2:09:26 > 2:09:33.
2:09:39 > 2:09:42Mountains like this fascinate us.
2:09:43 > 2:09:46It's a beautiful but hostile landscape,
2:09:46 > 2:09:48which offers so many challenges.
2:09:48 > 2:09:50For a few brave individuals,
2:09:50 > 2:09:53these challenges cannot be resisted.
2:09:55 > 2:09:58Our winter Olympians have to travel far and wide
2:09:58 > 2:09:59to find snow and ice...
2:10:01 > 2:10:03..but their commitment runs deep...
2:10:04 > 2:10:07..and their desire is unwavering
2:10:07 > 2:10:10as they take the next step on their Olympic journey.
2:10:18 > 2:10:19I've come to Stirling,
2:10:19 > 2:10:21once the ancient capital of Scotland,
2:10:21 > 2:10:24and known as The Gateway To The Highlands.
2:10:24 > 2:10:27It's also the home to our men's and women's curling teams.
2:10:27 > 2:10:29They're fortunate to have some fantastic facilities
2:10:29 > 2:10:31to train on here.
2:10:33 > 2:10:37Eve Muirhead and her team are fine-tuning their performance
2:10:37 > 2:10:39ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
2:10:39 > 2:10:42Eve is the skip of the current World Curling Champions,
2:10:42 > 2:10:45and they know a gold medal is very much within their grasp.
2:10:48 > 2:10:50Also on Inspire: The Olympic Journey,
2:10:50 > 2:10:52Steve Cram travels to Norway
2:10:52 > 2:10:55to meet cross-country skier Andrew Musgrave,
2:10:55 > 2:10:59a man who has given up so much on his quest for glory.
2:10:59 > 2:11:00I decided that the best way to get better
2:11:00 > 2:11:03was to come to the country with the best skiers in the world,
2:11:03 > 2:11:06to train with the best skiers in the world.
2:11:06 > 2:11:08Katherine Grainger meets John Jackson,
2:11:08 > 2:11:10a man who has come back from the brink
2:11:10 > 2:11:12to pursue his Olympic dream.
2:11:12 > 2:11:16Sometimes the results aren't great but at least I'm here racing,
2:11:16 > 2:11:19doing what I love best. And that's driving a bobsleigh.
2:11:20 > 2:11:23If you want to get inspired and try a new sport,
2:11:23 > 2:11:25go to our website to find out how you can get involved.
2:11:30 > 2:11:32It's rare to find British athletes
2:11:32 > 2:11:35who will travel to a Winter Olympics not just as contenders
2:11:35 > 2:11:38but as favourites for gold.
2:11:38 > 2:11:41Eve Muirhead and her team won the curling world title in March
2:11:41 > 2:11:43and for them it wasn't a surprise.
2:11:43 > 2:11:45They're dedicated to being the best
2:11:45 > 2:11:48and they're getting ready for what Sochi has in store.
2:11:48 > 2:11:49Just wait!
2:11:49 > 2:11:51Today's session, then, what's planned?
2:11:51 > 2:11:54Well, all four of us are here so it's going to be a team session
2:11:54 > 2:11:56and we've had a few tournaments just past,
2:11:56 > 2:11:59so we've a couple of things we want to work on,
2:11:59 > 2:12:00so we'll just be working on them
2:12:00 > 2:12:03and getting them good for heading away next week.
2:12:03 > 2:12:04So how far in advance
2:12:04 > 2:12:07will you tell them what you're going to do in the session?
2:12:07 > 2:12:08From previous competitions,
2:12:08 > 2:12:11we kind of all individually know what we're going to work on,
2:12:11 > 2:12:12so we kind of hit the ice
2:12:12 > 2:12:15and each of us kind of explain to each other, kind of,
2:12:15 > 2:12:18"Just remind me do this, remind me to maybe just
2:12:18 > 2:12:20"make sure I'm right out to my in-turn or my out-turn."
2:12:20 > 2:12:23So we're all pretty switched on when it comes to practice.
2:12:23 > 2:12:25And is it about, right now,
2:12:25 > 2:12:27just trying to replicate as close as you can
2:12:27 > 2:12:29a competition environment,
2:12:29 > 2:12:31- so that you get a chance to practise decision making?- Yeah.
2:12:31 > 2:12:33Yeah, exactly. That's exactly what we do.
2:12:33 > 2:12:36You know, there's always little things that we like to change.
2:12:36 > 2:12:37Nothing too technical, though.
2:12:37 > 2:12:39You know, you don't want to make big changes
2:12:39 > 2:12:41just before major tournaments.
2:12:41 > 2:12:43And you're going in as World Champions, as well.
2:12:43 > 2:12:45That must have another impact,
2:12:45 > 2:12:48another effect on the expectation from you.
2:12:48 > 2:12:50And the other teams must really be looking to you guys
2:12:50 > 2:12:51as the ones to shoot down.
2:12:51 > 2:12:52Yeah. You know what?
2:12:52 > 2:12:55It's a big target on our back, going in as World Champions.
2:12:55 > 2:12:56But if anyone kind of asked us,
2:12:56 > 2:12:58"Would you like to go in as World Champions,
2:12:58 > 2:12:59"or as mid-table?"
2:12:59 > 2:13:01You know what you're going to pick
2:13:01 > 2:13:03and it's going to be the World Champions, isn't it?
2:13:03 > 2:13:04So we're looking forward to it.
2:13:04 > 2:13:06We know how to deal with a lot of the pressure.
2:13:06 > 2:13:08We know how to win major tournaments now,
2:13:08 > 2:13:10so we're looking forward to it.
