Louis Smith

1:09:41 > 1:09:45With the Olympics fast approaching, I've been catching up with some of the leading medal hopefuls

1:09:45 > 1:09:48from Team GB - the men and women you will be urging on to gold.

1:09:48 > 1:09:51And today, I've come to the Huntingdon Gymnastics Club

1:09:51 > 1:09:55to meet Britain's most decorated male gymnast.

1:09:55 > 1:09:59Louis Smith became the first British gymnast since 1928

1:09:59 > 1:10:04to win an Olympic medal when he claimed bronze in Beijing.

1:10:04 > 1:10:07He followed that up with a memorable silver at London 2012,

1:10:07 > 1:10:12before deciding to take a two-year break away from the sport.

1:10:13 > 1:10:16Barring a slip at this year's European Championships,

1:10:16 > 1:10:18his return has been remarkable.

1:10:18 > 1:10:21A silver medal at the 2015 World Championships

1:10:21 > 1:10:25and a gold in the 2015 European Championships

1:10:25 > 1:10:28confirmed that Louis has a realistic chance

1:10:28 > 1:10:31of being crowned Olympic champion in Rio.

1:10:31 > 1:10:35'I want to find out what drew Louis back into gymnastics...'

1:10:35 > 1:10:38I saw gymnasts competing and winning medals

1:10:38 > 1:10:40that I thought I could still beat.

1:10:40 > 1:10:43And if I can still put on a Union Jack and still win medals,

1:10:43 > 1:10:45you know, I have a duty to do that.

1:10:45 > 1:10:49'..the extreme levels he's prepared to go to to achieve success...'

1:10:49 > 1:10:52When I had a blister, my coach told me to wee on it.

1:10:53 > 1:10:56'..and most crucially, I'm here to discover

1:10:56 > 1:11:00'if he can turn London's silver medal into gold in Rio.'

1:11:00 > 1:11:02I know if I do the routine that I've been training,

1:11:02 > 1:11:05there can always be a chance of a gold medal.

1:11:09 > 1:11:10So, why here, Louis?

1:11:10 > 1:11:13I've been here since I was about six, seven years old.

1:11:13 > 1:11:15I've got a great relationship with my coach,

1:11:15 > 1:11:17you know, I'm just entwined. It's like, part of my DNA

1:11:17 > 1:11:20to be part of this club. I just love being here, I love training,

1:11:20 > 1:11:22I get my best work done here.

1:11:22 > 1:11:25And do you spend more time here than you actually do at your house?

1:11:25 > 1:11:27This is pretty much my base of operations.

1:11:27 > 1:11:30I only really go home to sleep and eat

1:11:30 > 1:11:32and everything else that happens is here.

1:11:32 > 1:11:34I heard that you had a room...

1:11:34 > 1:11:37like a bedroom, that was very Harry Potter inspired.

1:11:37 > 1:11:39I'm a massive Harry Potter fan.

1:11:39 > 1:11:42I'd go as far as saying I'm a Harry Potter geek.

1:11:42 > 1:11:45And I was really getting into my training with kind of getting ready for Rio,

1:11:45 > 1:11:48had the British Championships, lots of competitions coming up,

1:11:48 > 1:11:52lots of distractions, my friends were going out, lots of my friends were going out partying and stuff...

1:11:52 > 1:11:57and I wanted something that would keep me, at home, chilled.

1:11:57 > 1:11:59So, I started building a Harry Potter room.

1:11:59 > 1:12:02And why not? Like, you only live once.

1:12:02 > 1:12:05Is it a Gryffindor room or is it...? How it is a Harry Potter...?

1:12:05 > 1:12:06Yeah, I'm a Gryffindor.

1:12:06 > 1:12:09So I went on Potterheads and you fill out a little questionnaire

1:12:09 > 1:12:11and you find out what house you would be in.

1:12:11 > 1:12:13Turns out I'd be in Gryffindor.

1:12:13 > 1:12:15I just bought my nephew, the other day, one of those little books,

1:12:15 > 1:12:18you know, notebooks and there's a Gryffindor one.

1:12:18 > 1:12:20- Yeah, I've got one.- Have you? CLARE LAUGHS

1:12:20 > 1:12:24- My nephew's eight.- That's all right. I'm nearly 28 but

1:12:24 > 1:12:26- doesn't matter.- Yeah, exactly. This is a lifelong passion.

1:12:26 > 1:12:29It's the child within, and it's important to keep yourself young.

1:12:29 > 1:12:31Oh, yeah, I love Harry Potter.

1:12:31 > 1:12:34If I get married, my wife needs to be a Harry Potter fan.

1:12:34 > 1:12:36If she lies to me and then tells me on my wedding day

1:12:36 > 1:12:39that she's not, I would call it off.

1:12:39 > 1:12:42You see, at the moment, your chances of getting married are quite slim.

1:12:42 > 1:12:43Because...

1:12:43 > 1:12:46- Why?- Well, haven't you said no girlfriends before...?

1:12:46 > 1:12:50Oh, yeah, but after Rio, you know, it's back on.

1:12:50 > 1:12:53- It's like a...you know, flick the switch...- OK. - ..and get back out there.

1:12:53 > 1:12:56What, you change your status - "available"?

1:12:56 > 1:13:00Pretty much, yeah. Like, with gymnastics and Olympics and sport,

1:13:00 > 1:13:02you have to be very single-minded

1:13:02 > 1:13:06and your first priority needs to be sport. Well, mine is, I don't know about other people.

1:13:06 > 1:13:12Erm... So gymnastics will always come first, you know,

1:13:12 > 1:13:14and past girlfriends sometimes got that.

