Episode 4 Inspire: The Olympic Journey


Episode 4

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Transcript


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Behind me is Weymouth Bay,

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home to some of the best sailing conditions in the world.

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Chesil Beach just over there provides fantastic shelter.

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It's easy to see why this is the home of GB sailing.

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I've come here to meet the next generation of British sailors

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hoping to follow in the footsteps of Sir Ben Ainslie.

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These guys are well and truly ready to set sail

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on their Olympic journey.

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Also in the show today,

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Denise Lewis travels to East London to witness Christine Ohuruogu's

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determination to give back to the community she grew up in.

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There's a big world out there and if you just work hard you can

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really achieve what you want to go out and achieve.

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We introduce three young amateur boxers hoping to make

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a mark at this month's World Championships.

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When I started boxing, you know,

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I could see the road that I needed to go to reach my goal.

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You just have to keep improving, and then take it as far as you want.

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If you want to get inspired and try a new sport like sailing,

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boxing, or athletics, then click on our website to find out

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how you can join a club near you.

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Almost 6,000 miles south west in that direction is

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Guanabara Bay, just off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

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Those warmer waters will host the regatta of the 2016 Olympics.

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Sir Ben Ainslie is not expected to compete in Rio,

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focusing instead on the America's Cup.

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With only one spot available in the Finn Class,

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in which Ben Ainslie won three of his four Olympic gold medals,

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the question is, "Who's ready to be his successor?"

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So, we're out on the water

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with the GB Finn Class coach, Matt Howard, here,

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who's shouting instructions to his boys

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and keeping them in check in very still conditions.

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Just about on the edge to what you can sail in at the moment,

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but, still, they're getting some good work done.

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Yeah, yeah, and we've kind of had to, um, change how we view,

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um, the very light winds.

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It can be difficult for the patience,

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it can be quite difficult for the concentration,

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but with the next Olympic Games being in Rio,

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we're very likely to be sailing in this sort of stuff so we've got to

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kind of rethink what's fun and spend plenty of time sailing in it.

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There is so much strength and depth still in the Finn Class.

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Does that mean there's a strain on friendships and relationships,

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or are you able to put that to one side when you come off the water?

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For sure, it's a factor.

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Later on in the cycle, things become a bit more, um...

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personal, because, ultimately, we're all wanting the same thing and, uh...

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only one of us can have it, so...

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You know, with that does come a bit of friction, but, generally,

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you know, we manage it very well and we're all good friends and...

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we try and leave everything that goes on in the water,

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on the water as much as possible.

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It doesn't always happen though, I'm sensing an undercurrent of, um...!

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-The thing is...

-It bubbles over.

-Normally, it does, actually.

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Um, it certainly doesn't ever last more than half an hour

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since we've been off the water.

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There might be a little bit of friction in the boat part,

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but then, you know, we'll go away, we'll have a beer

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and we'll be friends again until the next day.

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I've probably raced against Andrew and Giles

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since I was about 15 or 16. So, built up over time,

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you're always trying to beat each other at everything we do,

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sailing, when we're out on the bikes,

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when we're in the gym, et cetera, so it does build up and build up.

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Oh, good roll, Giles! Good roll!

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How difficult is it to manage their expectations and manage,

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-you know, this rivalry on the water?

-Yeah.

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On the water, it's certainly difficult to manage the rivalry

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and sometimes I feel like I should be, you know, wearing gloves

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and keeping them apart in a ring.

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Um, but generally as they get ashore, it's all good again,

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but it's a tough thing in this sport.

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You know, we've got four guys who are top ten in the world.

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Any one of those guys could compete at the Olympics

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and come home with a medal and only one of them will,

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so it's really tough, particularly as

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they know that it's really important that they all

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sail together, so that the person who does win the trials to

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go on has the best chance of medalling.

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But sometimes that's also difficult because you're then helping

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people who could potentially take your place.

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What's it like for you, then, having to deliver the bad news to

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people who've worked for a four-year cycle? It's not going to be theirs.

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It's the worst day of my four-year programme.

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Um...

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But I try and also make it the best day

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of my four-year programme by making the phone calls to the people

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who have been selected at the same day.

