that if we were to save this next shot,

we should dive to the bottom right corner. So who's going to do this?

I'll go and try and save it.

So, crunch time.

Did the boys study the striker's previous form well enough?

They nearly went for the top left, because it had a pretty high percentage of goals,

but they decided to go with bottom right.

Can this prediction mean Romario can get behind the ball by diving to his left?

White Boots looks determined to remain unbeaten.

Here he comes. It's got power.

Romario commits to the dive...

White Boots goes bottom right...

-and Romario's got it!

-Yes, he saved it!

White Boots, you are SO predictable!

Bottom right looks favoured.

Romario and Hayden stepped up to the challenge.

They recorded the direction of White Boots' penalties

and worked out his shooting statistics.

They made their prediction based on the facts,

before facing White Boots' final shot.

And they came home heroes. What was your prediction again, boys?

BOTH: Bottom right.

They have completed their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge,

and Arsenal player Per Mertesacker has got their prizes.

-First.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

-Hayden...

-Thank you.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-How was that, boys?

-That was brilliant!

Meeting Per, that's amazing, and seeing all the Arsenal players.

Yeah, speaking to them in person, as well.

Brilliant, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

And what about the big boss, Arsene Wenger?

Should have asked him for a trial!

Now your teacher has a challenge for you.

3, 2, 1, Go!

Sports people must be fast,

strong...

..and deadly accurate.

But did you know they wouldn't be able to compete without maths?

Time-keeping...

..scoring,

speed...

shape, distance.

It's all mathematics.

A tenth of a second or just a few millimetres

can transform an ordinary person into a world champion.

Great Britain get the gold!

-This is...

-3, 2, 1...

-Go!

We take teams to a secret location...

This really is a special place.

This is fabulous.

..to be given a behind-the-scenes tour...

..and meet their sporting heroes..

Hi, nice to meet you.

..who'll give them a maths challenge.

3, 2, 1, Go!

-Go!

-Go!

And if they get it right...

17!

One, two, three, four...

Probability suggests we should dive to the bottom-right corner.

..they win a gold medal.

This challenge is all about cycling.

Track cycling takes place in specially-built velodromes,

made up of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights.

Cyclists race at speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour

on specially designed bikes with no brakes. So are you ready?

3, 2, 1, go!

Today's cycling fans, Dale and Jermaine, are being taken to a secret location

in Manchester to complete their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge.

Dale likes nothing more than going out into the countryside on his BMX.

I do jumps with my mates, go across the mud parts and get wet. Muddy.

Dale is mad about cycling.

He's been riding a bike for over ten years,

and hasn't looked back since discovering BMXing,

but loves watching the track cycling on TV.

Although the lads don't know where they're going yet, they're already having a laugh.

Jermaine is a sports star in the making.

As a competitive swimmer and cyclist,

he's training for a triathlon.

He's also been cycling for ten years

and likes watching the swimming and cycling on TV.

So, as budding sportsmen, is there anywhere you've ever dreamt of going?

The one place I would like to go in Manchester cycling is a velodrome, because I've never been before.

Well, lads, this is your lucky day.

You've seen where we're headed?

-Professional cycling.

-Yep, you've got it.

This is the National Cycling Centre in Manchester and it was Britain's first indoor Olympic cycling track.

A cycle arena is called a velodrome.

And this one is where members of the Great Britain Olympic team are training.

This is where the boys will be given their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge.

Hi Jermaine, Dale, welcome to the National Cycling Centre.

Do you want to come this way?

The boys are going to be given a special tour of the velodrome.

You've seen some of the bikes we've got here. These are the bikes that we use on the velodrome now.

And they're just about to see the track for the first time.

-OK, guys, this is the track.

-Wow!

-Pretty impressive, yeah?

-Yeah.

And today Team GB are training with their coach...on a motorbike.

Have a closer look.

-It's a big place though, innit?

-It's really big, yeah.

And you're about to get the track all to yourselves.

It's your chance to take a spin while Team GB take a break in their training.

Do you think you'd be able to get round the banking here?