2:13:11 > 2:13:15It's fascinating to see Eve's composure and authority on the ice.
2:13:15 > 2:13:17She's still only 23,
2:13:17 > 2:13:20but commands the total respect of her team-mates.
2:13:22 > 2:13:24She's a great leader.
2:13:24 > 2:13:26She's got a very experienced head for such a young person,
2:13:26 > 2:13:28which is great.
2:13:28 > 2:13:29She calls a really aggressive game
2:13:29 > 2:13:32and she's got no fear, no fear at all.
2:13:32 > 2:13:35And we've every confidence in her because of that.
2:13:35 > 2:13:36So, no, she's great to play with.
2:13:36 > 2:13:39Just in general, she's a good all-rounder.
2:13:39 > 2:13:42She's good at making the pressure shots
2:13:42 > 2:13:43when it comes to it.
2:13:43 > 2:13:46I actually used to skip against Eve and we were rivals for a long time
2:13:46 > 2:13:49but you know what the saying is, "If you can't beat them, join them."
2:13:49 > 2:13:51So I joined Eve three years ago.
2:13:51 > 2:13:54And since then, I think it's gone great.
2:13:54 > 2:13:57She puts so much expectation on herself
2:13:57 > 2:13:59and she was so young, of course, in Vancouver, as well,
2:13:59 > 2:14:02and desperately disappointed to not come away with a medal.
2:14:02 > 2:14:05Obviously she's really channelled that
2:14:05 > 2:14:08into the kind of determination for Sochi.
2:14:08 > 2:14:11Have you seen that express itself?
2:14:11 > 2:14:14Eve will admit herself that they didn't put enough work in.
2:14:14 > 2:14:15And she knows that.
2:14:15 > 2:14:18And she went out and this...the past three years,
2:14:18 > 2:14:21we've really done everything we can
2:14:21 > 2:14:25to ensure that we're going to have the best chance in Sochi.
2:14:25 > 2:14:27I think we went back and started from basics.
2:14:27 > 2:14:30We know that every team out there are going to be tough to beat,
2:14:30 > 2:14:33so we go out there not expecting anything
2:14:33 > 2:14:35and I think that's one of the main things
2:14:35 > 2:14:36that'll help us in our trip.
2:14:36 > 2:14:38And what are you expecting of Sochi?
2:14:38 > 2:14:41- Because you haven't had that Olympic experience.- I think...
2:14:41 > 2:14:43The main thing is to try and just treat it
2:14:43 > 2:14:45like every other competition.
2:14:45 > 2:14:48Like we're just going out to play a normal championship,
2:14:48 > 2:14:50like we do all the time. But at the same time,
2:14:50 > 2:14:53it feels like we've got the opportunity of a lifetime,
2:14:53 > 2:14:55so we want to kind of make the most of it.
2:14:57 > 2:15:00Eve and the rest of the team spend hours training here
2:15:00 > 2:15:02and that hard work has paid off.
2:15:02 > 2:15:04Their success has proved that.
2:15:05 > 2:15:08So how do British athletes compete in winter sports,
2:15:08 > 2:15:11where facilities are limited and competition is scarce?
2:15:11 > 2:15:14Well, for cross-country skier Andrew Musgrave
2:15:14 > 2:15:16that means making a lot of sacrifices
2:15:16 > 2:15:19and travelling a long, long way from home.
2:15:22 > 2:15:25It's 7:00 in the morning and I'm in Trondheim in Norway.
2:15:25 > 2:15:29just 300km from the Arctic Circle.
2:15:29 > 2:15:32Now, I know Norway pretty well, I ran here a lot.
2:15:32 > 2:15:34And they love their athletics, they love their football
2:15:34 > 2:15:36but the sport that gets them up in the morning
2:15:36 > 2:15:39and which they're really passionate about
2:15:39 > 2:15:40is cross-country skiing.
2:15:40 > 2:15:42And the interesting thing is, at the minute,
2:15:42 > 2:15:43Great Britain has a man
2:15:43 > 2:15:46who's trying to take them on at their own game
2:15:46 > 2:15:47and I'm here to meet him.
2:15:48 > 2:15:51If you want to be the best internationally,
2:15:51 > 2:15:52then you've got to train with the best.
2:15:52 > 2:15:54And it's where you find the best - in Norway.
2:15:54 > 2:15:56I feel I'm half-Norwegian now,
2:15:56 > 2:15:59or at least they treat me as if I'm a Norwegian.
2:15:59 > 2:16:02I do skiing cos like it, not because I want to be a star.
2:16:02 > 2:16:04But it would always be a bit of a bonus!
2:16:09 > 2:16:12So why Trondheim? How have you ended up here?
2:16:12 > 2:16:14Well, I finished school in Scotland,
2:16:14 > 2:16:16when I was 18,
2:16:16 > 2:16:19and I had decided then that I wanted to be a cross-country skier.
2:16:19 > 2:16:22So I ended up coming to Norway,
2:16:22 > 2:16:24spent a few years learning the language
2:16:24 > 2:16:26and decided I wanted to start at uni.
2:16:26 > 2:16:29And I ended up coming to Trondheim because of the university here.
2:16:29 > 2:16:31Cross-country skiing as a sport
2:16:31 > 2:16:35is not a...a normal one for British boys to decide to take part in.
2:16:35 > 2:16:37How did you get involved?
2:16:37 > 2:16:41No, it's not the most common sport in Britain, no.
2:16:41 > 2:16:45But I ended up moving around quite a bit when I was younger
2:16:45 > 2:16:47because of my dad's job n the oil industry.
2:16:47 > 2:16:50And I lived for five years in Alaska,
2:16:50 > 2:16:52from when I was five until I was ten.