1:13:14 > 1:13:17But the future, you know, when gym's done,

1:13:17 > 1:13:19- then I can start putting...- Yeah.

1:13:19 > 1:13:22Then a girlfriend could come second to Harry Potter. I mean, wow.

1:13:22 > 1:13:25Pretty much, yeah, if she's happy with that.

1:13:25 > 1:13:28Would you say that you are an introvert or an extrovert?

1:13:28 > 1:13:30I'd say I'm a bit of both, to be honest.

1:13:30 > 1:13:34I have a fun personality, I like to be out there doing things, meeting people.

1:13:34 > 1:13:36But at the same time I like to go home to my house,

1:13:36 > 1:13:40shut my gate and just spend some quality time just relaxing.

1:13:40 > 1:13:43And how do you get yourself ready for the performance

1:13:43 > 1:13:45that is required at any major championships

1:13:45 > 1:13:47and to be in that frame of mind?

1:13:47 > 1:13:51What do you do to make yourself Louis Smith, the performer?

1:13:51 > 1:13:54I take a lot of confidence from training.

1:13:54 > 1:13:56I like to do enough training in this gym

1:13:56 > 1:13:58that when I go to competition,

1:13:58 > 1:14:03I'm 95% sure I'm going to do my routine the way I know I can,

1:14:03 > 1:14:05which allows me, then, to be as natural as I can.

1:14:05 > 1:14:08So normally when I go to competitions, I'm fun,

1:14:08 > 1:14:10I'm talking to some of the competitors

1:14:10 > 1:14:12and they're like, "How is he so chilled and talking,

1:14:12 > 1:14:14"like, moments before we're about to march out?"

1:14:14 > 1:14:16And I think that probably gets in their heads

1:14:16 > 1:14:20but I'm so confident that I can be like that.

1:14:20 > 1:14:23So the confidence is not a suit that you wear,

1:14:23 > 1:14:26it's something that is created by the hours you've done in here.

1:14:26 > 1:14:28Precisely, yeah.

1:14:28 > 1:14:29And I think that's so important to have -

1:14:29 > 1:14:31I think for any high-level athlete,

1:14:31 > 1:14:33to be confident,

1:14:33 > 1:14:37it needs to be backed up by the preparation that you've done in training.

1:14:37 > 1:14:41And I just feel good, I know that I'm going to go through my routine,

1:14:41 > 1:14:43and I think people can pick up on that as well.

1:14:43 > 1:14:44What makes you smile?

1:14:44 > 1:14:48When I take a step back and I realise where I've come from,

1:14:48 > 1:14:50you know, what my mum's done for me,

1:14:50 > 1:14:53it makes me smile to know that everything's all right.

1:14:53 > 1:14:55I'm happy, I'm healthy,

1:14:55 > 1:14:57I enjoy what I do,

1:14:57 > 1:15:00I love my friends, I love my family, I love my job.

1:15:00 > 1:15:03You know, so erm... Yeah, that's what makes me smile.

1:15:03 > 1:15:06So actually, essentially, it's making your mum proud...

1:15:06 > 1:15:08- I hope so.- ..in all of that, that you've done,

1:15:08 > 1:15:11you've achieved that, which is an amazing thing to know you've done.

1:15:11 > 1:15:14It's funny, as you get older you start to realise more

1:15:14 > 1:15:17the sacrifices that your parents make in life,

1:15:17 > 1:15:19and to look back and see what my mum's done for me,

1:15:19 > 1:15:23you know, it makes me emotional.

1:15:23 > 1:15:26So, it's nice to be able to give something back to her.

1:15:26 > 1:15:30Have you been able to give her any kind of special presents or treats?

1:15:30 > 1:15:33I would love... Do you know what, I would love to be able to buy her a house,

1:15:33 > 1:15:36mortgage free, that she can live in.

1:15:36 > 1:15:38Unfortunately, gymnasts don't have the deepest pockets,

1:15:38 > 1:15:41but I just bought her a new car

1:15:41 > 1:15:45cos her car pretty much clapped out.

1:15:45 > 1:15:47And it's nice to be able to do something like that.

1:15:47 > 1:15:50It's amazing actually seeing the mums bring their kids in here,

1:15:50 > 1:15:54thinking that's what she did with you, you know, 23 years ago...

1:15:54 > 1:15:58- Mmm.- ..to sort of deal with you - bring you here, keep you busy.

1:15:58 > 1:16:00Yeah, I was a handful when I was young.

1:16:00 > 1:16:04I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was seven. I was off the walls

1:16:04 > 1:16:06and my attention span was, you know, two minutes.

1:16:06 > 1:16:09But when I was in the gym,

1:16:09 > 1:16:12my attention span was so much longer than that and I was so intrigued with sport.

1:16:12 > 1:16:15Is ADHD something that, as you grow older,

1:16:15 > 1:16:18becomes less a part of your psychological make-up

1:16:18 > 1:16:20or is it always there?

1:16:20 > 1:16:23There's aspects of it that you learn to deal with.

1:16:23 > 1:16:27There's things like impulsiveness,

1:16:27 > 1:16:29that can sometimes get you in trouble when you're young.

1:16:29 > 1:16:32As you start to get older you start to realise -

1:16:32 > 1:16:34"Take a step back, breathe -

1:16:34 > 1:16:35"should I do this or should I do this?"

1:16:35 > 1:16:39and you start to take a bit more responsibility for your actions.

1:16:39 > 1:16:42But there are aspects that you struggle to deal with -

1:16:42 > 1:16:47organisation, preparation, being on time, punctuality, things like that.