-No, I reckon I'll slip.

-I don't blame you for being a bit worried, Dale!

You see the way the track is? As you come into the banking here,

the steepest part goes to 42 and a half degrees.

What you need to do when you're starting out is just pedal faster.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Yeah? So I reckon you would be able to ride on here.

It'd be hard, but I'll have a go, yeah.

Right then, better get to the bike store to get fitted up.

Come and have a look.

This is the biggest fleet of track bikes in the UK,

and each bike is designed just for track cycling.

With just one gear and an aerodynamic frame,

these bikes are built for speed.

-How fast will they go?

-How fast will they go?

They actually go as fast as the person who's pedalling them.

OK, and they can get them up to around 62k.

Our squad riders can go a lot faster.

Yep, I think that's fired the boys up. Let's get you on the track.

First thing you need to both know is you have no brakes on your bikes.

OK, no brakes! Well it's too late to chicken out. You're on your own and it's time for the warm up.

Go on, Jermaine. Go fast. Don't be scared.

If you fall off, you fall off!

HE LAUGHS

If you die, you die!

Those are, erm, interesting words of encouragement from Dale,

but it doesn't seem to have put Jermaine off.

Just get a feel of the bike.

-Dale, are you ready?

-Yeah.

Off you go, Dale.

They're both picking up speed - total naturals.

I think they're ready for a time trial. Jermaine is off first.

3, 2, 1, go!

Fast as you can!

And he's looking fast!

Next up, the clock starts for Dale.

3, 2, 1, go!

The boys are whizzing round.

Jermaine has hit his home straight and is about to cross the line.

Fast as you can. All the way to the line, keep going.

Don't forget to keep pedalling! Keep pedalling.

30.06.

That's a good time for Jermaine, but Dale is flying round the track.

It doesn't look like he's having any problems with the banking.

All the way, Dale, all the way.

26.22.

Amazing times.

-Well done, Dale. How did you find that?

-Easy.

Easy? You did it in 26.22 seconds. Well done.

DALE BREATHES HEAVILY

-You out of breath?

-Yeah.

That's a great job, lads.

You've managed some super-fast times on the very track our elite cyclists train and race on,

and today a world champion has taken a break in her training

to give the guys their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge.

-Hi guys, my name's Sarah. What's your name?

-Dale.

-Hi, Dale.

-I'm Jermaine.

-Hi, Jermaine, how are you?

-Fine.

-Have you had a good day at the velodrome?

-Yeah.

Sarah Storey is world champion in paracycling.

She has competed at no less than five Paralympic Games,

where she's won 18 medals

and she has an incredible 71 world records!

And it was at the Manchester velodrome where Sarah learned to ride a track bike.

-How did you find it on the velodrome?

-We did a time trial.

-You did?

-Yeah.

-Over one lap?

-Yeah.

-250 metres. Do you know what time you did?

-26 point-something seconds.

-Pretty quick.

-30.6.

-That's all right.

How did you find it?

-Was it quite hard getting the gear going from standing?

-Yeah.

-Yeah...

I found it harder from there.

Yeah, getting onto the track and staying on the track and the bank,

-it's not as easy as it looks, is it?

-No.

What was the year that you won your first gold medal?

I won my first gold medal in 1992 when I was 14,

and that was in Barcelona at the 1992 Paralympic Games.

Amazing! 14 years old! That's just one year older than the boys.

But now they have a chance to win their very own medals.

Sarah has got Dale and Jermaine's 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge.

Listen up, boys.

I race 12 laps of the velodrome, that's in the individual pursuit,

but I can pick my position on the track.

Calculate how much further I would travel if I rode it on the red line

rather than on the black line during my race.

OK? 3, 2, 1, go!

So Dale and Jermaine have been given a measuring and arithmetic challenge.

Right, so we've got to measure the black and red line down there, let's go.

The track is oval-shaped, which means the inside edge is shorter than the outside one.

So it makes sense for the riders to stick to the inside edge on the track.

That's the black line.

But there are times when they might need to move up the track

like if they need to overtake someone in front of them.