2:16:52 > 2:16:54So I started skiing there.
2:16:54 > 2:16:57But I was never any good at all at skiing
2:16:57 > 2:17:01and did really bad in the few races that I did.
2:17:01 > 2:17:03Moved back to Huntly in Scotland
2:17:03 > 2:17:07and just randomly enough there was a cross-country ski club in Huntly,
2:17:07 > 2:17:11one of the only two in Scotland, I think.
2:17:11 > 2:17:13And I ended up getting more involved in the sport through them.
2:17:13 > 2:17:16That's still a really big leap to make,
2:17:16 > 2:17:19to go from, you know, a sport which you're having fun at
2:17:19 > 2:17:22and to make the commitment to up sticks, you know,
2:17:22 > 2:17:25and move to a place where it's such a high profile sport.
2:17:25 > 2:17:29Yeah, it is. But if you want to progress in the sport,
2:17:29 > 2:17:31you've got to take steps to become better.
2:17:31 > 2:17:33And I decided that the best way to get better
2:17:33 > 2:17:36was to come to the country with the best skiers in the world,
2:17:36 > 2:17:38to train with the best skiers in the world.
2:17:38 > 2:17:41DISCUSSION IN NORWEGIAN
2:17:41 > 2:17:44Talk me through a typical training day, if you like.
2:17:44 > 2:17:48The morning will either be an intensity session
2:17:48 > 2:17:51with the, sort of, harder interval-type training
2:17:51 > 2:17:54or a long distance session where we're out for several hours.
2:17:54 > 2:17:58And then the afternoon will usually be a shorter session -
2:17:58 > 2:18:00strength, something like that.
2:18:00 > 2:18:02And which are the aspects of your training
2:18:02 > 2:18:03which you enjoy the most?
2:18:03 > 2:18:06I like intensity sessions where you feel like you're working hard
2:18:06 > 2:18:10and you get to the end and you're properly tired.
2:18:10 > 2:18:13But at the same time, I like being out in the woods for three hours
2:18:13 > 2:18:15and just not really having to think about anything
2:18:15 > 2:18:16and just being out in nature.
2:18:18 > 2:18:21My old coach, Jimmy, used to always go on to me
2:18:21 > 2:18:23about how every single training session mattered.
2:18:23 > 2:18:27And it's sometimes the most boring stuff that you don't see,
2:18:27 > 2:18:29this three hour run he's doing today,
2:18:29 > 2:18:31which is the most important. You have to do it.
2:18:31 > 2:18:35You can't decide, "You know what? Today, I think I'll have a day off."
2:18:35 > 2:18:38Mind you, there are worse places to do a long three hour run.
2:18:40 > 2:18:41We're watching you train hard
2:18:41 > 2:18:44but how are preparations going for Sochi?
2:18:44 > 2:18:46As far as I can tell they're going well.
2:18:46 > 2:18:49I think I'm...I've been injury-free and healthy all season,
2:18:49 > 2:18:53so everything's on track and as it should be.
2:18:53 > 2:18:55And how would you compare yourself to four years ago,
2:18:55 > 2:18:58when you went to the Olympics in Vancouver?
2:18:58 > 2:19:00How much of a better athlete are you now?
2:19:00 > 2:19:02I'm older, wiser maybe!
2:19:02 > 2:19:05But I notice definitely that I'm stronger
2:19:05 > 2:19:08and I think I'm faster and my endurance has improved as well.
2:19:08 > 2:19:11So I think I'm better than I was four years ago, hopefully.
2:19:20 > 2:19:23Andrew is committed to life in Norway,
2:19:23 > 2:19:25totally dedicated to his sport
2:19:25 > 2:19:28and has been accepted by the cross-country skiing community.
2:19:28 > 2:19:33When he come, we were a little excited,
2:19:33 > 2:19:37if he could beat us or if he was any good.
2:19:37 > 2:19:40But he proved very fast to be a very good skier.
2:19:40 > 2:19:43And he's a great guy, so...
2:19:43 > 2:19:46Thanks! Save that for the camera.
2:19:46 > 2:19:49So when you did so well in the Norwegian Championships last year,
2:19:49 > 2:19:54how did you manage to explain to all of your Norwegian friends
2:19:54 > 2:19:55that actually, back home,
2:19:55 > 2:19:58it wasn't going to make too many ripples in the pond, as it were?!
2:19:58 > 2:20:00When I was on the podium, it was all a bit of an uproar,
2:20:00 > 2:20:02"Oh, this British guy on the podium."
2:20:02 > 2:20:05And everyone thought I was going to be famous back home.
2:20:05 > 2:20:08But no, didn't turn out like that!
2:20:08 > 2:20:12So Norway has this fantastic tradition in cross-country skiing
2:20:12 > 2:20:15and expectations must be really, really high
2:20:15 > 2:20:16for them to do well in Sochi?
2:20:16 > 2:20:19Many countries are starting and doing well,
2:20:19 > 2:20:21so it's getting harder.
2:20:21 > 2:20:24But the Norwegian people want the same as always,
2:20:24 > 2:20:29many golds from the Olympics, and yeah, bring home many medals.
2:20:29 > 2:20:32And what about you? What are your expectations?
2:20:32 > 2:20:33How are you going to do?
2:20:33 > 2:20:37I'm focusing on the sprint, so I feel I should definitely
2:20:37 > 2:20:40be in the semifinal in the sprint in Sochi.
2:20:40 > 2:20:43And once you make the semifinal, anything can happen.
2:20:43 > 2:20:47There's lots of pushing, shoving, falls, people getting tired.