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Do you make the bad calls first?

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No.

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-So, you tell those who are going first...

-Yeah.

-And then you...

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-start the ring round.

-Yeah. Yeah. And, eh...

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And the reason is...it's not the actual conversation that's

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necessarily particularly hard, the reason it's hard is

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because I know the level of application and the sacrifice

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that those guys made, and how much they really want it.

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You know, if they hadn't made the effort, if they hadn't done

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the hard yards, if it wasn't the most important thing to them,

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then they wouldn't be disappointed. It wouldn't be that big a deal.

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But the guys that are in our programme at the top end

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are fighting it out for selection,

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they're all in that bracket and that's why it's difficult.

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It's a selection process, isn't it?

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That you have to tick a lot of boxes for.

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Most people think we're going to peak in 2016,

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but already the World Championship's next year in 2014,

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are a key part of the selection process, so,

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in many respects, your campaign's got to be ready, you know,

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at the beginning of this season to do very well at the World Championships.

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So, we're kind of already moving into a little bit of a peaking zone,

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and that'll continue on until the selections are made.

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How much does a place in the squad for Rio mean to you right now?

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Oh, well, it's kind of, you know...

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It's everything.

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In my mind, there's absolutely no point putting

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a four-year campaign together if...

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..you know, if you don't believe you can go and win in Rio, and that's

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ultimately what it's all about and that's what we're all trying to do.

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As these Finn sailors know,

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qualification for an Olympic Games is extremely tough.

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Peaking at just the right time for selection is the same for any sport,

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but one athlete who always times her preparation

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and her races to perfection is Christine Ohuruogu.

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The world 400-metre champion may be one of our most successful athletes

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of all time, but she's never one to seek the limelight or fame.

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So, what does motivate Christine?

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Former Olympic heptathlete champion Denise Lewis has been to

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the East End to find out.

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I'm in Newham, one of the Olympic boroughs from last year, to visit

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Christine Ohuruogu, someone I've really admired

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and watched her career over the years. She's got three

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global titles and she could do anything with her time, yet she has

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chosen to visit all the schools in her borough,

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and I really want to find out why.

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The Chobham Academy only opened in September, but it's

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the latest of the 150 schools that Christine has pledged to visit.

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What's more, it truly embodies the spirit of legacy as it uses

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buildings and infrastructure from the Olympic village itself.

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Wow! This is an impressive school.

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Hi, how are you?

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-Hi, guys.

-APPLAUSE

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-Morning, everyone.

-CHILDREN: Good morning.

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DENISE WHISPERS: 'So, we're at a whole school assembly

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'at Chobham Academy and Christine is actually just telling everyone'

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about her athletics career and what it's like to be an athlete.

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You guys are a very, very new school. I couldn't actually find it.

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That's how new you are, but it's great to be here.

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I just think she has such a natural way of articulating to these

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young people and they're riveted.

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So, I've made it my personal mission to go round to all the schools

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and just to try and give them a really positive message,

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just to tell them that, you know, sometimes...

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there's a big world out there and if you just work hard, you can

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really achieve what you want to go out and achieve.

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How many schools have you done so far?

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Cos you've set yourself a pretty tall order.

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Yeah, I think probably about 25.

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-You've got a long way to go.

-So, I have a long way to go,

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but I did, in the beginning, from the onset

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say it was going to be a long haul.

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So, just, um...

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..do it as and when I can, and I think that

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because I actually enjoy it and feel so strongly about it,

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I don't really care how long it's going to take.

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I was born in Newham, I went to school in Newham,

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um...I have, I'm from a big family,

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I've got six brothers and one sister.

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There's eight of us and we all went to school in Newham.

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I was just conscious or very aware of the fact that, you know,

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once the Olympics goes, a lot of the youngsters will fall into that gap.

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They'll feel that the Olympics came, brought so much excitement,

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so much money, but it's almost like once it's gone,

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there's nothing left, you know?

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People are just here for the Olympics and once they've gone,

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we're just back to how it was before.

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-Please come and sit down here.

-Here?

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You're writing on the table?

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-We are writing on the table.

