0:00:01 > 0:00:04- Here comes Kelly Holmes. - The crowd are on their feet!
0:00:04 > 0:00:06Good footwork, but again, what a start!
0:00:06 > 0:00:10Denise Lewis, Olympic champion!
0:00:10 > 0:00:12And Rebecca Adlington is bringing it home for Britain!
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Great Britain get the gold medal!
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Kelly Holmes for Great Britain! What a performance!
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Absolutely brilliant. Great Britain takes gold!
0:01:41 > 0:01:46The Olympic Flame begins its journey from ancient Olympia to our shores,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49to be proudly held aloft by 8,000 torchbearers
0:01:49 > 0:01:55before arriving here at London's Olympic Stadium on the 27th July.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58In today's show, we'll bring you to the heart of the Olympic Park,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02as it throws open its gates for the final few test events ahead of the games.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05We'll even be taking you into orbit for the very first time.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08So sit back, relax and enjoy the view.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12But we'll start right here with an Olympic champion
0:02:12 > 0:02:17desperate to defend the gold medal she won so memorably in Beijing. Remember this?
0:02:19 > 0:02:24Can Christine Ohuruogu take this Olympic title for Great Britain?
0:02:25 > 0:02:29And here comes Christine Ohuruogu. There's a medal up for grabs.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Williams coming through for Jamaica. Williams is coming through!
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Richards is trying but Christine Ohuruogu, Christine Ohuruogu takes the gold medal!
0:02:39 > 0:02:41The world champion becomes the Olympic champion.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Four years on and things haven't gone exactly according to plan
0:02:46 > 0:02:48for the athlete who was brought up
0:02:48 > 0:02:51a stone's throw from where I'm standing right now.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54We join Christine on a training camp in Los Angeles.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00Survey the landscape of Christine Ohuruogu's career and you'll witness beautiful mountain highs and
0:03:00 > 0:03:04cavernous valley lows. But even after the dip of an injury plagued 2011,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08the previous peaks continue to fuel her belief.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Confidence is something you never lose. You go through bad patches,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14but if I didn't have confidence I wouldn't be able
0:03:14 > 0:03:16to deal with what I've gone through.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18It's not something I've had to consider.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Olympic champion territory comes with the spotlight's glare,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25but it's not courted by Christine.
0:03:25 > 0:03:32Thus far away LA, not local London to prepare. Heat addition and removal all in one.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35People are different, but for me it's best to get away
0:03:35 > 0:03:39and and least I'm not being bombarded with distractions all the time.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41I'm able to focus on what I need to get done,
0:03:41 > 0:03:45which is the most important thing right now.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49You are training for the next championship for that season, so that's how we view it.
0:03:49 > 0:03:54It's not poetic and theatrical as preparing for four years,
0:03:54 > 0:03:56we go on a year-on-year basis
0:03:56 > 0:03:58and hope we can build up enough to get us to,
0:03:58 > 0:04:04the major championship was the Olympic Games, and hope to get there is in the best possible shape.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07There is no secret formula to training.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12I leave everything in the capable hands of my coach to plan the next couple of months,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16but we are not going to change anything because it's the Olympics.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19I've had a good indoors.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22That's on the back of a good winter. I've always had a good winter.
0:04:22 > 0:04:28It was only last year because I had an injury, so that continued from the year before,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30which is why I kind of dropped off a little bit,
0:04:30 > 0:04:35but I genuinely have a good winter and what you saw indoors is
0:04:35 > 0:04:39not really unusual, just that people don't remember.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41I had an indoor season in 2006, running 11-7-3.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45I ran 50.2 in the Commonwealth Games to win, so it's not unusual.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49It's what I'm running what my body needs to run at this time.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54Each medal signifies something special.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57I don't like to say any medal is more important,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59because everything comes with its own story
0:04:59 > 0:05:04and that's kind of made me who I am, made me the athlete I am today.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09This is Christine's back yard. I like what she's done with the place.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13Imagine what she can do IN the place on 400 metres final night,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15not that she's taken to flights of medal fancy.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Every year, you expect it to be tough.