2:20:47 > 2:20:50You... From there, anything could happen.
2:20:50 > 2:20:51So you've got high expectations?
2:20:51 > 2:20:54You've always got to have high expectations
2:20:54 > 2:20:55but just got to see what happens.
2:20:58 > 2:21:01Andrew's dedication is already paying off.
2:21:01 > 2:21:03He's just won the sprint freestyle race
2:21:03 > 2:21:05at the Norwegian National Championships,
2:21:05 > 2:21:07a remarkable feat for a foreigner.
2:21:07 > 2:21:09He beat a field packed with skiers
2:21:09 > 2:21:13fighting for places on Norway's Olympic team for Sochi.
2:21:13 > 2:21:16We'll bring you all the news on how Andrew and our other athletes fare
2:21:16 > 2:21:18in The Winter Olympics.
2:21:23 > 2:21:25We just saw Andrew Musgrave there.
2:21:25 > 2:21:28He's got to travel thousands of miles
2:21:28 > 2:21:30to get the right training for his winter sport.
2:21:30 > 2:21:32I guess you guys are lucky, aren't you,
2:21:32 > 2:21:34having this incredible facility on your doorstep.
2:21:34 > 2:21:37Yeah, we are really lucky, here in Stirling.
2:21:37 > 2:21:39Three of us are based in Stirling and Claire's in Glasgow,
2:21:39 > 2:21:41which is only half an hour away,
2:21:41 > 2:21:45so yeah, we use The Peak, here, as our training facility, which...
2:21:45 > 2:21:47It's top class. Like, you know, we get the gym facilities,
2:21:47 > 2:21:49we get the ice facilities
2:21:49 > 2:21:51and we also use a rink in Perth as well.
2:21:51 > 2:21:53It's only 30 minutes' drive which is also great ice
2:21:53 > 2:21:55and it's good to practise on.
2:21:55 > 2:21:58But, on the flip side, you also, like Andrew and the rest,
2:21:58 > 2:22:00have to travel to get your competition.
2:22:00 > 2:22:03You're not going to get competition on the doorstep here, are you?
2:22:03 > 2:22:05Yeah, exactly. It's just part of what we do.
2:22:05 > 2:22:07You know, like, I would say
2:22:07 > 2:22:10probably four out of five weekends, we're away on the road.
2:22:10 > 2:22:13We kind of sleep together, we eat together,
2:22:13 > 2:22:15we...everything together, you know what I mean?
2:22:15 > 2:22:18Like, we live out of each other's suitcases.
2:22:18 > 2:22:19So yeah, we're forever on the go.
2:22:19 > 2:22:22Your Olympic experience from Vancouver
2:22:22 > 2:22:24didn't go the way you had it planned.
2:22:24 > 2:22:26It didn't go the way you wanted it to.
2:22:26 > 2:22:30And how that's fuelled the four year cycle since?
2:22:30 > 2:22:33Yeah, Vancouver definitely didn't go the way we wanted it to.
2:22:33 > 2:22:35You know, like, we went in there looking for a medal
2:22:35 > 2:22:37and came away with no medal, which was disappointing.
2:22:37 > 2:22:39And you know, like, it hurt a lot.
2:22:39 > 2:22:42Like, the few weeks after, your head's constantly going
2:22:42 > 2:22:45and you're thinking, like, "This is one chance in a lifetime
2:22:45 > 2:22:47"I've worked hard for two or three years,
2:22:47 > 2:22:49"leading up to these games."
2:22:49 > 2:22:51And you come away disappointed and it was tough.
2:22:51 > 2:22:54And you know what? When I look back there,
2:22:54 > 2:22:56you think, "Well, obviously I didn't practise hard enough,
2:22:56 > 2:22:59"didn't train hard enough, didn't do enough gym work."
2:22:59 > 2:23:02So those are things that we've really stepped up with this new team.
2:23:02 > 2:23:03It is very scientific now,
2:23:03 > 2:23:06the training and how much weight you actually manage to push and press,
2:23:06 > 2:23:08and what you're doing with your training?
2:23:08 > 2:23:10Yeah. Over these last few years,
2:23:10 > 2:23:13curling has moved on when it comes to the kind of fitness side of it.
2:23:13 > 2:23:15If you can imagine the stamina you need.
2:23:15 > 2:23:17Like, you could be on the ice for up to three hours
2:23:17 > 2:23:20and you could have up to two or three games a day in a lot of tournaments.
2:23:20 > 2:23:22And you burn a lot of calories out there,
2:23:22 > 2:23:24so we need to be physically fit for that.
2:23:24 > 2:23:26And as well, all the strength training we do,
2:23:26 > 2:23:29like the strength and conditioning, a lot of stability's very key,
2:23:29 > 2:23:32cos as you can imagine, you want to be as consistent
2:23:32 > 2:23:35- every single release and every single shot.- Mm-hm.
2:23:35 > 2:23:38So all these little inches add up here and there.
2:23:38 > 2:23:40- But yeah, the gym work is a huge, huge part of it nowadays.- And that's
2:23:40 > 2:23:44- stepped up a lot since Vancouver? - Yeah, it has a lot.
2:23:44 > 2:23:46And do you know, it's really good for me to know
2:23:46 > 2:23:48that I've got, like, three girls behind me
2:23:48 > 2:23:50that are willing to put in as much work as each other.
2:23:50 > 2:23:53Like, you know what, all these girls are 100% committed.
2:23:53 > 2:23:55We all train as hard as each other and it's great to know
2:23:55 > 2:23:57that we've all got the clear goal at the end of the day.