This would take them to the next line up the bank, the red line.

Although this allows the rider to get a better position in the race,

it means that they will have to cycle a longer distance.

But how much further would the cyclist travel

if they spent the whole race on the red line rather than the black?

So, first up to work this out they need to measure both the black and red lines

that are marked out on the track, then do the sums.

Before they start, we thought it might be a good idea to clear the track of riders!

One, two, three...

Being able to understand distance is really important in cycling,

as every race is defined by the maximum distance the cyclist will travel.

Keep going, all the way round!

..248, 249, 250.

-Let's swap.

-Anyone else apart from me spotted a clue on the track?

Right that's the black line done, next it's the red.

Three, four...

253, 254, 255.

255. I'll go and write it down.

Good work, lads.

Hurry up!

Time for the sums.

-So what was the...

-Black line distance, that's 250 metres.

And the red line was 255.

The difference must be five metres.

Spot on, you've found the difference in length between the two lines.

Now to work out what a five-metre difference means over a 12-lap race.

-You've got to do it 12 x 5.

-Yep, that's the sum.

Being able to multiply and divide numbers

helps cyclists work out how many laps they have to cycle in any given race.

Anyhow, back to the sum, 12 x 5.

That means she's got to travel 60 metres more if she goes on the red line.

Spot on!

Right, done.

Good work. 60 metres is a huge amount over a race.

It's nearly a quarter of a lap.

Sticking to the red line would add critical seconds onto Sarah's time,

and could mean the difference between winning and losing.

It's definitely worth sticking on the black.

They did a top job measuring those lines,

and calculating the difference between the lengths in record time.

-And that difference again?

-BOTH: 60 metres.

The lads have completed their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge,

and cyclist Sarah Storey has their prizes.

Congrats, guys, that was really, really good.

I had absolutely no idea that I would go so much further in a race if I rode so far up the track.

I'd like to give you a certificate,

and also, hopefully this will be the first of many gold medals to come in your careers.

Hang it somewhere proud, so you remember your day here at the velodrome.

-So congratulations.

-Thanks.

OK, now your teacher has got a challenge for you. 3, 2, 1, Go!

Sports people must be fast,

strong,

and deadly accurate.

But did you know they wouldn't be able to compete without maths?

Time keeping...

scoring...

speed...

shape...distance.

It's all mathematics.

A tenth of a second or just a few millimetres

can transform an ordinary person into a world champion.

COMMENTATOR: Great Britain get the gold!

-This is...

-3, 2, 1.

-Go.

-We take teams to a secret location.

-This really is a special place!

This is fabulous.

To be given a behind-the-scenes tour...

..and meet their sporting heroes...

Hi, Jack, nice to meet you.

..who'll give them a maths challenge.

3, 2, 1, go!

-Go!

-Go!

And if they get it right...

17!

One, two, three, four...

Probability suggests you should dive to the bottom right hand corner.

..they win a gold medal.

This challenge is all about gymnastics.

Gymnastics is a sport that involves the performance of exercises,

demonstrating strength, agility, and balance.

Floor exercises take place on a mat measuring 12 metres by 12 metres.

A performance must contain forward, backwards and sideways acrobatic elements, and a balance move.

It must not exceed 70 seconds. And they must not step outside the lines.

So, are you ready?

3, 2, 1, Go!

Today, twins Heather and Beth are being taken to a secret location near Heathrow Airport

to complete their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge.

They're really into gymnastics and know all about the ins and outs of the sport.

There's a lot of elements to gymnastics.

You've got, like, the trapeze, and you've got the balance beam.

Heather loves to watch the gymnasts on the balance beam and bars,

and is learning gymnastics herself at school.

She really enjoys practising on the trampoline

and her favourite move is the straddle jump.

Heather's twin sister Beth loves the accuracy of gymnastics.

You've got to be perfect, because if you do just one little thing wrong, you can lose a lot of points.

Beth's favourite discipline to watch is rhythmic gymnastics with ribbons,

but at school she really enjoys practising on the balance beam,

and she has won sports day twice.