0:05:17 > 0:05:23I expect 100-plus girls all wanting the same thing.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26From what I've seen it's going to be tough
0:05:26 > 0:05:28and there are some really good girls out there.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33There might be a few surprises in the regards of who comes through,
0:05:33 > 0:05:38but the Olympics is once every four years
0:05:38 > 0:05:44and you just never know who is really preparing for it and
0:05:44 > 0:05:48who's ready to give it everything, so you kind of fear everyone.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Christine was the one to fear in Beijing four years ago.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Commonwealth champion, world champion, she was the
0:05:54 > 0:05:58unstoppable force, the irremovable object and the opposition knew it.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01She will never forget it.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05The Olympic final is something that you can never quite picture in your head.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07You always see yourself getting to the line,
0:06:07 > 0:06:11but when it comes to looking and trying to picture what the
0:06:11 > 0:06:15race will look like, it's very, very hard to see.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18You can't see anything. You don't see finishing or the end.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21It was nice to finish and to see the end
0:06:21 > 0:06:23and know that I have been successful.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28The happiness will never leave you. I can always go back and say this is something that I accomplished
0:06:28 > 0:06:32when I was very young and I'm still really proud of what I did.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39From an athlete looking to claim a second successive Olympic title,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42to a team defending four gold medals here in London.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Britain rule the waves in Qingdao four years ago.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Here's a look at some of the contenders this time around.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35'Two gold medals!...'
0:07:35 > 0:07:38'This man is unstoppable!'
0:07:38 > 0:07:42We turn our attentions to the world of equestrian sport.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Britain has produced 27 Olympic medallists to date in the
0:07:46 > 0:07:49three-day event and show jumping,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52but no success in the complex sport of dressage.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55That could be about to change though.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00Leading contender Karl Hester takes us behind the scenes in the Hagen Grand Prix in Germany.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16This is Hagen. Every year we have a theme here at the show
0:08:16 > 0:08:20which Ulrich Kasselman, the owner of the venue, puts on.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23This year, obviously, with London Olympics in mind,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25he has chosen Great Britain as his theme
0:08:25 > 0:08:29and this is like a mini Olympics with the competitors we've got here.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34We are hoping to do well. Dressage is training of the horse.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36It's actually obedience, submission,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39but without taking away the horse's personality.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42What you see at the top level should look very elegant,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44it should look like the horse does it on its own
0:08:44 > 0:08:49and the rider really just steering the horse, with minimal aids.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52It's supposed to be that pleasing and easy to watch.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Someone once said it has to be
0:08:54 > 0:08:56the perfect marriage between horse and rider
0:08:56 > 0:08:58and that was a great way of describing it,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00because you have to love your horse and they have to love you.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04Our horses aren't used to going in arenas where you have
0:09:04 > 0:09:08crowds of people, so it's important that the horses get used to this.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13This year we have only three members due to the change of the rules
0:09:13 > 0:09:15in the Olympic sport
0:09:15 > 0:09:19and we have fortunately qualified one individual as well.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22We have a place qualified, so there will be a battle for that
0:09:22 > 0:09:25fourth place to come and compete as an individual.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Over here, we have Mistral Hojris, who is Laura Bechtolsheimer's horse.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33Because he is an enormous horse, Laura requested two stables.
0:09:33 > 0:09:39She took the partition out so he has a double box all to himself.
0:09:39 > 0:09:45Vicky is the team horse physio and she is working on Laura's second horse,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47massaging his back and his quarters.
0:09:47 > 0:09:53They actually get as well, if not, better looked after than the humans.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58He started off working training with my dad and working in our yard
0:09:58 > 0:10:01when I was a wee nipper,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05so he used to give me quite a lot of grief, which is probably good.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08I probably needed putting in my place every now and again.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11We worked four years together.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15He rode world championships, Europeans and Olympic Games.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20He came as a young rider and I think seven months later
0:10:20 > 0:10:23he rode world championship, so it was quite amazing.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28Dr Bechtolsheimer and his wife, they put so much into the sport
0:10:28 > 0:10:30and started somebody like me off
0:10:30 > 0:10:36and here I am still able to help try and bring medals home thanks to them.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39But how great must it be to have your daughter doing it?