1:16:47 > 1:16:48You're 27 now, yes?

1:16:48 > 1:16:50Yeah.

1:16:50 > 1:16:51Physically, how are you?

1:16:51 > 1:16:53HE LAUGHS

1:16:53 > 1:16:56Physically, I'm as well as a 27-year-old gymnast can be.

1:16:56 > 1:17:00I train three hours a day, five days a week.

1:17:00 > 1:17:03I'm not as in good a shape as I was in 2012

1:17:03 > 1:17:06in terms of how my body feels.

1:17:06 > 1:17:09The performance side of things, you know, my routine is more difficult.

1:17:09 > 1:17:13I'm having to focus a lot more on my diet, my recovery, physio,

1:17:13 > 1:17:17all that, massage. All the things that protect me. Erm...

1:17:17 > 1:17:19I definitely have to focus on a lot more now.

1:17:19 > 1:17:23But when you wake up in the mornings, do things just feel a bit achy?

1:17:23 > 1:17:25Yeah. Achy's an understatement.

1:17:25 > 1:17:28Oh! I have to do stretches for my back.

1:17:28 > 1:17:31Sometimes, reaching to the bottom of the drawer, I can feel...

1:17:31 > 1:17:32I feel my nerves go in my back

1:17:32 > 1:17:36and I have to take things a bit slower. It's, erm...

1:17:36 > 1:17:38You definitely feel it as you're getting older.

1:17:38 > 1:17:42So, for male gymnasts, what is the...? Your peak years are when?

1:17:42 > 1:17:4423.

1:17:44 > 1:17:4622, 23.

1:17:46 > 1:17:51Er... I think you can keep that peak for a while,

1:17:51 > 1:17:55but you're certainly probably not going to start improving at that age.

1:17:55 > 1:17:57But, 27-year-olds have won gold medals

1:17:57 > 1:17:59at Olympic Games in gymnastics.

1:17:59 > 1:18:0127-year-olds have won Olympic golds

1:18:01 > 1:18:05that are controversial, yeah, you're right.

1:18:05 > 1:18:09Yes, I now touch upon a sore point.

1:18:09 > 1:18:10Explain.

1:18:10 > 1:18:13Er...so, yeah, Krisztian Berki was 27, London Olympic Games

1:18:13 > 1:18:15pommel horse final.

1:18:15 > 1:18:17Very, very good final.

1:18:17 > 1:18:21I can't knock him. It was a great final to be in.

1:18:21 > 1:18:24I'm happy with my performance, you know, getting a silver medal.

1:18:24 > 1:18:27But, yeah, scoring the same score, and seeing the countback rule

1:18:27 > 1:18:30and, you know, watching the gold go to him, it was...

1:18:30 > 1:18:33It was hard, I'm not going to lie.

1:18:33 > 1:18:37But, yeah, 27 years old, so, yeah, he's proved it is possible.

1:18:37 > 1:18:40It's interesting, we can hear the kids in the background there.

1:18:40 > 1:18:42They're starting to do their thing next door.

1:18:42 > 1:18:44How aware are you when you come here

1:18:44 > 1:18:48and there might be 20, 30 little children,

1:18:48 > 1:18:52that they look to you as more than just a gymnast

1:18:52 > 1:18:54who's won Olympic medals -

1:18:54 > 1:18:57they want you to behave in a certain way, be a certain thing?

1:18:57 > 1:18:59It's definitely something that took me by surprise -

1:18:59 > 1:19:03I think it first started after the Beijing Olympic Games, 2008,

1:19:03 > 1:19:05and it was very hard adapting to that.

1:19:05 > 1:19:09Because I went from being a young, reckless kid with ADHD

1:19:09 > 1:19:13to suddenly, "You're a role model." Tighten yourself up."

1:19:13 > 1:19:16And now I embrace it, I enjoy it -

1:19:16 > 1:19:19I go to schools, I talk to kids.

1:19:19 > 1:19:24I try and get across the importance of how sport can change your life.

1:19:24 > 1:19:27And I especially like talking to kids that are troubled,

1:19:27 > 1:19:31kids that perhaps don't have the same opportunities as some people out there.

1:19:31 > 1:19:35Because I was a similar situation, you know, bad area, rough area.

1:19:35 > 1:19:38It could have quite easily have gone another way.

1:19:38 > 1:19:41And there isn't anything too flashy about gymnastics.

1:19:41 > 1:19:44You're going to pull your own mats into certain areas,

1:19:44 > 1:19:47you're going to move your own kit.

1:19:47 > 1:19:50Nobody's doing it for you and saying, "OK, now it's your turn."

1:19:50 > 1:19:52Yeah. I mean, you should stay till the end of the session

1:19:52 > 1:19:54where you have to get the hoovers out,

1:19:54 > 1:19:57and hoover up the chalk that we spill everywhere, so...

1:19:57 > 1:20:00Yeah, I mean, this is where the hard work goes down.

1:20:00 > 1:20:03It isn't a multi-million-pound centre,

1:20:03 > 1:20:06we don't have money being thrown at us left, right and centre.

1:20:06 > 1:20:09We have to work for every single result that we get.

1:20:09 > 1:20:11We appreciate every part of sponsorship

1:20:11 > 1:20:14and help that we get along the way.

1:20:14 > 1:20:16But it literally is blood, sweat and tears in this gym.

1:20:16 > 1:20:20You deliberately train away from the rest of Team GB. Why?

1:20:21 > 1:20:24Because I know what I need to do. Erm...