The girls are so sports mad, they've been picked to be Olympic ambassadors at their school.

We've always been involved in sport within our school.

We're not necessarily the best,

but they chose people enthusiastic about the Olympics wanting to do it.

I'd have thought they'd have guessed where they're going by now.

It's the Heathrow Gymnastics Club.

Wow.

Wow, indeed!

The Heathrow Gymnastics Club is the UK's only official Olympic association training gymnasium.

It's the largest gymnastics facility in England,

and is the most successful British club across all disciplines.

And this is where they're going to be given their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge.

That'll be good!

For any gymnastics enthusiast, this is a real treat.

You guys done any gymnastics before?

We've done trampolining at school.

This is where elite British gymnasts come to train.

Wow, it's massive.

It certainly is! Even though they've come for a maths challenge,

the girls can't pass up a chance to train where some of the British Olympic team practise their stuff.

First things first, warm up.

Now, come on, girls - reach!

Can't stretch that far!

Now time for the bars. Chalk up.

SHE LAUGHS

And that's not bad at all, girls.

-Thank you.

-That's all right.

Now time for Heather's favourite, the trampolines.

Now, I'm afraid it's time to jump off

and get ready for your maths challenge.

And one of the British Olympic gymnastics team

has taken a break in training to meet Beth and Heather

and give them their challenge.

-I'm Beth.

-Hi, Beth.

-I'm Heather.

-Hi, Heather.

Here's hoping he can tell them apart.

Daniel Purvis became the world number one

men's artistic gymnast in 2011.

He's been the British all-round gymnastics champion twice.

He won gold in the World Cup,

and also got gold in the 2012 Test Event.

What's your favourite sports then?

Gymnastics and the diving and swimming,

-I think they're the most precise ones.

-All right, cool, good answer!

OK, girls, we're going to have to crack on. Time for the challenge.

My routines are full of somersaults and flips and spins.

Can you work out where I'd be at different degrees of rotation?

Three, two, one, go!

So Beth and Heather have been given a rotation measuring challenge.

I think you have to draw these angles.

Angles that Daniel was at, at different points in his flips.

Yep, you've got it.

Heather and Beth have been given a list

of three different degrees of rotation

that Daniel's body will pass through in a 360 spin.

Their job is to measure them out, and mark them on the board,

using a protractor and a few pictures of Daniel.

We've already put the first one down, to get the girls going.

Daniel at 45 degrees in his spin.

So now for the next one, 162 degrees.

OK, so we need to get a picture of Daniel,

and if you get the protractor and the pens.

-OK, so if you measure 162 degrees.

-OK.

That's good measuring, girls.

Shall we go from here?

And just draw through the middle.

There's the first one done.

Perfect!

Understanding rotation is really important for gymnasts

when they are learning and perfecting spins and somersaults.

They should know roughly whereabouts their body should be

at these different degrees of rotations.

So the second one is 239.

That's right, girls. This one is a little tricky, though,

because the protractor finishes at 180 degrees.

But there's a way round it.

First, find the difference between 239 and 180.

-Take away 180 from 239.

-Which is 59 degrees.

Then reposition the protractor, so that it starts at 180,

and mark from there the difference you calculated.

We need to measure 59 degrees off the protractor.

And there it is.

-180 plus 59?

-239.

Try and stick this here, and draw the line through.

Perfect.

It's incredible to think Daniel's body goes through all of these degrees.

Which one next?

And the last angle is 324 degrees.

This time, they need to find the difference between 324 and 180.

That way, they can figure out where to mark the board,

while holding the protractor in the new position.

-324 minus 180 degrees is...

-144.

Oh, they're good! So round to 144 on the protractor.

I'll just draw a straight line from the centre through.

That's 324 degrees there from zero.

That's right. 180 plus 144 makes 324.

OK, get the last picture of Daniel.

And we need to draw a straight line through.

Amazing work. That was a tricky challenge

and you completed it in record time.

You managed to use the protractor to find specific degrees of rotation,

and mark them up on the board.