-Wow!

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We're going to start with Ronaldo. What does it mean

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-to you to be part of the Olympic legacy?

-It means quite a lot because

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when the Olympics came to London, and the Olympic Games,

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I would be stuck to the TV every day watching and

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you could see people cheering, being happy, Team GB, Christine Ohuruogu...

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Everyone who competed, they were completely amazing.

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I'd walk down the road and then I'd just go into the shop

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and I'd see hundreds of people going to the Olympics from

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all different countries.

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My idea behind it was to tell them that, you know, you can't go back to

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how it was before, you've really got to use the Games, um, and push on.

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-And build on it.

-Build on it, exactly.

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Keep pushing on, don't just sit and say, "Oh, they don't care about us

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"and we're not going to do anything about it." Really use...

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what stories you got from the Games to build yourselves up

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and go out and achieve great things.

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The most important kind of defendants of this legacy programme

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-are the residents themselves.

-Absolutely.

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Those are the ones who are going to drive it, those are the ones

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who live there, who know what goes on, day in, day out,

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they're the ones that have kids that go to schools,

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they don't want to work in a borough, they know what the borough

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needs, so when we're talking about legacy,

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don't sit and wait for other people to put your destiny into place,

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you go out and say, "This is what our kids need

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"and this is what we're going to do as parents, residents,

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"as business owners. This is what we're going to do for the borough."

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We all can remember one thing growing up, somebody that's

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said something that really sticks in our minds, just one thing

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and that's all you need sometimes, you know?

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So, as long as they just can remember one thing I've said.

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I talk for ages. I think today was quite short. I think I was cut!

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DROWNED OUT BY LAUGHTER

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Everyone that visits the Academy, we're going to start to get,

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like, autographs and just a little comment or a few little words.

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The pressure is on!

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When I think about my own experience, I was really young, so eight was when

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the light bulb went off for me and I wanted to be an athlete

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and learn how to run, and that was what I asked my mum.

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But you - it was about 18, did you say? Which is...?

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-16, it was sports day.

-16.

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That was our final year at school, so I knew about athletics but

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I didn't know in that much detail, I never really watched track and field on TV.

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I knew of all the big personalities, like yourself,

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Linford, Sally Gunnell, but I didn't know what they did.

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-I just knew they did something and they won golds!

-Keep it simple!

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I didn't know what they were doing.

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I didn't have any idea of anything - how races worked,

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what you wore on your feet, because I was training in trainers.

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I didn't... You know, I didn't know anything.

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My event is not actually very nice.

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It hurts, but in a strange way, I actually really enjoy it,

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because every day, I push myself really hard.

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' "I've never done a four before. What do I do?" '

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This guy just said, "Just jog the first three

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-"and then sprint the hundred."

-Oh, so that's how it started, huh?!

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And you took that all the way through the international career.

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-Hey, it worked.

-I didn't want to say that, but, yeah, that's how it's...

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-Three global titles.

-He said, "Just jog."

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I know. It's terrible, isn't it? But I won. I won and I kept on winning.

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So, that became my event, the 400.

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Will she get there? Christine's coming. She might just make it.

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She might just... Made it!

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Imagine when things haven't gone well.

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We've had that scenario, haven't we?

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Someone's asking you a ridiculous question

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that you really don't want to answer, but you feel like you have to.

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I'm sure I've done that to you, Christine.

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THEY LAUGH 'The Olympics was incredible,'

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but you were disappointed with that silver medal.

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How did you pick yourself up?

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I did want to win that and, in the schools I go to,

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I make no illusions about the fact that I did want to win.

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And I have got a silver, but I would have liked it to have been gold.

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That's standard, I'm sorry, I'm not going to beat around the bush.

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I wanted to win gold. I didn't. I came with a silver.

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That's where my disappointment came from,

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but I think, at the same time,

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I think it's recognising where I'd come from to get that

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and I think, now I look back on it,

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I think the silver meant more to me than the Beijing gold medal...

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-Right.

-..because of where I'd come from.

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I, literally, clawed my way out from the bottom of a bottomless pit.

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That's what it felt like.

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I think it felt like every year was just not going right,

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nothing was working.