2:23:57 > 2:24:00For people that don't follow curling all the time,
2:24:00 > 2:24:03the skipper is really very, very important -
2:24:03 > 2:24:04both on and off the ice.
2:24:04 > 2:24:06And it is about Eve and the team, isn't it,
2:24:06 > 2:24:11as opposed to perhaps an equal weight amongst the four of you?
2:24:11 > 2:24:12Yeah, I guess a little bit.
2:24:12 > 2:24:15But you know what? They're just as important as I am.
2:24:15 > 2:24:18Yeah, maybe the skip does get a lot more of the kind of attention
2:24:18 > 2:24:19cos I guess I either win the game for the team
2:24:19 > 2:24:22- or I lose the game for the team. - So tell us how you would do that.
2:24:22 > 2:24:25Well, I have the last shot of the game
2:24:25 > 2:24:27and that shot is either going to come off
2:24:27 > 2:24:29or it's not going to come off sometimes
2:24:29 > 2:24:33and so you either get the glory or you get all the slack for losing.
2:24:33 > 2:24:34But, like, we're all in it.
2:24:34 > 2:24:36Like, each team member is as important as each other.
2:24:36 > 2:24:40Those girls set up for me and when we won the World Championships,
2:24:40 > 2:24:43that was an example of it coming down to my last shot.
2:24:43 > 2:24:46But if it wasn't for the girls playing such a great end,
2:24:46 > 2:24:48then I might have been left with a shot that wasn't as easy.
2:24:48 > 2:24:50- Mm-hm.- Do you know what I mean?
2:24:50 > 2:24:53CHEERING
2:24:57 > 2:25:01What was it about curling that got you hooked at such a young age?
2:25:01 > 2:25:03From a young age, very young age,
2:25:03 > 2:25:06my mum used to take me and my brothers along
2:25:06 > 2:25:07to watch my dad competing,
2:25:07 > 2:25:10like kind of dragging us along in the pram, screaming!
2:25:10 > 2:25:13And really, from the first time Dad gave us a shot on the ice,
2:25:13 > 2:25:16you know, it's fun. Like, you're out there on a surface of ice.
2:25:16 > 2:25:18And you know, you just want to kind of slide around
2:25:18 > 2:25:20and launch the stones up and down and have a laugh.
2:25:20 > 2:25:22And when you get some friends, as well,
2:25:22 > 2:25:24that are willing to give it a go
2:25:24 > 2:25:27and you get yourself a school team together for the school league
2:25:27 > 2:25:31and then you slowly get moving on to national then international level.
2:25:31 > 2:25:34- So at the start it's just fun? - It basically is.
2:25:34 > 2:25:38Like, it is. And I think a lot of girls maybe give it a shot once
2:25:38 > 2:25:39and then don't bother going back.
2:25:39 > 2:25:42Which, I think, that's one of the messages
2:25:42 > 2:25:45that we need to put over for people getting involved in the sport.
2:25:45 > 2:25:48Like, don't just give it one shot and give up.
2:25:48 > 2:25:52As every sport, it takes a lot to practise and get good at
2:25:52 > 2:25:54so go back and give it another shot.
2:25:54 > 2:25:56And the more you play, the better you get.
2:25:59 > 2:26:01Eve and her team may have a world title
2:26:01 > 2:26:04but never underestimate what an Olympic medal would mean to them.
2:26:04 > 2:26:08It's the same for all our winter athletes.
2:26:08 > 2:26:12Great Britain's bobsleigh pilot John Jackson's Olympic journey
2:26:12 > 2:26:15nearly came to an end in the summer, when he ruptured his Achilles.
2:26:15 > 2:26:18The Royal Marine commando has spent the last few months
2:26:18 > 2:26:20racing against time to be fit for Sochi.
2:26:21 > 2:26:24Katherine Grainger travelled to the Alps
2:26:24 > 2:26:25to see how his progress is going.
2:26:31 > 2:26:32Nice to see you again, Jacko.
2:26:32 > 2:26:35The last time I saw you was at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre
2:26:35 > 2:26:38where you probably were spending more time than you'd liked
2:26:38 > 2:26:40as part of the intensive rehab unit.
2:26:40 > 2:26:42Yeah, I got quite attached to that place.
2:26:42 > 2:26:45I spent quite a lot of time there this summer,
2:26:45 > 2:26:48obviously with the injury, and it's a phenomenal facility.
2:26:48 > 2:26:51And you know, if I'm going to spend a lot of time doing rehab,
2:26:51 > 2:26:53I might as well spend it at the best facility in the UK.
2:26:53 > 2:26:56So the injury happened in July. Is that right?
2:26:56 > 2:26:59Yeah. We were doing our normal training session,
2:26:59 > 2:27:00sort of plyometrics.
2:27:00 > 2:27:02So we were jumping over hurdles
2:27:02 > 2:27:04and off the last hurdle, we would sprint off.
2:27:04 > 2:27:07And literally the last rep of the day,
2:27:07 > 2:27:09it was...landed and as I went to sprint off,
2:27:09 > 2:27:11it just went "bang."
2:27:11 > 2:27:14I just absolutely obliterated my Achilles.
2:27:14 > 2:27:16So, the operation you had
2:27:16 > 2:27:18was quite ground-breaking by the sounds of it.
2:27:18 > 2:27:20The way that my operation works is
2:27:20 > 2:27:24I've got two little anchor points in the muscle just above the Achilles
2:27:24 > 2:27:28and I've got, sort of, surgical cables going down
2:27:28 > 2:27:32so now all the fibres are all intertwined with the cables
2:27:32 > 2:27:36and that's attached to three points, three pins in my heel.