You also expertly used subtraction to mark up those bigger numbers.

So take us through those degrees of rotation, girls.

-162 degrees.

-239 degrees.

-And 324 degrees.

Beth and Heather have completed their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge

and it's time for their reward.

Great job today, girls, well done.

Here's your medals, congratulations again.

-Thank you.

-Congratulations.

-Thank you.

Well done, great job.

Now your teacher has a challenge for you. 3, 2, 1, go!

Sports people must be fast...

strong...

and deadly accurate.

But did you know they wouldn't be able to compete without maths?

Time keeping...

scoring...

speed...

shape...

distance. It's all mathematics.

A tenth of a second or just a few millimetres

can transform an ordinary person into a world champion.

Great Britain get the gold!

This is...

-3, 2, 1.

-GO!

We take teams to a secret location.

This really is a special place.

This is fabulous.

To be given a behind the scenes tour...

THEY SCREAM AND LAUGH

..and meet their sporting heroes.

Hi, Jack, nice to meet you.

..who'll give them a maths challenge.

3, 2, 1, go!

-Go!

-Go!

And if they get it right...

17!

1, 2, 3, 4.

Probability suggests we should dive to the bottom hand right corner.

..they win a gold medal.

This challenge is all about rowing.

All Olympic rowing races are 2,000 metres long with six lanes.

The boat, or shells, can have one, two, four or eight rowers in them,

and some have a cox to steer them.

The rowers have either one or two oars each.

They paddle together in a straight line,

and the first to cross the finish line wins.

So are you ready? 3, 2, 1, Go!

Today, rowing fans Emma and Alanna are being taken to a secret location

near the town of Maidenhead.

They have no idea where they're going.

Where are we going?

There's a forest.

They've both just started to learn to row.

We started this school year.

Rowing, not many people do, so it's a good skill for when you get older.

They're not the best boats. The seats come off sometimes.

Alanna has been learning to row at their school club.

At school, she has won 42 sports medals,

and because of her sporting achievements

has been training at the Great Britain pentathlon camp.

I like being on the water. So I like sailing, as well.

Emma has also been learning to row at their school rowing club.

She likes being out on the water so much,

that she's also a qualified kayaker

and a Level 3 Royal Yachting Association sailor.

They do quite a few sports, actually.

We do lacrosse, rowing, netball.

-Swimming.

-Rugby.

-I used to do rugby.

-Hockey, as well.

-Pentathlon.

-Rounders.

-Surfing.

-Tennis.

-Gymnastics. I've done, like, everything.

I like discus, as well.

Phew! Well, they'll fit right in where they're going,

because it's home to a huge variety of athletes.

Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, right on the River Thames,

houses the UK's most elite athletes.

All of the British athletes that won gold in the Beijing Olympics

came through here, and it's where the GB Olympic rowing squads train.

But it's not just them.

Over 100 different British Olympic and Paralympic athletes

are training here, too,

from hockey to synchronised swimming.

It's usually only the highest level sports people who are allowed in,

but today, Alanna and Emma are going to be given special access.

Hi, Alanna, hi, Emma, I'm Richard.

Welcome to the English Institute of Sport at Bisham Abbey.

Come in, I'll show you around.

You're normally only allowed in this gym

if you're in the top 15 in the world.

Now that's exclusive!

This is where the hard training happens.

This is where the gold medals are earned.

To earn those medals, the athletes train every day,

lifting enormous weights to build their strength.

The basic theory is we want to make sure that the rowers get stronger.

And the stronger we can make the rowers, the faster they make the boat go.

So this is one of the exercises rowers would do.

This is really important to improve your back strength

and making sure you can pull the oar through as strong as you possibly can, OK?

I want you to pull up, so the chest hits the bar.

That's it - perfect. See if you can do another one.

Good work, Alanna, you'll be on the team in no time.

Pull up till your chest hits the bar, that's it.

So you can be working your back.

Good, excellent.

As well as all that weight lifting,

the rowing team also has to train on the ergonomic rowing machines.