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I always tell myself that what I was going to do going into 2012

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was that I would prepare myself the best way I can

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and I'll defend my title with everything I've got.

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The one thing I really want to tell you

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is go out there and dream big.

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Really go out and really set your standards high.

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-This seems to be your calling.

-Yeah.

-To give something back.

-Yeah.

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-To inspire. Not the glitzy, glamour, the...

-Yeah, I mean...

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-All the other side that people expect you to do, having been a champion.

-Yeah.

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I always try to live by what I preach,

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that's one thing I've always, you know, tried to be true to myself

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and what I believe and what I expect of myself.

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Me, personally, I just like to be on the ground floor.

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I like to get my hands dirty.

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I like to go out and work and just see what's happening.

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That's my kind of passion for, you know,

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helping my borough move on, is...

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far outweighs my passion for, you know, glitzy life stuff!

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I'm sure we could stand here and talk all day,

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but I've got to head off now, so go out and enjoy yourself.

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Remember to dream big and keep looking after each other. Cool.

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Do you feel satisfied? Are you complete?

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I'm happy with what I've done. With me, I'm never fully happy,

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because it's what I do,

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I, kind of, have a responsibility to keep doing it.

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So, it doesn't matter what I've achieved. That's not the point.

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The point is that this is what I have been put on this Earth to do.

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This is my purpose, my calling.

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So, I will keep on doing it until, you know, the time's up.

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If Christine has inspired you to get involved in sport,

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then visit our website

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for information on where to find your nearest club.

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Back in May,

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this close-knit sailing community here in Weymouth

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was hit by devastating news.

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Andrew Simpson, or Bart as he was affectionately known,

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won gold at the Beijing Olympics

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and silver on these waters in 2012, with sailing partner Ian Percy.

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Having switched their focus to the America's Cup this year,

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the pair were on a routine training exercise

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when their yacht, Artemis, capsized.

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Simpson was trapped under the hull of the boat.

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Attempts to resuscitate him failed.

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Andrew's widow, Leah,

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and close friends, including Olympic medallists Sir Ben Ainslie,

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Iain Percy and Paul Goodison have set up

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the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation

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to help encourage youngsters into sailing.

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Bart had more friends than any of us.

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Literally, he would speak to anybody, help anybody,

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and he was just one of those lovable characters

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that everybody felt really close to and felt really special to be around.

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He was one of those guys who'd always go out of his way to help you out,

0:16:580:17:01

no matter where you were or what you were doing.

0:17:010:17:03

He was a real special guy.

0:17:030:17:05

You know, life can be pretty short

0:17:050:17:07

and you've got to value the time that you have

0:17:070:17:11

and the conversations that often,

0:17:110:17:14

in amongst all that competitiveness that we were talking about,

0:17:140:17:17

that actually, it's a pretty tight-knit family.

0:17:170:17:20

These are people that travel the world 200 days a year.

0:17:200:17:23

You spend more time with them than you do with your family.

0:17:230:17:26

And you refer to some of the younger sailors

0:17:260:17:28

and Andrew being a big impact.

0:17:280:17:30

Quite a big impact on some sailors

0:17:300:17:32

he maybe only had one conversation with,

0:17:320:17:34

maybe only a passing comment with,

0:17:340:17:37

but was a big character in the squad.

0:17:370:17:40

I always remember him as, you'd be in the gym in the morning

0:17:400:17:43

and there'd be maybe five or six guys there

0:17:430:17:45

and he would spend his time speaking to every single person individually

0:17:450:17:48

to make sure they're all right

0:17:480:17:51

and what they're working on and everything.

0:17:510:17:54

It was maybe a bit because he didn't particularly like the gym,

0:17:540:17:57

but, you know, he was always there and he chatted away

0:17:570:18:00

and he would always put everyone before everyone else.

0:18:000:18:03

Andrew was a...

0:18:030:18:05

You know, he was a great man.

0:18:050:18:07

And to me, personally, he was very much a mentor.

0:18:070:18:09

You know, he was someone I always went to for advice.