2:27:36 > 2:27:38Once I'd had the operation
2:27:38 > 2:27:40and the surgeon was like that, "It's been a success,"
2:27:40 > 2:27:42I texted the guys straight away and I said,
2:27:42 > 2:27:44"We will stand together on the Olympic start line."
2:27:44 > 2:27:47And from that point on, I've never looked back.
2:27:47 > 2:27:50Your mental attitude determines how quickly you get back.
2:27:50 > 2:27:52If you don't want to be fit
2:27:52 > 2:27:55and you're quite happy to just mope around and be unfit,
2:27:55 > 2:27:56or whatever the problem is,
2:27:56 > 2:27:57you'll stay like that.
2:27:57 > 2:28:00If you're focused on getting back and you've got goals
2:28:00 > 2:28:01and you're the type of person
2:28:01 > 2:28:03who's determined to get back as quickly as possible,
2:28:03 > 2:28:05it is a big factor in it.
2:28:05 > 2:28:07There have not been any points where I've been like,
2:28:07 > 2:28:09"I don't really want to do this,"
2:28:09 > 2:28:12because it's like I've got no choice, I have to push on.
2:28:12 > 2:28:15I have to push on because I haven't got an extra week,
2:28:15 > 2:28:17an extra two weeks, an extra three months
2:28:17 > 2:28:20to try and stretch the rehab out to, you know, do it properly.
2:28:20 > 2:28:23It's like we've got to push, push, push, push every day.
2:28:25 > 2:28:27Where's the goal now?
2:28:27 > 2:28:28It's back on the medal.
2:28:28 > 2:28:30You know, we're back aiming for the stars again
2:28:30 > 2:28:32and that's where we want to be.
2:28:32 > 2:28:34We're here to compete, we're not here to take part.
2:28:37 > 2:28:39As the pilot of the bobsleigh,
2:28:39 > 2:28:42the responsibility for the speed and the safety of the team
2:28:42 > 2:28:43lies with Jacko.
2:28:43 > 2:28:47And although the tracks they race on are different all over the world,
2:28:47 > 2:28:50the one thing that remains constant throughout is the sled.
2:28:52 > 2:28:55- This is where I would push, as the driver.- OK.
2:28:55 > 2:28:57On this handle, there's a little lever in here
2:28:57 > 2:28:59that just releases the handle.
2:28:59 > 2:29:03- And then all this stuff inside here...- Oh, wow.
2:29:03 > 2:29:05..is where the magic happens.
2:29:05 > 2:29:07- This is what you control?- Yeah.
2:29:07 > 2:29:11So basically, as you can see, this is the steering pin.
2:29:11 > 2:29:14And it acts a little bit like an old go-kart.
2:29:14 > 2:29:17- Yeah, it's like a rudder on a boat. - Yeah.- We've got those.
2:29:17 > 2:29:18Yeah, simple as that.
2:29:18 > 2:29:21So the way to get in is from this position,
2:29:21 > 2:29:22you'd run, you'd jump...
2:29:27 > 2:29:28..in like so.
2:29:28 > 2:29:31- You've done that a few times. - Yeah, it's a lot of practice.
2:29:33 > 2:29:35What speed are you running when you take off?
2:29:35 > 2:29:3927mph, which is as fast as what Usain Bolt would run 100m in.
2:29:39 > 2:29:41And he just has to run in a straight line.
2:29:41 > 2:29:42He has to run in a straight like
2:29:42 > 2:29:45and I have to fit into a bathtub very, very fast.
2:29:45 > 2:29:46Even more respect now, may I say!
2:29:46 > 2:29:49Well, yeah, sometimes it goes wrong. Sometimes people fall off.
2:29:49 > 2:29:51And I've struggled getting in, in the past,
2:29:51 > 2:29:52and had one leg hanging out
2:29:52 > 2:29:55while we've been going into the first corner but...
2:29:55 > 2:29:56What happens then?
2:29:56 > 2:30:00- You hope that you get in before the first corner!- That you get in!
2:30:00 > 2:30:02Which is what happened. So, do you want to have a go?
2:30:02 > 2:30:06- We didn't agree to this!- I know. - You made it look really easy.
2:30:06 > 2:30:08- Yeah, it is. Just jump in. - All right.
2:30:08 > 2:30:11SHE SQUEALS
2:30:13 > 2:30:16- And the handle. Where does the handle come down?- That...
2:30:16 > 2:30:17There you go.
2:30:17 > 2:30:19Yeah. And then you'd just look,
2:30:19 > 2:30:21your eye line would come straight over the top there
2:30:21 > 2:30:23and you'd look as far forward as you can.
2:30:23 > 2:30:27And obviously the corner's coming at you at close to 90mph.
2:30:27 > 2:30:30- So if I lift that up...- Oh. - ..and you pull,
2:30:30 > 2:30:32you can feel it moving.
2:30:33 > 2:30:36- Basically, how you steer the sled. - Strong!- Yeah.
2:30:38 > 2:30:41As simple as the mechanics of the sled may be,
2:30:41 > 2:30:45driving is at speeds of up to 90mph is a dangerous business
2:30:45 > 2:30:49and there's a fine line between success and failure.
2:30:49 > 2:30:52- COMMENTATOR:- ...as they head on down. Oh, they're gone!
2:30:52 > 2:30:53Oh, my goodness!
2:30:54 > 2:30:57- In the Vancouver Games, you flipped, didn't you?- Yeah.
2:30:57 > 2:31:00When that happens, I assume there's nothing you can do,
2:31:00 > 2:31:02just you have to wait till the sled stops?