And today the men's and women's Olympic teams are in a session,

so the girls get to train with the best.

All the rowers use the ergos every single day.

We can see what is their maximum power,

especially when you're looking at a race of 2,000 metres,

and measuring how quickly they can do it.

Dig deep, girls!

But, of course, the real rowing doesn't happen on dry land.

Just outside the training centre is the River Thames,

where the rowing teams get out on the water,

and put all of that training into practice.

They're pulling in quite well.

Their boat's nicer than ours!

Getting ready - go!

Today, one of the British Olympic rowing team

has taken a break in her training to give them their challenge.

-Hello.

-BOTH: Hi.

-I'm Anna. Nice to meet you.

-What's your names?

-I'm Emma.

-I'm Alanna.

Anna Watkins competes in the women's double scull.

With that event, she has won the world championship,

and also come first in the World Cup.

And at the Beijing Olympics, she took home a bronze medal.

You two are rowers, as well, is that right?

-Yeah.

-And whereabouts do you row?

-In Reading, with our school.

Oh, wow! I wish I'd been able to do rowing at school.

It wasn't at my school, I had to wait till I was older.

-What's your favourite bit about rowing?

-Being on water.

-Yeah.

When you get it right there's nothing like it, is there,

when you think, "Yeah, I did that," and you can't ever do it quite the same, can you?

Yeah. Was it scary going to Beijing and rowing in the Olympics?

Um, yeah, it was scary,

because you knew that everybody was watching you on the telly,

and you're in a really weird place. Like, China's obviously very

different from England and the food was different,

and lots of unexpected things happened,

like, there were helicopters flying over during the racing,

and we had to get used to it all.

Right, enough of the chat, time for their challenge.

In our training, we need to measure if we are improving.

A good indication is to look at our stroke rate -

a measure of how many times the team pull the oars in a minute.

Measure the rower's stroke rate over three straights

and plot them on a graph.

Also, plot a line of the average rate.

Did the team improve over the training session?

3, 2, 1, go!

So the girls have been given a timing challenge,

and we've got them as close to the water as possible

without them having to swim.

OK. We need to work out the stroke rate per minute for three strokes.

-Mm-hm. I'll do the timing.

-And I'll count. Pass me a pen.

So they know what they've got to do.

The team are out on a training session,

rowing up and down straight lengths on the river.

As the boat comes past them, they have to work out

the team's stroke rate, which is the number of strokes

they make in a minute.

They need to take measurements for three different straights

over the team's training session and plot them on a graph.

Right, looks like the team are heading their way.

-Go.

-One...

So, Alanna is timing a minute on the stop watch,

while Emma counts the strokes.

-18.

-Stop.

-Write it down.

-18.

Right. 18 strokes per minute was the stroke rate

of their first straight. Not bad, they're warming up.

-Are you ready for the next straight?

-Go.

It's really important for rowers to know their stroke rate,

as it's a good indication of how fast they're going during a race.

-If stroke rate increases, so should the speed.

-19, 20.

-Stop.

-OK, 20.

And there's the second one - 20 strokes per minute.

That's pretty good, but come on team, let's get to competition rate.

It's really important to get a precise measurement,

because in a race, every stroke, and every second, counts.

-26.

-Stop.

-26.

OK, 26.

Wow! 26 strokes a minute - that's got to hurt!

-OK, let's plot those results on the graph.

-1.

-18.

So that'll be there.

2 is 20, so...

26.

-OK, now join them up, girls.

-And this one.

Lovely.

So, what was their average rate across their training session?

So, 18 plus 20, that's 38.

Yeah, that's the total of the first two straights.

Then 38 plus 26, that's 64.

Great. So that's the total of all three straights.

Now, what's next?

We need to divide 64 by 3, so that's 21.3 recurring.

That's a good job, girls. You've got the average stroke rate,

and without a calculator and everything.

-Now add that to the graph.

-OK. So, 21 would be, like, there.

So, do you think they got better during the session?

Yeah, I think they did.

because they started off at 18 strokes per minute, below average,

and then they ended up at 26 strokes per minute, above average,

so, yeah, I think they did.