0:18:090:18:13

It's had a massive impact on the team

0:18:130:18:16

and, you know, everyone's pretty keen

0:18:160:18:20

to try and make sure they do what they can do,

0:18:200:18:23

in terms of their sailing,

0:18:230:18:25

to try and sort of live up to the sort of standards

0:18:250:18:28

that Andrew kept, in terms of actually putting his performance

0:18:280:18:31

and putting himself on the line when he went racing.

0:18:310:18:33

The foundation in his name will do that.

0:18:330:18:35

It will help to encourage kids

0:18:350:18:37

who might not have an opportunity to sail

0:18:370:18:38

to get access to the sport that you all love.

0:18:380:18:41

One of the biggest things is trying to get these young guys

0:18:410:18:44

into sailing clubs, just their local sailing clubs,

0:18:440:18:46

so anywhere around the country.

0:18:460:18:47

The foundation aims to try and provide some coaching

0:18:470:18:50

from just local, regional coaches, all the way through to Olympic medallists,

0:18:500:18:54

to try and help mentor these kids and give them the chance

0:18:540:18:57

to find out what sailing is all about.

0:18:570:18:59

It's not only just that.

0:18:590:19:00

It's actually trying to get little Freddie and Hamish

0:19:000:19:02

something to remember their father by,

0:19:020:19:04

because they are only three and one years old,

0:19:040:19:06

so they need to be reminded of Andrew

0:19:060:19:08

and what he actually did for the sport.

0:19:080:19:11

This is a great way to try and show them

0:19:110:19:13

how he influenced so many people and also try and help them into sailing

0:19:130:19:17

and follow in his father's footsteps.

0:19:170:19:19

Andrew's love of sailing and his passion for helping youngsters

0:19:220:19:25

will be remembered through his foundation,

0:19:250:19:28

which is so important for those who loved and cared for him.

0:19:280:19:31

Nurturing talent is vital in any sport,

0:19:310:19:34

and at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield,

0:19:340:19:36

youngsters are given the opportunity to learn and grow.

0:19:360:19:39

We caught up with three boxers

0:19:390:19:41

who are flourishing in that environment.

0:19:410:19:43

As an athlete, I'd say I'm a bit of a perfectionist.

0:19:480:19:51

If I want something, I'll put everything

0:19:510:19:53

into it and, hopefully, when it matters, I get it right.

0:19:530:19:56

When I started boxing, you know, I could see the road

0:19:560:19:58

that I needed to go to reach my goal.

0:19:580:20:00

Just have to keep improving and then take it as far as you want.

0:20:000:20:03

As soon as you've won that fight,

0:20:030:20:05

it's just the best feeling ever.

0:20:050:20:07

You know, it's worth it.

0:20:070:20:09

It's just a shame the training feels so hard!

0:20:090:20:11

This is their workshop,

0:20:150:20:16

this is where they go to work. They are full-time elite athletes.

0:20:160:20:19

They come here, it's a job. A job of work.

0:20:190:20:22

Monday to Thursday, we train three times a day,

0:20:220:20:25

and we usually leave the sparring till last.

0:20:250:20:28

If we can spar and perform to full potential

0:20:280:20:30

when we've done all these things during the day,

0:20:300:20:32

like strength conditioning and running,

0:20:320:20:35

then when we're out in tournaments, it should be easy work.

0:20:350:20:39

Got to get your front foot in.

0:20:390:20:40

Quicker to your left and to your right, quicker.

0:20:400:20:43

The expectation's always high, because if you're a GB boxer,

0:20:430:20:46

you're expected to medal wherever you go.

0:20:460:20:48

JOE: You're around top athletes,

0:20:480:20:50

so it's a good environment to improve and train.

0:20:500:20:54

You know, it's a bit like uni or something like that.

0:20:540:20:56

Like, it's got a good group mentality, sort of thing.

0:20:560:20:59

-SAM:

-Train here Monday to Thursday.

0:20:590:21:01

Every Thursday, when you wake up in the morning, you think,

0:21:010:21:04

"Got two more sessions, can't wait to get home."

0:21:040:21:06

It's the best feeling ever. But then when you're home,

0:21:060:21:09

you do look forward to coming back here,

0:21:090:21:11

because you know we're getting the best training in the world.