1:20:25 > 1:20:28You know, a lot of the Team GB guys now are made up

1:20:28 > 1:20:30of younger, hungrier guys,

1:20:30 > 1:20:32they're all in competition with each other.

1:20:32 > 1:20:35When they go to squads, everyone's stepping up the mark

1:20:35 > 1:20:38and everyone's challenging each other.

1:20:38 > 1:20:41That's good, but it's not an environment that I need to be in.

1:20:41 > 1:20:43I like to work at my own pace.

1:20:43 > 1:20:46I don't feel like I need to be pushed by anyone,

1:20:46 > 1:20:47I know what I need to do.

1:20:47 > 1:20:50Me and my coach have a programme. We follow it.

1:20:50 > 1:20:54I get in, I do my training, I leave. I don't do any unnecessary hours.

1:20:54 > 1:20:57I don't push myself to try and be better than the next person.

1:20:57 > 1:21:00So I'm just going to work on my own performance, in my gym,

1:21:00 > 1:21:01where I'm comfortable.

1:21:01 > 1:21:04And, you know, it's been producing excellent results for me.

1:21:04 > 1:21:07It also means you can have your own timetable,

1:21:07 > 1:21:08which is quite important to you.

1:21:08 > 1:21:11I'm not very good at early starts.

1:21:11 > 1:21:15Another aspect of my ADHD is I don't sleep well.

1:21:15 > 1:21:18So sometimes I don't get to sleep till six, seven o'clock

1:21:18 > 1:21:19in the morning.

1:21:19 > 1:21:22And if I'm at squad, training starts at 9:30.

1:21:22 > 1:21:24So there's been a few times, when, you know,

1:21:24 > 1:21:26I haven't slept at all and I'm going to training the next day.

1:21:26 > 1:21:30Is there anything about your body, just the way you're made up

1:21:30 > 1:21:33that makes you particularly well-suited to that discipline?

1:21:33 > 1:21:37Yeah, I've got strangely... really long arms.

1:21:37 > 1:21:40- Really long arms. - What, so like a massive wingspan?

1:21:40 > 1:21:43Yeah. Like, there's an experiment you can do.

1:21:43 > 1:21:46If you measure your arm span, and you put markers on the floor,

1:21:46 > 1:21:48it's the same height from your heels to your head.

1:21:48 > 1:21:51And mine's about 17 centimetres longer.

1:21:51 > 1:21:53Which is quite a lot.

1:21:53 > 1:21:56- Show me. Stand up. - Oh, you want to see my...?- Yeah.

1:21:56 > 1:21:59So, they do come down pretty far.

1:21:59 > 1:22:02I could scratch the tops of my kneecaps when I was younger.

1:22:02 > 1:22:06So that kind of gives you an idea of how big my arms were.

1:22:06 > 1:22:07Can I see your hands?

1:22:07 > 1:22:09Yeah.

1:22:09 > 1:22:10My God.

1:22:10 > 1:22:12Really, that's just one big callus, isn't it?

1:22:12 > 1:22:15- Yeah. They're like leather pads, really.- Yeah.

1:22:15 > 1:22:19When I was younger, my mum was sunburnt and she asked me to put aftersun on her back.

1:22:19 > 1:22:20She screamed.

1:22:20 > 1:22:23- Because it was like being...? - It was like sandpaper, yeah. - Ooh.- "Get off!"

1:22:23 > 1:22:25CLARE LAUGHS Never again.

1:22:25 > 1:22:27And it took so long to get this toughness back

1:22:27 > 1:22:29after my little break after 2012.

1:22:29 > 1:22:31- What, they went all soft? - They went soft, yeah,

1:22:31 > 1:22:33and I was getting blisters and...

1:22:33 > 1:22:37you know, as much as I liked soft hands for a while,

1:22:37 > 1:22:40I'm glad I've got my hard-working hands back.

1:22:40 > 1:22:44Do you do anything to them to make them rougher?

1:22:44 > 1:22:46I mean, I've heard people put vinegar on.

1:22:46 > 1:22:48I remember when I was little and I had a blister,

1:22:48 > 1:22:49my coach told me to wee on it...

1:22:51 > 1:22:54..which I did, erm, stupidly.

1:22:54 > 1:22:56I don't think it helped at all.

1:22:56 > 1:22:57- I think he just...- Was he joking?

1:22:57 > 1:23:00I think it's an old Russian, you know, Soviet thing.

1:23:00 > 1:23:02Apparently they used to do it, so we tried doing it

1:23:02 > 1:23:06and he thought it was quite amusing when I came in the next day saying I'd weed on my hands.

1:23:06 > 1:23:09Amazingly Paul Hall, the coach that you were talking about,

1:23:09 > 1:23:12- is still your coach.- Yeah.- And has been your coach since you were...

1:23:12 > 1:23:14Since I was...eight?

1:23:14 > 1:23:16That's an amazing relationship

1:23:16 > 1:23:21to maintain, cos he must have seen so many changes in you.

1:23:21 > 1:23:25We've had our arguments and disagreements along the way, but there's always a level of respect.

1:23:25 > 1:23:28I always respect him, you know -

1:23:28 > 1:23:31shake his hand before and after every session,

1:23:31 > 1:23:32if I'm late, I apologise...

1:23:32 > 1:23:35You know, he's been like a father figure to me.

1:23:35 > 1:23:40He's an incredible man. He's very smart, he's very intelligent.

1:23:40 > 1:23:44So yeah, he's been incredible for my career.

1:23:44 > 1:23:46Did he identify the pommel horse as your thing?