Looks like they got it right. They first measured three different stroke rates over the team's

practice session and plotted them on the graph.

They worked out the average - in their heads, no less - to prove

whether the team's stroke rate improved over the session.

-How did they do again, girls?

-BOTH: They improved.

They have completed their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge,

and rower Anna Watkins has got their prizes.

Well done, as well, Alanna. There's your certificate

and a very shiny medal. Good work!

Top job, girls.

Now your teacher has a challenge for you. 3, 2, 1, go!

Sports people must be fast, strong,

and deadly accurate.

But did you know they wouldn't be able to compete without maths?

Time keeping...

..scoring...

speed...

shape...

distance. It's all mathematics.

A tenth of a second or just a few millimetres

can transform an ordinary person into a world champion.

COMMENTATOR: Great Britain get the gold!

This is...

-3, 2, 1...

-Go.

We take teams to a secret location...

This really is a special place.

This is fabulous.

..to be given a behind-the-scenes tour...

HE SCREAMS

HE LAUGHS

..and meet their sporting heroes...

Hi, Jack, nice to meet you.

..who'll give them a maths challenge.

3, 2, 1, go!

-Go!

-Go!

And if they get it right...

17!

One, two, three, four.

Probability suggests we should dive to the bottom right corner.

..they win a gold medal.

This challenge is all about rugby.

Rugby union is played on a grass field up to 100 metres long

and 70 metres wide.

Two teams of 15-a-side try to get an oval-shaped ball

to either end of the pitch.

The ball can be kicked forwards, but only passed sideways or backwards.

Five points are scored for a try, and a further two for converting it,

and tackling IS allowed.

So, are you ready?

3, 2, 1, go!

Today, rugby fans Owen and Cameron are being taken to a secret location

in Cardiff in Wales to complete their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge.

They both play for local teams,

and Cameron has had some pretty important matches, even a cup final.

All your family and that was there watching, like, me,

so you've done something, you've achieved something.

That's what it felt like when I walked onto the pitch.

Cameron has been playing rugby for four years.

He's a flanker in the scrum.

He plays for Rumney and Cardiff Schools,

and has won Player of the Year.

Although the lads don't know where they're going yet,

they're already looking forward to it.

Yeah, should be good.

Owen has also been playing rugby for four years.

He plays the number eight position,

so it's his job to bind between the locks at the back of the scrum.

He plays for the Glamorgan Wanderers,

and has won the Cardiff District Cup.

And the boys have just seen where they're going.

It's the Millennium Stadium, home to the Wales national rugby union team.

Every year, it hosts their Six Nations home games,

in front of 74,500 fans.

It even has its own retractable roof to keep everyone nice and dry.

This is where the boys are going to be given their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge.

Cameron, Owen, welcome to the Millennium Stadium.

This is the entrance that only the players get to use.

OK, so this is where the players come in on a match day.

And the boys are being given a backstage tour.

This is the Welsh home dressing room.

And this is where all the favourite players come before a match.

Got all the shirts lined up.

-Can I keep one of the tops?

-Oh, I dunno.

-They won't mind.

-Maybe if you get a cap you can.

Yeah, nice try, Owen!

The dressing rooms aren't just where the teams prepare for matches,

they're also where they come to recover.

At the end of the game, the players have got so many bruises

and so much damage to their muscles,

they need to have a bath full of ice.

Imagine sitting in that, full of ice,

for about two or three minutes.

Could you imagine doing that?

Um, no.

HE LAUGHS

This is where every Welsh rugby player dreams of walking out.

Cameron and Owen get it all to themselves.

There's only one word to describe it.

Big.

Big. I've never been on here, it's amazing.

Today, two of the Wales national team have taken a break in training

to give the boys their 3, 2, 1, Go! maths challenge.

-OK, boys?

-All right.

-What's happening?

-How's it going?

-Nice to meet you. Harry.

-Hi.

-Harry, how's it going?

-Owen.

-Lloyd, hi.

-Cameron.