0:21:110:21:14

It's a bigger gap between the two of yous. Come on, box closer, Sam.

0:21:140:21:18

That was good, really liked that.

0:21:200:21:21

Can't get better sparring than what I've just had.

0:21:210:21:24

These lads have been the Olympics, been the Worlds, been the Europeans.

0:21:240:21:27

So, sparring with them, it's only a bonus. Only make me better.

0:21:270:21:31

OK. Away we go.

0:21:310:21:33

JACK: Me and Nicola, we spar together, we bring each other on.

0:21:330:21:37

She's been great for me in the past and I've been great for her.

0:21:370:21:40

I was sparring with her before she won a gold medal in the Olympics

0:21:400:21:43

and, hopefully, I helped her win that gold,

0:21:430:21:46

but we all play a part in each other's training

0:21:460:21:49

and it really helps and we all spar each other.

0:21:490:21:52

-DAVE:

-Boxing's a very solitary life,

0:21:530:21:55

even though we've got a team ethic here.

0:21:550:21:57

They get in the ring and they're on their own.

0:21:570:21:59

They can't do things like normal people do.

0:21:590:22:02

They have to make weight, they have to train hard,

0:22:020:22:04

they can't go out, like their friends,

0:22:040:22:06

or go out and have a pizza. They've got to be careful what they eat.

0:22:060:22:09

-SAM:

-Constantly a boxer, like, your whole life,

0:22:090:22:12

you're constantly thinking about what you can eat,

0:22:120:22:14

what you can't eat, because it's a weight-making sport.

0:22:140:22:17

We get given all our food and we get breakfast, we get snacks,

0:22:170:22:22

we get lunch, another snack and then the main meal.

0:22:220:22:24

There's no preparation or nothing like that.

0:22:240:22:26

'However long it says put it in a mic, you put it in the mic

0:22:260:22:29

'and then it's done.' Easy.

0:22:290:22:31

If you're close to the competition, you'll get the same meals,

0:22:310:22:34

but you might only get, like, you know, a smaller portion of it.

0:22:340:22:36

It just helps. You don't have to think about cutting down your food.

0:22:360:22:39

You just eat what they've given you.

0:22:390:22:41

So, yeah, it makes weight-making easier.

0:22:410:22:44

DAVE: They stay at the flats up the road.

0:22:440:22:46

They get given nutritional food, which is sent in to them,

0:22:460:22:49

but they then have to look after themselves. They're grown men.

0:22:490:22:52

Yes, boys.

0:22:520:22:55

Smells nice in here.

0:22:550:22:57

-Kezza's cooking, yeah?

-Yeah.

0:22:570:22:59

I think the furthest we go is a yoghurt, innit, on a night.

0:22:590:23:02

-That's our treat, innit?

-Yeah.

-Chocolate for some of them.

0:23:020:23:06

I have a huge bar of chocolate!

0:23:060:23:08

'I started boxing at the age of nine. My dad,'

0:23:080:23:11

he was a coach, and my uncle's a coach.

0:23:110:23:14

And I had my first fight at the age of 11.

0:23:140:23:18

Before I knew it, I was on my trials for Great Britain at 17,

0:23:180:23:22

and when I found out I had trials, I trained so hard.

0:23:220:23:25

When I was out on my runs, that's all I was thinking about.

0:23:250:23:28

And when you finally get on the squad

0:23:280:23:29

it's mad, because you get your kit

0:23:290:23:32

and you're really excited and stuff, so to be on the squad

0:23:320:23:35

and competing in tournaments such as Europeans, Worlds

0:23:350:23:38

and, hopefully, looking towards the Olympics, it's massive for me.

0:23:380:23:41

Hopefully, one day I can go to Rio 2016 and be on the podium.

0:23:410:23:46

-JOE:

-We weigh in each morning and we have to have a weight target.

0:23:540:23:59

108.6.

0:23:590:24:00

I enjoy weightlifting and that and, you know,

0:24:000:24:02

the sparring, the bags and the pads.

0:24:020:24:04

But I think the run's probably the toughest one in the morning.