1:23:46 > 1:23:49I stood out like a sore thumb compared to most of the kids

1:23:49 > 1:23:51when I was doing pommel horse.

1:23:51 > 1:23:53The founder of this gym, Terry Sharpington,

1:23:53 > 1:23:57said very early on to Paul, "Louis is someone special."

1:23:57 > 1:24:00And erm...you know, not long before Terry passed away

1:24:00 > 1:24:02he said, "Look after Louis."

1:24:02 > 1:24:04And I was young, and no-one really believed in me

1:24:04 > 1:24:06when I was younger cos I wasn't the best gymnast.

1:24:06 > 1:24:09But he said, "Look after Louis."

1:24:09 > 1:24:12And he was right, you know, and Paul did that and...

1:24:12 > 1:24:14you know, we was able to be the dream team.

1:24:14 > 1:24:17With your routine, it'll be what, 50 seconds,

1:24:17 > 1:24:20- around about that length of time? - Unless I fall off, yeah.

1:24:20 > 1:24:21SHE LAUGHS

1:24:21 > 1:24:25Have you calculated yet how many hours you've put into that 50 seconds?

1:24:25 > 1:24:27It's years...

1:24:27 > 1:24:29Well, my coach worked out

1:24:29 > 1:24:32for London, I would have done about a million circles on the pommel horse.

1:24:32 > 1:24:35So, for Rio, I probably would have done about...

1:24:35 > 1:24:41you know, 1.1 million circles, revolutions of the pommel horse.

1:24:41 > 1:24:43Which is quite incredible really.

1:24:43 > 1:24:45Have you ever ridden a real horse?

1:24:45 > 1:24:47- I have.- Have you?- Yeah. - How did you get on?

1:24:47 > 1:24:49Er... I was all right.

1:24:49 > 1:24:51I stopped shortly after I nearly fell off.

1:24:51 > 1:24:53Shortly AFTER you nearly fell off?

1:24:53 > 1:24:57- Yeah.- Oh, I see.- So, I was learning to canter and as I was going,

1:24:57 > 1:25:00I was slowly falling off to the side and the lady pushed me back on.

1:25:00 > 1:25:02- And that was quite scary. - CLARE LAUGHS

1:25:02 > 1:25:05Cos it always makes you laugh, you know, obviously we'd cue it up,

1:25:05 > 1:25:08"And here comes Louis Smith on the horse - or on the pommel horse."

1:25:08 > 1:25:10I did a photo shoot on a shire horse.

1:25:10 > 1:25:12- Did you?- Yeah, and I was on a real horse.

1:25:12 > 1:25:14And I was petrified. Absolutely petrified.

1:25:14 > 1:25:17When the flash went off, it started walking off

1:25:17 > 1:25:19and I nearly fell off the horse.

1:25:19 > 1:25:22But, yeah, we tried on a real horse.

1:25:22 > 1:25:24The shot looked really good, actually.

1:25:24 > 1:25:28- But I wouldn't do it again.- No, no, you don't need to do it in Rio.

1:25:28 > 1:25:30You went away from gymnastics after London 2012,

1:25:30 > 1:25:34you lived another life, a different life,

1:25:34 > 1:25:36I mean, a life during which you won Strictly Come Dancing,

1:25:36 > 1:25:38so not a normal life, but anyway... HE LAUGHS

1:25:38 > 1:25:41What drew you back?

1:25:41 > 1:25:45The magnet that has pulled you back into it - what was it?

1:25:45 > 1:25:48It was a few things. Erm...

1:25:48 > 1:25:50And I kind of needed that time away from the sport

1:25:50 > 1:25:53to realise these things.

1:25:53 > 1:25:54You know...

1:25:54 > 1:25:59one, I saw gymnasts competing and winning medals

1:25:59 > 1:26:02that I thought I could still beat.

1:26:02 > 1:26:06And it made me realise, you know, my mum, my coach,

1:26:06 > 1:26:10everyone had sacrificed so much to help me get to this position.

1:26:10 > 1:26:15And if I can still put on a Union Jack and represent my country

1:26:15 > 1:26:18and represent the people that have helped me get here

1:26:18 > 1:26:22and still win medals, I have a duty to do that.

1:26:22 > 1:26:24It's like the superhero character -

1:26:24 > 1:26:27with great power comes great responsibility.

1:26:27 > 1:26:30Paul said to me he thinks the difference now is you're doing it for you.

1:26:30 > 1:26:33100%. 100%.

1:26:33 > 1:26:35When I won my first World Championship medal,

1:26:35 > 1:26:38there was expectation from British Gymnastics, UK Sport.

1:26:38 > 1:26:40This is our first medal in ten years.

1:26:40 > 1:26:43And then Beijing, it's our first individual medal in 100 years.

1:26:43 > 1:26:47There was this expectation and this expectation to deliver,

1:26:47 > 1:26:49and to keep delivering to secure more funding and...

1:26:49 > 1:26:52It slowly does start to take away from the sport and the magic

1:26:52 > 1:26:54and why you got into it in the first place.

1:26:54 > 1:26:57And you're right, I got back into it for me.

1:26:57 > 1:26:58And I loved it.

1:26:58 > 1:27:01I loved it. There was no obligation for me to do anything,

1:27:01 > 1:27:04I was just in here, training to be the best gymnast I could be.

1:27:04 > 1:27:08But also you should feel incredibly proud of YOURSELF

1:27:08 > 1:27:10for what you've done for British gymnastics.