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Far better than having somebody like me or another rider,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44who's not part of the family.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47She used to look at me as a wicked older brother and I used to teach her
0:10:47 > 0:10:53and I used to put the jumps up too high and she would fall off and cry.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55I used to enjoy terrorising her as a kid really!
0:10:59 > 0:11:02I'm lucky enough to actually part-own Charlotte's horse, Valegro.
0:11:02 > 0:11:10If I look older than the others, it's the stress and it ages me having to look after them!
0:11:10 > 0:11:11Ooh. Slow down.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19Charlotte and I have a unique relationship. We have to have to do what we are doing.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22When we ride together, I never think about letting her win
0:11:22 > 0:11:25and I know she never thinks about letting me win.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30The this is picking up a few good marks here.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36This is making my heart go real fast. Pretty special!
0:11:39 > 0:11:40I'm delighted with that.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Gold. That must be pretty impressive for you?
0:11:43 > 0:11:44Yeah. Really happy.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49That was a good win, so very happy with Valegro.
0:11:49 > 0:11:5118 months ago, Charlotte did her first grand prix
0:11:51 > 0:11:54and the horse is just going to be ten years old this year
0:11:54 > 0:11:56and that's very young.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58We call it the lion's den to come here.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Germany is where dressage is all about.
0:12:01 > 0:12:07- London 2012, excited about the prospect?- Very excited.
0:12:07 > 0:12:13Overexcited would be an understatement. We can see it now.
0:12:13 > 0:12:18As I said, I've waited 20 years to see something like this happen.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22Charlotte, Laura and myself have three horses
0:12:22 > 0:12:25that are capable of individual medal honours. That's a battle
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and that's fun and that gives you the drive to go and fight to win it.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32We need the top-three horses to go and bring home the gold.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38Great Britain's hockey players are getting their first taste of
0:12:38 > 0:12:43competitive action on the newly-laid and brightly-coloured Olympic pitch.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50Now we turn our attention to Great Britain's women's road cycling squad.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54They returned from Beijing with two medals and much is expected of them.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59While they operate in harmony in the intense heat of competition,
0:12:59 > 0:13:04individuals can have their differences and sometimes these even spill out into the public arena.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Ollie Williams tells us more.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Britain is a world-beating cycling nation
0:13:10 > 0:13:15with two top women's road race contenders, but only one can win.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18I'm Lizzie Armitstead. We are in Maastricht on a training camp
0:13:18 > 0:13:22because we are here for the world championships in 2012.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Also, in preparation for the Olympics.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29I'm Nicole Cooke and we are here in Lugano in Switzerland
0:13:29 > 0:13:35and I'm the Beijing 2008 Olympic road race champion.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41It's the biggest and most important year of my career,
0:13:41 > 0:13:43simply because of the Olympics.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46The fact that they are home Olympics makes it even more important.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49I have to keep my training in focus,
0:13:49 > 0:13:54so it's 100%, no matter what I've won.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59I know that come the Olympics this year, it's almost like starting from scratch.
0:13:59 > 0:14:05The Olympic course, I couldn't have asked for anything better in terms of a road race.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Being on the start line in London, wearing the British jersey
0:14:09 > 0:14:12will be the highlight of a lifetime anyway.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17I'll be there giving it my very best, that's for sure.
0:14:17 > 0:14:24Nicole Cooke and Lizzie Armitstead's rivalry came to a head at last year's world championships.
0:14:24 > 0:14:30A lot of the nations wanted it to end in a bunch sprint.