0:24:040:24:08

If I wasn't boxing, I'd still be training hard because, you know,

0:24:100:24:13

that's my lifestyle, that's what I've always done.

0:24:130:24:15

Since I was little, I've done every sport under the sun.

0:24:150:24:19

I do them for a while and then get, you know,

0:24:190:24:22

want to try something else.

0:24:220:24:23

Go on. WHISTLE BLOWS

0:24:230:24:26

But I think with boxing, you know, there's so many aspects to it,

0:24:260:24:30

so many things you've got to do to train, you don't get bored.

0:24:300:24:34

Slow feet, fast hands. What does that say? Get in, get out, hit him hard.

0:24:350:24:39

Take your foot off the gas in the middle if you have to.

0:24:390:24:42

This is your last round, this is the big one. Don't give it away.

0:24:420:24:46

That's nice and long.

0:24:460:24:47

We create competition at all weights

0:24:480:24:50

so that there's always somebody, you know, alongside you that's a rival.

0:24:500:24:54

The rivalry that's developed between Sam Maxwell

0:24:540:24:56

and Josh Taylor is a healthy rivalry.

0:24:560:24:59

You know, they push each tremendously hard in training.

0:24:590:25:02

If I see Josh training hard, I think,

0:25:020:25:04

"I want to train as hard as him."

0:25:040:25:05

If he's winning the runs, I want to, next time on a run,

0:25:050:25:08

-I want to try and beat Josh.

-We're great friends,

0:25:080:25:10

but then, obviously, it turns into, "I want to win",

0:25:100:25:13

because we're in the sport to win.

0:25:130:25:15

In the ring, we're taking no... No mercy, as they say.

0:25:150:25:19

You change lives coming up here and it's nice to watch them grow,

0:25:190:25:22

as people and as boxers.

0:25:220:25:24

Time. Let's go, come on.

0:25:240:25:27

-SAM:

-My dad passed away and all my mum's family are from Liverpool,

0:25:270:25:30

so we moved from London to Liverpool

0:25:300:25:31

so we could be around all the family,

0:25:310:25:33

cos Mum was only young and she was left with three kids

0:25:330:25:37

and we were all under ten, and my little sister wasn't even born yet.

0:25:370:25:40

My cousin was part of a boxing gym, and he said,

0:25:400:25:42

"Why don't you try boxing?"

0:25:420:25:44

I fell in love with boxing.

0:25:440:25:45

My coach, he was like a father figure, a role model, a friend.

0:25:450:25:48

When I first came in, he could see I had talent,

0:25:480:25:50

but I had a lot of, like, anger in me and stuff like that,

0:25:500:25:53

and boxing just helped to...

0:25:530:25:55

He said boxing helped me get the discipline I needed

0:25:550:25:57

to channel that aggression into boxing and performing.

0:25:570:26:01

These three guys have applied themselves,

0:26:010:26:03

they're good lads, they've got a good attitude.

0:26:030:26:05

JACK: When I'm training, I'm thinking about maybe getting that gold medal,

0:26:070:26:10

and if I don't put the sacrifice in in training, then it's not going to happen.

0:26:100:26:13

I'd just like to see them fulfil their potential,

0:26:130:26:16

because when they're boxing and firing on all cylinders,

0:26:160:26:18

it's a joy to watch, all of them.

0:26:180:26:21

The Olympic journey is a four-year cycle

0:26:250:26:27

that requires a deep determination.

0:26:270:26:30

Our young boxers are being carefully nurtured every step of the way.

0:26:320:26:35

Christine has achieved so much, yet remains so focused.

0:26:360:26:40

Her desire to share her love of sport is inspiring in itself.

0:26:400:26:43

And the Finn boys are unwavering in their commitment,

0:26:460:26:49

even though their journey may end in disappointment.

0:26:490:26:51

If you've been inspired to get involved in sport then click on...

0:26:530:26:57

You can also get in touch via Twitter...

0:26:590:27:03

Keep looking for that flash of inspiration.

0:27:040:27:07

We'll see you next time on Inspire: The Olympic Journey.

0:27:070:27:11

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