1:27:10 > 1:27:14Because that funding has allowed Max Whitlock and Dan Keatings and

1:27:14 > 1:27:17the others to really come and shine,

1:27:17 > 1:27:20and you look at the women's team as well and Beth Tweddle gets a lot of credit for that,

1:27:20 > 1:27:24and for them to look at both of you and know it can be done,

1:27:24 > 1:27:28against the traditional countries, the Russians and the Chinese, that

1:27:28 > 1:27:31would have dominated gymnastics - and the Americans to some extent -

1:27:31 > 1:27:34where you'd think "We've got no chance." You've shown there IS a chance.

1:27:34 > 1:27:36There's so much talent in the sport now.

1:27:36 > 1:27:39All the coaches at grassroots sport are so motivated.

1:27:39 > 1:27:42You know, they've seen what people can be like at the top,

1:27:42 > 1:27:44and it's just a massive knock-on effect and I think

1:27:44 > 1:27:47British gymnastics is going to be here for a while.

1:27:47 > 1:27:50We've got so many generations of gymnasts ready to shine,

1:27:50 > 1:27:54it's just going to be a very good few Olympic cycles.

1:27:54 > 1:27:57After becoming the first British male gymnast

1:27:57 > 1:28:00to win an Olympic medal in 100 years,

1:28:00 > 1:28:05by taking bronze in Beijing, Louis was determined to win gold in London

1:28:05 > 1:28:08and performed a faultless routine.

1:28:08 > 1:28:11What are his memories of that pommel routine -

1:28:11 > 1:28:14and is he proud of his silver medal?

1:28:14 > 1:28:17Tell me what you remember of London 2012,

1:28:17 > 1:28:19if you were thinking and sort of...

1:28:19 > 1:28:21almost like a camera going off,

1:28:21 > 1:28:25the moments that you absolutely crystal clear, "I remember that"?

1:28:25 > 1:28:29I mean, my pommel final was mostly a blur.

1:28:29 > 1:28:32But there's parts that I do remember. I remember walking to the pommel horse.

1:28:32 > 1:28:33And looking up at the clock

1:28:33 > 1:28:36and you've got 30 seconds to get onto the horse.

1:28:36 > 1:28:38And I remember seeing 17.

1:28:38 > 1:28:42I just remember thinking, "This is it.

1:28:42 > 1:28:44"This is the peak of my career,

1:28:44 > 1:28:47"I will never be in better shape than this.

1:28:47 > 1:28:51"This is the defining moment of my life.

1:28:52 > 1:28:53"Let's show 'em what we can do."

1:28:53 > 1:28:58And I always say a few words to my nan. Cos I lost my nan in 2009.

1:28:58 > 1:29:03And I was just talking to my nan asking her to look after me. And...

1:29:03 > 1:29:06you know, we'd done our job. She'd done her job, I did mine.

1:29:06 > 1:29:10And I just remember thinking to myself, "I wonder who's watching.

1:29:10 > 1:29:11"I wonder if everyone's proud,

1:29:11 > 1:29:13"I wonder if anyone's recording it for me."

1:29:13 > 1:29:17Now when I think about it, it's because my body was in autopilot.

1:29:17 > 1:29:21I've done so many routines, I was just going through the motions.

1:29:21 > 1:29:24I wasn't thinking about what I was doing, I wasn't tightening up.

1:29:24 > 1:29:25I was just going through it.

1:29:25 > 1:29:26And it was just bizarre.

1:29:26 > 1:29:29And I remember landing in my pommel horse routine and thinking...

1:29:29 > 1:29:32- LOUIS LAUGHS - "How did I just do that?

1:29:32 > 1:29:35"How did that just go as well as it did?"

1:29:35 > 1:29:39I still can't believe it to this day, I mean, I was so nervous.

1:29:39 > 1:29:42I've never felt like that in my life, I've always been so confident.

1:29:42 > 1:29:44I was so nervous.

1:29:44 > 1:29:47And I just can't believe it went the way it did.

1:29:47 > 1:29:50- And it was as good as it could have been, wasn't it?- Yeah.

1:29:50 > 1:29:53- There's nothing you could have improved on, it was perfect. - It was spotless.

1:29:53 > 1:29:55It was spotless.

1:29:55 > 1:29:58What's it then like waiting for the scores?

1:29:58 > 1:30:01Krisztian Berki did a fantastic routine,

1:30:01 > 1:30:05and I knew it had to be pretty special to have beaten him.

1:30:05 > 1:30:09So, I'm there, thinking, "I've just done a harder routine,

1:30:09 > 1:30:12"and it was immaculate. I'm in London..."

1:30:12 > 1:30:14The crowd was going crazy,

1:30:14 > 1:30:17and I'm thinking, "Do you know what, I reckon I've pipped him."

1:30:17 > 1:30:20And then the score came up and I just saw 16.

1:30:20 > 1:30:24That was the first thing I thought. And I thought, "Yes, I've done it."

1:30:24 > 1:30:27And then I saw the rest of it and then it says "rank" at the side

1:30:27 > 1:30:29and it said "two", and I'm like...

1:30:31 > 1:30:33.."Hang on a minute."

1:30:33 > 1:30:35- Cos the scores were identical, weren't they?- Yeah.

1:30:35 > 1:30:37So how did they divide you?

1:30:38 > 1:30:41Well, there's a rule and it's an old Olympic rule,

1:30:41 > 1:30:42it's a countback rule.

1:30:42 > 1:30:46And they wanted to change the rules of gymnastics

1:30:46 > 1:30:47to basically spice it up

1:30:47 > 1:30:49and to say, "Right, do the most difficult routines you can do

1:30:49 > 1:30:51"cos that's what we want to see."