2:31:02 > 2:31:06Yeah, you've just got to cos obviously you're trapped inside it
2:31:06 > 2:31:08and you've got the weight of the sled
2:31:08 > 2:31:10and, you know, you're doing 5 or 6gs on your head
2:31:10 > 2:31:14rather than, you know..on the run is where it's meant to be.
2:31:14 > 2:31:16Crashing on the biggest stage,
2:31:16 > 2:31:17you know, it's never great
2:31:17 > 2:31:19but we're not here to worry about crashing,
2:31:19 > 2:31:21- we're here to worry about getting down fast.- Absolutely.
2:31:21 > 2:31:23And the margins are so tight -
2:31:23 > 2:31:25it's tenths of seconds, it's hundredths of seconds.
2:31:25 > 2:31:28- What is it that makes the difference? - It's hard to say.
2:31:28 > 2:31:30You know, one corner could make the difference.
2:31:30 > 2:31:32You know from racing, that's all it takes sometimes -
2:31:32 > 2:31:35it's just that couple of hundredths is the difference.
2:31:35 > 2:31:39And when you're doing 80/90mph, you're talking about centimetres.
2:31:39 > 2:31:40- Yeah.- And it is that close.
2:31:44 > 2:31:46With every hundredth of a second counting,
2:31:46 > 2:31:50Jacko's miraculous recovery and return to fitness
2:31:50 > 2:31:53was essential for Team GB's Olympic qualification.
2:31:55 > 2:31:57Well, he's the pilot of the sled, so it's key.
2:31:57 > 2:31:59Yeah, all the years he's had on the track
2:31:59 > 2:32:01has built up his experience to drive tracks.
2:32:01 > 2:32:02And that's what we need.
2:32:02 > 2:32:03We can't bring in somebody
2:32:03 > 2:32:06that's only been in the sport a couple of years
2:32:06 > 2:32:08to substitute for that. So that's how key he is.
2:32:08 > 2:32:09And he also brings that team together.
2:32:09 > 2:32:11You know, he's the leader of that team
2:32:11 > 2:32:13and all of the other guys look to him for that leadership
2:32:13 > 2:32:15so it was critical we got him back.
2:32:15 > 2:32:17We thought, "This is it. That's The Games over.
2:32:17 > 2:32:20You know, Jacko is the GB1 Pilot,
2:32:20 > 2:32:21he's intrinsic to the team.
2:32:21 > 2:32:23And so we thought with him out,
2:32:23 > 2:32:26he's one of the few people that's irreplaceable on a squad like this.
2:32:26 > 2:32:27You know, with him out, there is no team.
2:32:31 > 2:32:34It's surgery that had never been done on anyone I'd ever seen
2:32:34 > 2:32:36and certainly this is the first surgery in the UK
2:32:36 > 2:32:39that had been done in the UK on an elite athlete of this type.
2:32:39 > 2:32:41222. Hold it there, hold it there.
2:32:42 > 2:32:45To get something like this right, it's about a huge team.
2:32:45 > 2:32:48It's about an athlete that absolutely believes
2:32:48 > 2:32:50and has the determination that Jacko has.
2:32:50 > 2:32:53That tendon's looking good. It's elastic, it's strong.
2:32:53 > 2:32:55We'll get him there. We'll absolutely get him there.
2:32:57 > 2:32:59From the very first race, we couldn't believe he was running.
2:32:59 > 2:33:01We were adamant he was going to be sitting in,
2:33:01 > 2:33:04we were going to be pushing a big 110kg lump down the track.
2:33:04 > 2:33:05But there he was, running on the first race.
2:33:05 > 2:33:08So we knew from then it was going to be all right.
2:33:08 > 2:33:10Do you feel he's as good as he's been?
2:33:10 > 2:33:11Is he getting better all the time?
2:33:11 > 2:33:14Yeah, he's even better than he's been. It's really weird.
2:33:14 > 2:33:16I don't know what happened!
2:33:16 > 2:33:18He came back from his injury even better than he left.
2:33:18 > 2:33:20So it's really good and he's more focused on driving,
2:33:20 > 2:33:23his running's going really well and he's a lot more relaxed, you know?
2:33:23 > 2:33:25He had quite a big injury,
2:33:25 > 2:33:28which I thought would kind of ramp up the panic a little bit coming to the Olympics.
2:33:28 > 2:33:31But it's actually, you know, put things in perspective for him
2:33:31 > 2:33:32and he's really chilled out and nice.
2:33:32 > 2:33:34Not grumpy any more!
2:33:36 > 2:33:39It has been brilliant spending time with the bobsleigh team.
2:33:39 > 2:33:41They're a brilliant bunch of guys to hang out with
2:33:41 > 2:33:44and I've got much, much more appreciation than ever before
2:33:44 > 2:33:46about how tough this sport is
2:33:46 > 2:33:49and what an amazing challenge they all face.
2:33:49 > 2:33:51Considering the season they've had,
2:33:51 > 2:33:53this group is so upbeat and so positive
2:33:53 > 2:33:55and confident, looking forward to Sochi.
2:33:55 > 2:33:57They're not worried about what's happened in the past.
2:33:57 > 2:34:00They're focused purely on performance at the Olympic Games.
2:34:00 > 2:34:03And that's, as an athlete, all you need to think about.
2:34:03 > 2:34:05You know, at the end of the day, I've had a serious injury
2:34:05 > 2:34:07and I'm just happy to be here, racing.
2:34:07 > 2:34:09You know, sometimes the results aren't great
2:34:09 > 2:34:12but at least I'm here racing, doing what I love best.
2:34:12 > 2:34:15And that's, you know, driving a bobsleigh.