0:14:30 > 0:14:37Lizzie was caught behind a crash and I did maybe 1.5k to go.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Lizzie got caught about 1k to go, which messed up our plans.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45Ultimately, I made the mistake by being too far back.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Too far back in the field and I needed a little bit of extra help,
0:14:48 > 0:14:52but I certainly don't blame my result on Nicole.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Lizzie was left alone and had to chase back
0:14:55 > 0:14:58and Nicole was already in ideal position
0:14:58 > 0:15:01so it didn't go to plan based on the crashes.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06I came fourth and we were centimetres away from a podium
0:15:06 > 0:15:09and we all could have done so much better.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11We have learnt a lot.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15I know exactly how it was at the race
0:15:15 > 0:15:17and what happened after the race
0:15:17 > 0:15:24and I think it got made out to be really bad and as if nobody was talking to each other
0:15:24 > 0:15:28and it was really difficult, but it wasn't like that at all.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32I think it was a shame perhaps the way it was portrayed in the media.
0:15:32 > 0:15:33That was MY mistake.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36I said one thing to one journalist and it was blown out of proportion
0:15:36 > 0:15:40but I stand by what I said and I think as a result we'll be
0:15:40 > 0:15:46stronger as a team for having had the issued aired and not glossed over.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51Hopefully come the Olympics we'll be able to get everything right.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Road cycling's a team sport, but only one person can be the winner.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Who deserves that chance?
0:15:57 > 0:16:00In the Olympic road race you need a rider that can climb,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03because we have some hills in the course.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06We need a rider that can sprint
0:16:06 > 0:16:10and we need a rider that can have the tactical awareness
0:16:10 > 0:16:14to understand what's going on and make the split-second decisions.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17My argument to be the leader at the Olympic Games is that
0:16:17 > 0:16:25at the moment, I'm the fastest of the British girls.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29If it does come down to a sprint, then I think we should ride for me.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and I've had a lot of results.
0:16:31 > 0:16:37Results speak louder than anything else.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40You're an Olympic champion for your life.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42You can be a world champion in your sport,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45but then you become an ex-world champion,
0:16:45 > 0:16:50whereas no-one can ever take an Olympic gold or an Olympic title from you.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55I don't think it is ever possible to feel like you're the best cyclist you can be
0:16:55 > 0:16:58because you are constantly striving to improve.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02If you rest and think you're the best, you'll never win any races again.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06On the day, you pick the strongest rider.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Whoever that is... we can say who it might be now, but come July
0:17:10 > 0:17:13the strongest rider will be the lead rider for that course.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22We're here for a look inside the first dedicated water polo venue
0:17:22 > 0:17:23ever built for an Olympic Games.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28The British team have been busy putting it through its paces around the official test event.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Away from the rough and tumble of water polo
0:17:31 > 0:17:35but no less competitive, Britain's synchronised swimmers have been busy
0:17:35 > 0:17:37preparing to impress the judges on home water
0:17:37 > 0:17:41with some help from a man who knows what it takes to score top marks
0:17:41 > 0:17:42at an Olympic Games.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47There is one of the most prized possessions in sport,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51an Olympic gold medal worn with pride by Robin Cousins.
0:17:51 > 0:17:52He's brought his experience
0:17:52 > 0:17:56and everything from the Olympics to help prepare us for 2012.
0:17:56 > 0:18:01Robin has taught us so many new things from skating, to new lifts,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04to grasps with our hands.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06It's been good to have him on board.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09It is an honour to work with an Olympic champion.
0:18:09 > 0:18:15We want to be sponges and soak up all the information he can give us.
0:18:15 > 0:18:20I had no idea that it would be so similar until I got here,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22watched the choreography and the timings
0:18:22 > 0:18:25and how they are working.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30The response has been fantastic. It really is exciting.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33One of the most disciplined teams I've come across.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36To work the hours that they work and they don't complain.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40They take everything on board. There's no question of it not being a sport.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43The sport is in the training and the art is in the execution.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48We don't want to see the effort. We want to see it effortlessly.
0:18:48 > 0:18:54They have to train ten hours a day and go to the gym.
0:18:54 > 0:18:55They are in incredible shape.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58We live, breathe and sleep synchro
0:18:58 > 0:19:02just to get us to the greatest athletes possible.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06The worst one I find is chins,
0:19:06 > 0:19:10because you've got to lift your whole body weight
0:19:10 > 0:19:13and hold it up there - that's really hard.