1:30:51 > 1:30:54So basically, you're penalised for doing a harder routine...

1:30:54 > 1:30:56You still get penalised for it. Yeah, I see.

1:30:56 > 1:30:59..because you end up getting more deductions.

1:30:59 > 1:31:01If the same thing had happened at a World Championships

1:31:01 > 1:31:04or a European Championships,

1:31:04 > 1:31:06you share the gold medal.

1:31:06 > 1:31:08It's just at an Olympic Games...

1:31:08 > 1:31:14How quickly after London finished did you make the decision to stop?

1:31:14 > 1:31:16Erm... I mean, I...

1:31:16 > 1:31:19We'd already agreed to do Strictly Come Dancing.

1:31:19 > 1:31:22They confirmed just after the team final,

1:31:22 > 1:31:24I'd just got the bronze medal with the team.

1:31:24 > 1:31:28I knew that I could be occupied up until December.

1:31:28 > 1:31:32But there was no plans to carry on after 2012.

1:31:32 > 1:31:35And the reason why is because 2012 was so massive.

1:31:35 > 1:31:37Everything was focused on London.

1:31:37 > 1:31:40So then when London had finished...

1:31:40 > 1:31:42it was like, "Huh."

1:31:42 > 1:31:45Like, life goes on. Like, "What happens now?"

1:31:45 > 1:31:51What was the response...? When you did decide to come back to gymnastics,

1:31:51 > 1:31:55was everybody wholeheartedly "Yay, hooray, he's back" or were there...?

1:31:55 > 1:31:56No. CLARE LAUGHS

1:31:56 > 1:31:57No.

1:31:57 > 1:32:00When I decided to come back, it needed to be 100%.

1:32:00 > 1:32:03You know, there was no... half getting involved - if I'm going to go for it,

1:32:03 > 1:32:06I'm taking it 100% serious.

1:32:06 > 1:32:08But I think some people...

1:32:09 > 1:32:12..might have thought "It's just a bit of publicity,

1:32:12 > 1:32:14"Louis getting back in the limelight...

1:32:14 > 1:32:16And it was difficult because when I stepped out,

1:32:16 > 1:32:18it gave a chance for other people to go in.

1:32:18 > 1:32:21And the way that other people might look at it is

1:32:21 > 1:32:24while Louis has been out of the sport,

1:32:24 > 1:32:26those people have been training nonstop

1:32:26 > 1:32:28their normal routine every day.

1:32:28 > 1:32:30They didn't get the chance to go to 2012

1:32:30 > 1:32:33and they're working relentlessly to be in the team.

1:32:34 > 1:32:37It was almost like, "Who does Louis think he is,

1:32:37 > 1:32:40"coming back when these guys have been working nonstop?"

1:32:40 > 1:32:41Erm...

1:32:41 > 1:32:45And for me, I knew very early on that...

1:32:45 > 1:32:51zip it, get on the pommel horse and let my actions speak.

1:32:51 > 1:32:55And that's what I did - you know, 2014 I did the BBC Tumble,

1:32:55 > 1:32:59got that out the way, 2015 was my year to prove to the selectors

1:32:59 > 1:33:01that, "If you don't pick me, you're missing out."

1:33:01 > 1:33:05So every competition I did that year, I did clean.

1:33:05 > 1:33:10And it was kind of like, "Look, I'm back. It isn't a gimmick.

1:33:10 > 1:33:13"I'm not trying to rub people up the wrong way, you know,

1:33:13 > 1:33:15"I'm passionate about my sport and my team -

1:33:15 > 1:33:19"I want to be the best I can be. And I'm serious."

1:33:19 > 1:33:22It almost feels to me, though, as if Rio is like a bonus.

1:33:22 > 1:33:26I've done two good Olympic Games.

1:33:26 > 1:33:30Both those Olympic Games I've been under pressure to perform, I've wanted to get through the routine.

1:33:30 > 1:33:35Now, I really want to push the boat out and see how well I can do at an Olympic Games.

1:33:35 > 1:33:40You know, I don't have the pressure that Max does and the rest of the team does.

1:33:40 > 1:33:42Yes, there's expectation,

1:33:42 > 1:33:45but because I have a level of confidence and of fun going into it

1:33:45 > 1:33:48it's a different aspect to London altogether.

1:33:48 > 1:33:50Do you think your rivalry with Max

1:33:50 > 1:33:54has made you better? Or made HIM better?

1:33:54 > 1:33:55Both of you, is it good for both of you?

1:33:55 > 1:34:00It's definitely made me step my game up because I have to.

1:34:00 > 1:34:03But I think it's definitely made HIM better.

1:34:03 > 1:34:07You know, I think it's just naturally developed his potential, so...

1:34:07 > 1:34:09We definitely bounce off each other.

1:34:09 > 1:34:11I think he gets more from it.

1:34:11 > 1:34:12Which he should, cos he's younger.

1:34:13 > 1:34:15What do you think, as a team,

1:34:15 > 1:34:18the British Gymnastics team are capable of?

1:34:18 > 1:34:20Gymnastics is a very unpredictable sport.

1:34:20 > 1:34:24You know, we need to do the best routines of our lives.

1:34:24 > 1:34:25Everyone needs to do all-clean routines.

1:34:25 > 1:34:28And that's the only thing we have control over.

1:34:28 > 1:34:30What everyone else does - who knows?

1:34:30 > 1:34:33I'm not going to say it'd be nice for other people to make mistakes,

1:34:33 > 1:34:37but I think to have any realistic chance of pushing for a gold medal

1:34:37 > 1:34:40in a team event, there needs to be that from other countries.