2:34:15 > 2:34:17If it goes again, it goes again. I'm not holding back
2:34:17 > 2:34:20just for the sake of, you know, my Achilles hurts.
2:34:20 > 2:34:22I'll push off and I'd tear my whole body apart
2:34:22 > 2:34:24before I stopped.
2:34:25 > 2:34:29Like Andrew Musgrave, John Jackson has that desire to keep persevering,
2:34:29 > 2:34:31no matter what.
2:34:31 > 2:34:34Making it to Sochi has been a battle he's fought and won.
2:34:34 > 2:34:36And John won't be alone.
2:34:36 > 2:34:39His four-man crew will be one of four British bobsleigh teams
2:34:39 > 2:34:42who've qualified for The Winter Olympics.
2:34:48 > 2:34:50Well, Eve Muirhead and her team
2:34:50 > 2:34:53were the first British athletes to qualify, back in March.
2:34:53 > 2:34:56They've been honing their skills, dedicated to their training
2:34:56 > 2:34:58for getting the very best they can out of themselves
2:34:58 > 2:35:00when it comes to The Winter Olympics.
2:35:00 > 2:35:02And I'm hoping a bit of that might rub off on me.
2:35:04 > 2:35:07So tell me what, today, perhaps technically,
2:35:07 > 2:35:09you are working on that I could, you know, pick up on
2:35:09 > 2:35:12and show people that it's so much more intricate
2:35:12 > 2:35:13than it might appear?
2:35:13 > 2:35:15You don't want to change too much.
2:35:15 > 2:35:16Because we're so close to The Games now
2:35:16 > 2:35:19and so close to all the major competitions, like, technically,
2:35:19 > 2:35:21you don't change an awful lot.
2:35:21 > 2:35:23It's just fine-tuning little bits here and there.
2:35:23 > 2:35:25So is just working on the, kind of, consistency
2:35:25 > 2:35:27for every single shot.
2:35:27 > 2:35:30I've got this in my hand, which may look like a Japanese flip-flop
2:35:30 > 2:35:34- but in fact this is going to help me, apparently, deliver a stone.- Yeah.
2:35:34 > 2:35:37So you're going to have to give me, Eve, some big pointers
2:35:37 > 2:35:39as to how to do this. So I'm right-handed,
2:35:39 > 2:35:42- so I would put this on my left foot?- On your left foot, yeah.
2:35:43 > 2:35:46- Is that about right? - That's about right.
2:35:46 > 2:35:47Push your toes a little bit forward.
2:35:47 > 2:35:50And you're also going to need one of these - a brush.
2:35:50 > 2:35:52- Excellent.- What position? - Is this that way or that way?
2:35:52 > 2:35:55You're going to hold the brush and back and then drive forward.
2:35:55 > 2:35:57- OK. So it's like a trigger? - Basically.
2:35:57 > 2:36:00I'm delaying this, by the way. You may have noticed, crew!
2:36:00 > 2:36:03OK. So, forward...
2:36:03 > 2:36:05Back. Grand.
2:36:05 > 2:36:07- That's it!- O-o-oh!
2:36:07 > 2:36:09THEY ALL LAUGH
2:36:09 > 2:36:11- Bye!- That was good!
2:36:11 > 2:36:14THEY LAUGH AGAIN
2:36:15 > 2:36:17- Yeah...- That was good for your first attempt.
2:36:17 > 2:36:19- Yeah?- I've seen a lot worse.
2:36:19 > 2:36:22- I want to do another one. Can I do one more?- Yeah, no problem.
2:36:22 > 2:36:24That's it!
2:36:27 > 2:36:29Nearly! Apart from...
2:36:29 > 2:36:31It's kind of getting there.
2:36:31 > 2:36:34- But slightly less...- It's actually a little bit heavy.
2:36:34 > 2:36:38- You...- Yeah.- You're going to bounce off the back.- It's coming out the house, yeah.
2:36:38 > 2:36:40Never mind!
2:36:40 > 2:36:43Anyway, guys, listen, I think it's probably a bit late for Sochi for me
2:36:43 > 2:36:46but that's...it's really great to kind of get an insight
2:36:46 > 2:36:48into what it feels like. Thank you.
2:36:50 > 2:36:53Maybe Eve's magic didn't quite rub off on me after all
2:36:53 > 2:36:57but the determination of all these athletes impresses me so much.
2:36:57 > 2:37:00They get very little attention in their home country
2:37:00 > 2:37:02but they're all so driven to succeed.
2:37:05 > 2:37:09For Andrew Musgrave, an Olympic medal would be a great achievement
2:37:09 > 2:37:12but his sport has given him so much already.
2:37:12 > 2:37:15He's pursuing his dreams and pushing himself to the limit.
2:37:19 > 2:37:22John Jackson has been through so much to get back to the top.
2:37:22 > 2:37:24When he lines up with his team-mates in Sochi,
2:37:24 > 2:37:26he'll be savouring every moment.
2:37:28 > 2:37:31And if Eve and her team stay strong, stay focused
2:37:31 > 2:37:33and believe in their abilities,
2:37:33 > 2:37:37then it will take a great team to stop them in Russia.
2:37:38 > 2:37:39If our Winter Olympians
2:37:39 > 2:37:42have made you want to get more involved with sport,
2:37:42 > 2:37:44go to...
2:37:46 > 2:37:48You can also get in touch via Twitter...
2:37:50 > 2:37:53That's it from us. We'll be back after the Winter Olympics
2:37:53 > 2:37:57with more stories of courage, dedication and commitment.
2:37:57 > 2:38:00I hope you've been inspired by today's amazing athletes.
2:38:00 > 2:38:01See you next time.