-How's it going?

-Yeah, good.

Lloyd Williams plays for the Cardiff Blues.

He plays scrum half, so he makes many of the tactical decisions.

He's earned six international caps,

and represents Wales in the Six Nations.

-What position are you?

-Number 8. I'm prop.

-How about you?

-Flanker. Open side.

-Open side.

THEY LAUGH

Harry Robinson loves playing at the Millennium Stadium.

He plays on the wing.

His team is also the Cardiff Blues and, at only 18,

he's been selected as the youngest player in the Wales squad.

-Who are your favourite players, then?

-Um, probably Sam.

-Sam, yeah.

-Gethyn Jenkins, yeah.

Flanker Gethyn Jenkins.

Right, enough of the chat. Time to be given their

3, 2, 1, Go! challenge. Listen up, lads.

Here you go boys, here's your task.

Your team has just scored five points for a try under the posts.

You get another two points for a successful conversion.

From a given spot on the pitch, how far will you need to kick the ball

in a straight line before it just clears the crossbar?

3, 2, 1, go!

So the boys have been given a formulaic and measuring challenge.

They need to work out how far the ball will travel in a straight line

from a given spot on the pitch, to where it just clears the crossbar.

They're being given the height of the bar,

but the other two sides of the right-angled triangle are missing.

So, we've got to try and get that ball over the post.

We know the height of the bar, so we need to work out this length here

to find out how we're going to kick the ball over the post.

We're going to have to use Pythagoras for that.

Good thinking, Cameron.

Right. Now to measure the bottom length.

Two, three...

Pythagoras's theorem, said to have been deduced by a Greek philosopher

and magician over 2,500 years ago, has been helping people work out

the lengths of the sides of triangles ever since.

They can't measure the length of the longest side - the hypotenuse -

directly, so they're going to have to work it out by knowing

the length of the other two sides.

15.

It's 15 metres, so write 15 metres in there.

So, we know that's 15 metres.

Now we need to find out this, so if we use the ruler.

Draw the line.

From here to the ball.

OK. They've got the measurements, now to apply the formula.

We need to name the sides first, so...

Oh, well done.

C.

So, they know the lengths of the sides A and B,

so what's the equation to find out C?

Then we can write A squared.

A squared.

Plus B squared...

equals C squared.

That's right, Pythagoras's theorem is A squared plus B squared

equals C squared.

Oh, I love a bit of Pythagoras with my rugby!

And we're going to need to substitute the numbers, then, for the letters,

-3.6.

-3.6.

-Squared.

Yeah, 3.6 is the distance between the crossbar and the floor.

Plus 15 squared.

15 is the distance the boys measured from the ball to the goalposts.

-Equals.

-Equals...

-OK. So, do the maths.

3.6 squared = 12.96.

12.96.

And 15 squared equals?

225.

-So what's next, boys?

-So, 12.96 plus 225 equals...

237.96.

So, that's going to be C squared.

C squared equals 237.96.

Then you have to do the square root of that to get the answer of

the distance from the ball to the post.

So, the square route is 237.96 is...

Oh, no, hold on, don't tell me. I can do this in my head.

15.43.

Yes, I knew that. I knew it.

So, the distance is 15.43 metres.

It looks like they've got it right, and to two decimal places as well.

First, they realised that, in order to find the distance the ball

would travel, they needed to use Pythagoras's Theorem.

They were already given the height of the bar,

which they labelled A, then they expertly measured

the length along the grass, which they called B.

To find the missing length, C, they applied the formula

with deadly accuracy, by adding the squared values

of the two known sides, then finding the square root.

Easy!

So what was the distance again?

BOTH: 15.43 metres.

Now, they can clear the bar with maths, but can they with a boot?

Oh, yes! He scores!

Congratulations, Cameron. Well done, mate.

The boys have completed their 3, 2, 1, Go! challenge

and Lloyd Williams and Harry Robinson have their prizes.

-There's your medal.

-Thank you.

Well done, boys.

Now your teacher has a challenge for you.

BOTH: 3, 2, 1, go!

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