0:19:13 > 0:19:19With the land drill that helps for us not to do so much in the water.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23If we can get it synchronised on land, it will help us
0:19:23 > 0:19:26dramatically in the water and we don't have to do so much.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29You can do all the training and the work,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33but when you march out into that stadium and step up to the plate,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36the whole world is on you and you are at home.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39I never got to compete in a major championship in my own country.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41I have no idea what the pressure would have been like.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47The crowd today was fantastic.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Walking out and hearing that roar was a great support
0:19:51 > 0:19:52for us to do a great performance.
0:19:52 > 0:19:57They are definitely a team of women who work really well together.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59A little bit more self belief will allow them
0:19:59 > 0:20:03to realise that they are as good as they can be right now.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07It's not what we need for an Olympics, but it's good enough on their journey.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Yesterday he surprised us in training in the afternoon
0:20:10 > 0:20:14and gave us a team talk and motivated us today.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16It's fantastic to have him on board.
0:20:16 > 0:20:21Once 2012 is over I will continue to work with the squad
0:20:21 > 0:20:24and the team, because it's been a joy, I've loved it.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Hi I'm Leon Taylor, Olympic silver medallist in diving in 2004.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40You've all heard of Tom Daley, but My one to watch is Jack Laugher.
0:20:40 > 0:20:4417 years old, nine months younger than Tom Daley,
0:20:44 > 0:20:48he's already double Junior World Champion on the 3m springboard.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52He even made the final at last year's World Championships at Shanghai.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55And again here in London at the Olympic test event.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Jack's a fantastic, cool-headed athlete
0:20:58 > 0:21:02and a contender for finals in London 2012 and success way beyond.
0:21:02 > 0:21:07Now it's time to take you the top of the Orbit, Anish Kapoor's
0:21:07 > 0:21:13giant, metal sculpture which is set to become a landmark of the Games.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21The tower is just shy of 115 metres, which makes it the tallest sculpture in the UK.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Everyone has to take the lift up
0:21:23 > 0:21:27but you have the option of walking 455 steps on the way down.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32The artist Anish Kapoor is known for his love of mirrors.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35As soon as you are on the top observation deck you are faced
0:21:35 > 0:21:39with a huge reflection of yourself before you see these gorgeous
0:21:39 > 0:21:41panoramic views of the skyline.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44You can see up to 20 miles out.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46There's Canary Wharf, the City of London
0:21:46 > 0:21:52and then you see the spectacular 80,000-seater Olympic stadium.
0:21:53 > 0:21:59Away from the Olympic park to an event which hasn't featured a British competitor
0:21:59 > 0:22:00since Sydney 2000.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Women's mountain biking.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04Graham Bell picked up few bumps
0:22:04 > 0:22:07and bruises keeping up with our number one hope for the Games.
0:22:11 > 0:22:16This is Hadleigh Farm in Essex, home to the mountain biking course.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19It's full of challenging descents,
0:22:19 > 0:22:20technical climbs
0:22:20 > 0:22:23and rocky features.
0:22:23 > 0:22:28The riders who compete in these games will need stamina, endurance,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31and, let's face it, no fear.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39With two top ten World Cup performances under her belt
0:22:39 > 0:22:43Britain's best chance in the women's event is 21-year-old Annie Last.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50The past few years I've progressed in my biking and in results.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54I want to be the best athlete and best bike racer I can be.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56This season's gone very well.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59I got into the top ten for the world Cup.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03I didn't go into it expecting to be in that position.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06I hadn't gone into it with loads of race fitness.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09It gives confidence going forwards for the rest of the season.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14I started riding my bike when I was ten, started to do a few races.
0:23:14 > 0:23:19I got into it because my brother used to do races in the winter.