1:34:40 > 1:34:44Have you decided already on the routine that you will perform?

1:34:44 > 1:34:49For qualification, obviously, it's important that the team qualifies, so I'll be doing an easy routine.

1:34:49 > 1:34:54In team final, depending on how they want to push for certain medals,

1:34:54 > 1:34:56they can either choose for me to do the harder routine

1:34:56 > 1:34:59to get more marks, or they can be safe and do my easy routine.

1:34:59 > 1:35:02If I make the pommel horse final, then it's my own decision.

1:35:02 > 1:35:04So who knows? But I think it's good

1:35:04 > 1:35:06to have the hardest routine in the locker.

1:35:06 > 1:35:09I mean, Max has got the hardest routine in the world at the minute.

1:35:09 > 1:35:11And he does it very well.

1:35:11 > 1:35:14And there's a lot of work that I need to do to get to that standard.

1:35:15 > 1:35:17But it would be nice to have that routine

1:35:17 > 1:35:19and put him under a bit of pressure.

1:35:19 > 1:35:22Would you ever consider Tokyo?

1:35:22 > 1:35:23Yeah. 100%.

1:35:23 > 1:35:25I want to go to Tokyo.

1:35:25 > 1:35:29But they haven't clarified the rules on how the specialists qualify.

1:35:29 > 1:35:31So...

1:35:31 > 1:35:34I don't know whether I'm going for Tokyo or not.

1:35:34 > 1:35:38But...if it works out that I can, 100%.

1:35:38 > 1:35:40If my body lets me, I'll do it.

1:35:40 > 1:35:43And would there be anything between, you know,

1:35:43 > 1:35:46that four-year cycle or in the middle of that four-year cycle

1:35:46 > 1:35:49that you might want to do for British gymnastics

1:35:49 > 1:35:51that would somehow sell it?

1:35:51 > 1:35:54Like a big event, like a... You know, the whole team.

1:35:54 > 1:35:57Make use of the profile that you guys have got

1:35:57 > 1:35:59and will certainly have after Rio?

1:35:59 > 1:36:04I think gymnasts, and what we do, is incredible.

1:36:04 > 1:36:07And it goes back to when I say gymnasts don't have the biggest pockets.

1:36:07 > 1:36:12Cos I train with guys that still live at home with their parents.

1:36:12 > 1:36:14They can't afford to put a deposit down on a house

1:36:14 > 1:36:16or live the normal life.

1:36:16 > 1:36:19So, I'm in the process of trying to organise a competition

1:36:19 > 1:36:24where gymnasts can have an opportunity to earn proper money.

1:36:24 > 1:36:29My friends go to a competition - they go to a World Cup Grand Prix.

1:36:29 > 1:36:31They win it, they get £600.

1:36:31 > 1:36:34You know, and it's just... It's bonkers.

1:36:34 > 1:36:37I can totally see you selling out arenas.

1:36:37 > 1:36:39I'd come and watch that.

1:36:39 > 1:36:41For sure, it'd be amazing...

1:36:41 > 1:36:43Gymnastics is the first sport to sell out.

1:36:43 > 1:36:47If Strictly can go on tour - which it does, and you know -

1:36:47 > 1:36:49then why can't gymnastics go on tour?

1:36:49 > 1:36:51There's plenty of razzle-dazzle...

1:36:51 > 1:36:55I think it can. I think it just takes someone to do that. And to do it right.

1:36:55 > 1:36:57That's my challenge to you, Louis Smith -

1:36:57 > 1:37:00go and win your medal first in Rio, then Gymnastics...

1:37:00 > 1:37:04- Are you going to come on board? - ..The Arena Tour. Totally. - Yeah?- Totally.

1:37:04 > 1:37:06Erm... You won a bronze medal in Beijing,

1:37:06 > 1:37:08you won a silver in London...

1:37:08 > 1:37:11(Should have been gold!)

1:37:11 > 1:37:13Could it be a gold medal in Rio?

1:37:13 > 1:37:15It could always be a gold medal.

1:37:15 > 1:37:18And that's not be being cocky, that's me being confident.

1:37:18 > 1:37:20You know, I'm 27 years old now

1:37:20 > 1:37:24and I've been competing at the top level for 12, 13 years,

1:37:24 > 1:37:27and I know if I do the routine that I've been training,

1:37:27 > 1:37:30there can always be a chance of a gold medal.

1:37:30 > 1:37:35And if it goes well on the day at Rio...then it could be.

1:37:35 > 1:37:37Well, thank you so much for your time, and good luck -

1:37:37 > 1:37:38I was going to shake your hand

1:37:38 > 1:37:41but actually I don't really like your hands. THEY LAUGH

1:37:41 > 1:37:42- They're all rough!- Thank you.

1:37:42 > 1:37:44I'll give you a kiss instead.

1:37:44 > 1:37:46- Good luck. - Thank you very much. I need it.

1:37:46 > 1:37:50There's something about this gym that reminds me of the film Rocky.

1:37:50 > 1:37:53You know, the basic equipment is here, there's nothing glitzy or glamorous,

1:37:53 > 1:37:55and the most important thing it has

1:37:55 > 1:37:58is the attitude of the people who walk in here.

1:37:58 > 1:38:01Now, Louis Smith is not a film star and this is not a film set.

1:38:01 > 1:38:04He WAS a boy trying to make his mum proud.

1:38:04 > 1:38:07Now he's a man who has come back to his sport

1:38:07 > 1:38:12because he knows that at the Olympic Games, he has unfinished business.