0:23:19 > 0:23:24I used to get dragged along occasionally when I couldn't be left at home by myself.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27I used to ride horses and that's what I enjoyed.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30We made an agreement that if I did a race, he'd ride a horse.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34I did my first cycle cross race and I really enjoyed it,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37even though I didn't think I would.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41I always wanted to do medicine.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44I did my A-levels with the aim of getting a place at uni.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47But I also really enjoyed my cycling.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50I didn't know whether I wanted to do both, or to do one.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53My friends said you can go to university any time
0:23:53 > 0:23:56but if you want to be an athlete you have to do it now.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58An easy decision then.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02I love what I do, I'm really pleased I made that decision.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05I train with the lads quite a lot. It's really good.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07They are a lot stronger.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Sometimes it would be nice to be able to train with some girls.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13After a bit of them talking about bikes and girls,
0:24:13 > 0:24:17you feel like you just need a bit of a break.
0:24:17 > 0:24:22Being an athlete is not easy. You have to give up a lot.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26I can't go out with my mates as much as I would like.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29You can't stay up late all the time.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31You've got to have a structured day.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33You miss out on quite a lot of things.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36But for me it's worth it.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40The thought of being able to represent my country in a home Games,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43it's a-once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45To be able to just get there
0:24:45 > 0:24:48and stand in front of the crowd on the start line is amazing.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51I want to do everything I can to be in the best shape
0:24:51 > 0:24:56so that I'll be able to do my best and do my country proud.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02With the Games fast approaching, Annie's training harder than ever.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Today she's been given a couple of hours on the Olympic course.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08As a weekend warrior mountain biker myself I thought
0:25:08 > 0:25:12I'd join her and find out how technical this course is.
0:25:12 > 0:25:13It's a really tough course.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17There are so many different variants - technical and physical.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20It's going to be a really good race.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25And how you fit everything together, hopefully will suit me.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28- There is enough up and down isn't there?- Definitely.
0:25:28 > 0:25:33The more traditional courses went up for a long time.
0:25:33 > 0:25:34Then you come back down.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38You can see from this course there are loads of short ups
0:25:38 > 0:25:40and then into downhills and then back into the next uphill.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45- So your heart is through the roof the whole time?- All the time.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48The downhill sections, you get to the bottom of them
0:25:48 > 0:25:52and you've worked just as hard as you have on the way up.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57- There is so much upper body.- So you are working the whole way around?
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Yeah, no rest around this course.
0:26:00 > 0:26:05If I was to have a go, to go down this rock garden, what would I need to be doing?
0:26:05 > 0:26:09You have an A and B line. A is harder.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Be nice and relaxed, keep your weight back.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15And flowing with your bike, moving it underneath you.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Will you give me demonstration and I will follow you, I promise.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20All right.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Nice. I think I might take it down the B line.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35HE LAUGHS
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Having seen this now, this is way harder than I thought it would be.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43I've seen other courses but this one,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47because of the rocks and the intimidating look of it,
0:26:47 > 0:26:51I think I'll need a little bit longer on it,
0:26:51 > 0:26:57or I'd end up coming off and heading towards the local hospital.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01Ah!
0:27:01 > 0:27:07The uphills are almost as tough as the downhills,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09but not quite as dangerous.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12What are your expectations for the Games?
0:27:12 > 0:27:16- This place is going to be rammed with people isn't it?- Oh, yes.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21Even to get to the Olympic Games is amazing.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have it
0:27:24 > 0:27:26in your home country,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29so just to get there will be really, really good.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33And then, I'm 21 so I'm still a young, developing athlete,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36so a medal would be amazing.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39It's a tough ask but I'm doing everything I can.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Since we don't get this opportunity very often,
0:27:41 > 0:27:46- do you fancy showing me a bit more of the track?- Yeah, finish the lap.
0:27:46 > 0:27:47Just nothing too difficult.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53That wraps it up for this edition of British Olympic Dreams.
0:27:53 > 0:27:54Head to our website...
0:27:57 > 0:28:02..for more information and to keep up with everything that's happening in the world of Olympic sport.
0:28:04 > 0:28:05Join us next time
0:28:05 > 0:28:09as our athletes take another step closer to the London Olympic Games.
0:28:09 > 0:28:10- Bye for now.- See ya.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd.