Day 7 BBC Two: 13.00-13.45 Olympics

It is the beat. There is always the beat. From the nervous heart, it

begins, and wondering moments before. Then it is the rate of heart

stroke lifted. The beat is the River motorboat.

Through swings and calls of the water, it is the steady heart

breathing of you alone and others around. It is the beat that others

torments. It seems to never end. The beat that takes you to exhaustion.

Then, further still. Dig deeper and pull harder, until lungs close,

muscles fail and legs are on fire. Until you think you cannot find any

more. That is when you must, for there is always the beat. Time

overtime overtime again until finally it ends. And the noise of

the world outside comes in. COMMENTATOR: They've done it,

they've done it. Olympic champions and the crowd are going mad. Relief,

exhaustion and triumph. Hello, and it's that relentless rhythm that

will hypnotise us today, with the women's pair and the men's four the

standout attractions in the rowing finals at Lagoa today. It is they

seven already, is it really a week ago since that Rio opening ceremony?

When you think about it, it should be a golden day but it is not

exactly a golden day on the weather front because it has been absolutely

lashing with rain all this morning, but mercifully that means it's very

calm and very still and perfect for the rowing finals. But it's going to

be a very busy day here today on day seven, because with the track and

field programmes starting as well, there are a whopping 21 gold medals

to be won here, on what is the busiest day of these Games so far.

They may be five years unbeaten but the only race that matters is the

women's pair final four Helen Glover and Heather Stanning. The champions

defend their Olympic title at 3pm. When it comes to succession

planning, the master coach is hoping his men's four can make it five

goals in a row for Great Britain, stretching all the way back to

Sydney. An action replay is what Jessica Ennis-Hill is after as well,

London's poster girl now is still the one to beat in the heptathlon. A

fascinating day awaits them and us. We will shortly get our first peak

at the jowl Haviland At 3pm, Glover and standing. --

Stanning. We will keep across the second event of four events on day

one in the heptathlon, the high jump, one of Katarina

Johnson-Thompson's best disciplines. The shot put and the 800 metres will

be coming up later in the evening. This is one of those days when the

big events all start to coalesce and everywhere you look there are

standout attractions. It's a really meaty timetable. So much sport

demanding our attention, but a fascinating problem to have. Rowing,

dressage, where Britain's Charlotte Dujardin and Hester are attempting

to retain the team title. Sir Bradley Higgins back in the saddle

with the team pursuit. When you've guzzled another energy drink we are

into the small hours for the swimming. At last count, Michael

Phelps up to 22 golds! How many does one man need? 24 is a nice round

number, two dozen committees stop on, and he has got to go is to do

that. Katie Ledecky could be the answer to Michael Phelps and she

goes in the 200 metres as well. This is not a day to be moving too far

from the television or indeed a device which is firmly and securely

connected to the Internet. There was an unexpected silver yesterday for

Granger and Thornley and we celebrated that, didn't we? But I

suspect that expectations are considerably higher today? They sure

are. As my mum used to say, a nice day for ducks, a great, great day,

but it's surely, could be, must be a golden day for Britain on two

fronts, in the women's pair and the men's four. They should both win

today? Yesterday we were hoping for a surprise and we got it but today

we don't want any surprises. The women's pair, so consistent, scared

us a bit in the heat but the semifinal was outstanding and they

stamped their authority back on the event and the men's four, whichever

boat they are in they are always winning gold medals. But the

Australians are looking good, so I think that could be an interesting

race between them. The four were in periods in their semifinal, weren't

they? They were, but though worthy Australians in there's any final and

they haven't met each other in this regatta. I'm impressed with the

Australians. I don't think there are a match for our guys but it's not

eight nailed on gold medal. -- it is not a nailed on gold medal. But in a

few hours we will find out. When you wake up on a day like this and it is

your destiny, it has arrived, I get the nature because of the six

individuals, they're not going to wake up and go, "Oh crikey, this is

the day". They're waking up going, "This is the day and we're going to

prove that we're the best". Definitely, they are very focused

individuals, three dedicated. This is their moment, this is what

they've been working for the last four years. If you win it... The

women's pairing is exactly the same as it was four years ago. This is

what you been working for, everything is stepping stones to

this date and they've been waking up nervous but also excited and dating

this is the day we've got to produce it. -- saying that. The semifinal is

coming up in an hour's time, can Alan make it through to the final? I

think he can, it will be tough but it's a bit like the women's double

from yesterday, they haven't really had a lot of good results in the

last four years, two years very bad, but slowly getting better and I

think he's shown a little bit of form, so actually getting into the

semifinal was good but getting out of the semifinal into a final, which

I think he can just scrape in, I don't think there will be a surprise

medal for him tomorrow but I can see him being in the final. Those are

our three races coming up in about an hour's time or thereabouts. It's

the penalty day of the regatta but a huge day for friends, family and

everybody involved. Matthew Pinsent has been out and about, seeing

what's happening, underneath skies. We have got fantastic access to the

athletes's area and the boating area here at Lagoa. The finish line and

the grandstands is all in that direction by about 150 metres and

then we come into the boating area and this is where all the boats are

stored on the racks. There aren't many of these that are left racing

for medals. We will be here and looking at the British crew as they

come together and have a final chat with their coach and carry the boat

down, get all the equipment ready down onto the pontoon and ready to

race for gold. We should also say as well that the

people in the boats obviously do the most work, but there's a team behind

them as well. It is Team GB and there is a lot of people involved in

sorting the boats out and getting everything arranged and getting

everything cleaned and ready. It's not just a one-man band by any

manner or means. Not at all. I've often said in the last few years, it

is why we are one of the best if not the best rowing team in the world

because our backroom staff are the best in the world and they give our

athletes the greatest chance stop. How many would then about here? Good

question! You put me on the spot. I would say at least 20, if not 30.

That costs money as well. People talk about the money and the budget

this sport has but it's an expensive sport. You've got people preparing

the boats, psychologists, physios, supporting them a whole host of

support staff that all make a difference. Have they got their own

nutritionists as well? They do. They probably won't be out here. They may

have been out for short periods of time but they've probably gone back

now. There are a team coming out filled with different roles. The

food has been the subject of much debate out here in Rio, as I'm sure

you been reading. The rain pours down but we hope it will be raining

medals for Team GB in the next few hours. Stand buy in about two hours'

time for the H gang. In the Spanish conquistadors led an

expedition on a journey to the sea. Their path was fraught with terrible

dangers, not least human, for Francisco and his men met a fearless

tribe, who chased them out of the jungle and down the river. And when

the chase was over, they told stories of the women. In perfect

harmony with a soldier's spirit. And so the greatest of rivers was named

after the Amazons, the Warriors of old.

The water is there's. -- is theirs. STUDIO

Yes, Helen and Heather have ruled the waters for the last 39 races, 39

unbeaten, but the 40th is the only one that matters here today. Chris

and Gabby Adcock going in the Mixed Doubles in Wimbledon. How difficult

would it be to play elite sport with your partner?

We train for six or seven hours a day, seven days a week. The tired

days are really hard to push through but we love it and we wouldn't

change it for the world are quite COMMENTATOR: History is made at the

Commonwealth Games, they win the gold medal in the -- husband and

wife win the gold medal in the Mixed Doubles.

You must spend, what, 20 47 together? Does it never gets too

much? A lot of people say that, a lot of people say, I couldn't do it,

but I think we're so used to it. We live the great moments together

which is just unbelievable but there are tournaments when we don't go as

well and it's not that it is anyone's fault and they can be the

times that are more difficult because we're both so driven and so

disappointed. When did you get together? Lily shawl training

camp... What goes on at Lilleshall training camp stays at training

camp! The first -- what is the first being you been -- you do when you

been away? A bowl of cereal! It sounds strange but we don't have

much milk when we're in Asia and we have to be careful about what we

have, so we will stop at the petrol station and get a pint of milk! Nice

place to come back to after being away for so long. Yes, we love

coming home. It's nice to be able to cook your own food and this is the

happiest place that we are after touring. You've done lately by

winning the super series tour finals. What does it mean in the

world of badminton, that win? It was a huge win, by far our biggest win

in our career to date. The top eight players in the world go there and

fight for the finals at the end of the year, so to come out on top when

everybody was there was an amazing feeling. Mixed Doubles badminton is

very, very open going into the Olympic Games. There's probably one

pair that our favourites but five or six below that they are really

fighting for the medals. You've got the title in the bag and Rio coming

up, does the preparation for this Olympics feel very different to your

preparation for 2012? It is hard for me to comment because

I did not have the preparation for an Olympic Games like Chris did that

I have the excitement that I will be going to my first Olympic Games, the

training is going well and we are coming into form. And being third or

fourth still an amazing time and we want to win. Coming home with the

medal is a dream for any athlete. Hopefully, if we play well, it will

look after itself. And those two, the husband and wife

pair are up against the Danish pair, they are very highly regarded,

Nielsen and Pedersen. 1:30pm -ish is when they will be on court. You can

see that via the Red Button and the BBC sport app is probably the best

place to get the live streams on offer. For we go to athletics this

morning, we will take a look back to quite a chore droppings start to

Great Britain in the velodrome. We had the world record from the

winning team pursuit is but if you want real raw speed you have to look

to the sprint boys. And close to 40 mph on two wheels. That is what was

achieved last night in the men's team final.

The final is just a few moments away. Philip Hindes will take off

and lead. And we are off! New Zealand are the world champions.

They were the fastest team in the qualifying ride. Can Great Britain

pull it out here and will it be a blistering first lap? That is as

good as you can ever ask for. Calum Spinner managed to get on. He was

beautifully poised to take over. Jason Kenny hands over. It is so, so

close. It is Calum Skinner against Dawkins. He will claim the gold

medal here in Rio! And the gold medal goes to Great Britain! The

Olympic champions again! Calum Skinner brings it home for Great

Britain. What a ride, what a start to this velodrome campaign in Rio in

2016. It is a golden start for Great Britain and for the third time in a

row of a gold medallists and Olympic champions in the men's team sprint

and that would be a surprise to everybody else because Britain have

not won a medal at the World Championships since they won in the

Olympics four years ago. Cold backroads and Callum Skinner had all

but pressure on him and he has been the man who was behind. It was all

on him. He was the one who had to improve and he has delivered a gold

medal today. What a fantastic lap from Philip Hindes. The most

consistent starter in the world. This is a one time in your career

when the pressure is on. When the pressure was at its highest he

produced the best performance of all. They all did. And Olympic

champions! It all has to come right at the same

time. The three men on the track at the right minute and it did today

for Great Britain, not once, not twice but three times. It means they

are Olympic champions. It is a sign of things to come, I think. There

must be lots of people thinking, oh, no, not again, because the British

seem to have got it just right again for this Olympic Games.

Huge congratulations. Philip Hindes, your second gold medal at an Olympic

Games, it is the perfect start? It is unbelievable. No one would have

expected that after the world champion performance but we always

believed in each other and we really stepped up as a team. I am so proud

of those guys. I am just over the mood and so happy to have won the

gold. It is fantastic. Jason Kenny, your fourth Olympic gold medal and

according to Chris Hoy you could pick up another couple this week.

Yes, really happy. Obviously, it was really special today. Like Phil said

we were not sure coming into it so it was great to come together. How

confident did you feel when you entered that final having seen the

times that were laid down? The Kiwis went really fast in the semifinal.

To be honest with you, I thought when we went into the final we were

relying on them falling to bits a bit but they didn't and we went out

and beat them. I am really proud and really happy.

What about this guy coming into it, Callum Skinner. All the hard work

has paid off? It was not easy. To come here and be Olympic champion is

incredible. We have been working so hard. As I say, it has not been an

easy road. I have been training day in, day out to keep up with these

boys and I think we managed it today.

Many congratulations, thank you. Much of the attention rightly

centring on Callum Skinner in the Chris Hoy role. As you heard from

Gill, Jason Kenny is quietly sneaking into the all-time great

ranks. Four gold medals and you have the likes of Sir Ben Ainslie and Sir

Matthew Pinsent and Sir Bradley Wiggins, of course an four. On five

you have Sir Steve Redgrave, I'm getting my Sirs mixed up now! And

then Sir Chris Hoy is top of the Pops on six gold medals. As Chris

says, he is getting mighty close and might even get onto the level

pegging stakes here. Now, Sir Bradley is going for his fifth gold

medal this evening and Sir Chris has been having a quiet word with him.

All right, mate? Good to see you. I might carry on! Bradley Wiggins is

the Olympic champion! 1995, I remember watching you here for the

first time. You were a typical teenager, quite gangly, long arms

and legs, a little bit awkward, no offence. And then you got onto a

bike and everyone said, this kid is going somewhere. Did you believe you

would achieve what you have? It is easy to look back now and say, I

always knew I would, but I have no other thought process at the time

other than this is what I am going to do, I will go to the Olympics in

2000, I want to ride the Tour de France, I want to win the yellow

jersey and I want to be a pro cyclist. I was either completely

stupid or delusional! Fortunately, I have done that. I don't know what my

mum was thinking! What was your experience in Sydney? What was it

like, your first Olympics? That was mind blowing. Even today, it gives

me goose bumps thinking about it. The medal will go to Great Britain.

I remember thinking, I am 26 years old and I have got a gold medal.

Whatever happens in my life, I can say, I have got an Olympic medal.

Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain will be the Olympic champion! He

wins the gold medal! The tears come. I have not cried since. That is how

emotional I was. You only get one shot every four years. This was your

shot to stardom in Beijing? I was trying to win three, come back to

the village, chuck it in a drawer and forget about it and the next

eight was the team pursuit, chuck it in the draw. Then it came to the

Madison and I was emptied by then and we lost it. That is believing

point you leave the Games on, this huge disappointment. How could you

not have been elated when you won two gold medals. You won three! In

2012, what were your main memories? The overriding memory is the time

trial in London. All year I had not given much thought to the Olympics.

I thought I would have to sacrifice the Olympics to focus on the Tour de

France. I won the Tour de France and then 12 days they do went to the

Olympics. I knew I just had to execute the race. Here comes Bradley

Wiggins, the winner of the Tour de France! I said it is never going to

get any better than this. Dave was behind me saying calm down, you can

do other things. I said, Dave, it is not going to get any better! It was

incredible. Could you enjoy it afterwards or was it to manic? No, I

enjoyed it. I had bodyguards, the Metropolitan Police following me

around. A chauffeur car that was there all week. I was hanging out

with rock stars. Then I said, I had better go home and go back to

reality. It was when I went home I thought, I want it all to stop now.

I realised you could not turn it off like a switch. Subsequently, I had a

massive dip that summer. I always wanted to come back to the track so

I started coming back in here. Do you still have the same confidence

that you had after the world's in London? I believe in the group, I

believe in what the guys are doing. Man for man, I cannot see anyone

around the world who can beat my team. How much is the motivation the

thought of becoming the most decorated Olympian? Not so much, to

be honest with you. That has never been it. I was thought five times

Olympic champion is a good number. Better than six!

Four years of working and waiting for Katarina and Jess. Seven days of

waiting for our athletics team and finally, the track and field is

about to get under way. They have been pacing up and down the warm up

track for the last seven days. We can officially say welcome to Gabby.

It is great to be here. I was so excited I could hardly sleep last

night. It is the start of the athletics programme. Nine days of

those who want to run faster, jump higher and throw further and faster

than anyone else. On the first morning, you can feel, amongst our

team certainly, Denisa Allertova or alongside me, we are so blessed that

we start our programme with the start of the heptathlon -- do Denise

and Colin or alongside me. We have Katarina Johnson-Thompson and

Jessica Ennis-Hill and let's not forget the ant- eating who will be

pushing them all the way. For the first time ever let's not forget a

medal race has been put in the morning and we have the incredible

42-year-old Jo Pavey -- Brianne Theisen Eaton will be pushing them.

Denise, I know you are like me, unable to sleep last night. It was a

restless night last night but very exciting. The prospect of having

potentially two British women on the podium, barring any disasters is

just thrilling. How often can you post that in any games went two

British women are on a podium. What is it like when you wake up, Colin,

and you know this is your day, two days of gruelling, credibly mentally

and physically draining sport? Everyone who has trained hard and

prepared themselves, when they get here, they know they've arrived and

they have to feel what they're of delivering. Those two athletes are

hungry. Jessica has already won and Katarina Johnson-Thompson knows what

she can do but she is coming off a failure from last time. Remember, a

failure is very difficult to deal with and this is her real

opportunity to turn that around. It's going to be a hard competition

and I'm really looking forward to it. What a year she's had, Katarina

Johnson-Thompson. She is more than cable of being a world-class jumper,

let alone the heptathlon. We start with the hurdles, an event which

Jess is world class her event in -- her hurdles time would have got her

fourth in the actual hurdles race. Their strengths are quite similar

but in the running events in particular, there's not much in it.

But the hurdles is one of Jessica's strengths. She has set that

incredible world record in heptathlon of 12.50 four. And the

Anniversary Games really was a must win for her that I must run under 13

seconds again and she achieved that, so she needs that confidence going

into this first event, stamp authority on it. They are incredibly

poised and balanced in terms of the events, they both have their

strengths and weaknesses, obviously, but the most dutiful scenario would

be that it all comes down to an 800-metre foot race, go for it,

whoever crosses the line first. Let's look at their personal bests

and where their strengths and weaknesses are and where Denise

thinks this can be won and lost. As I said, they're very similar in

ain't lot of ways. You give the nod to Jess in those hurdles. That

staggering time I just mentioned. Look at the high jump, very similar

indeed. This is one of those must nail events with those two girls.

The differences really start to appear in the throes, both shot put

and javelin art arguably Jess's strengths and Katerina's weaknesses.

She needs to get close to her personal bests to stay in contention

in this heptathlon. A mouthwatering prospect for us in the 800 because

there is nothing in it in that last event and if we are in a situation

where one of those girls had to run for that gold medal, I wouldn't want

to call it. We mustn't forget the other world-class heptathlete but

she did seem to shrivel in the aura of Jessica Ennis-Hill last time. She

is a good few seconds personal best behind those girls but still a

decent 800-metre runner, but it would be absolutely fascinating.

First of all, Jess had to get off to a really good start. She's drawn in

the lane next to Brianne Theisen-Eaton. She will want to come

away with one of the fastest times in the heats in these games because

she knows it's an established. You've got to put them to bed and

nail them because it sets you up. They've been waiting agonisingly a

long time to get going and this is the event for her, where he needs to

make a difference. While we chat on, Colin, your commentating on that.

Can you discreetly leave the studio and tennis and I will go through it

a bit more what will unfold over the next two days. It will obviously be

the aim of Jess to finish the hurdles strong before she goes into

the next competition. Cat needs to be finishing top dog in the jumps.

She does. The beauty of this event is that you can't predict what will

happen. These girls know they have to stay close to their personal

bests. We mentioned Brianne Theisen-Eaton there but she doesn't

have any power strengths that really jumped out on the page but because

she has no weaknesses, she's very steady throughout those seven events

and that is where she comes into play. How much of an advantage do

you think it is that both Olympic champion' Jess, Kat was very naive

in London but she has had Olympic experience now. 19 in London and now

she's been two World Championships and I think she needs to really

mature a lot more in these championships. We want to see her

rise and it's going to be good. Right on cue before we head over to

the first of the hurdles heats, the rain is coming down, Steve Cram.

Good morning and welcome to the Rio athletics programme!

COMMENTATOR: Good morning, everybody, good morning everybody at

home and as Gaby says Dummer just make us feel at home, it's. That

persistent drizzle... It's going to make things a little more tricky for

this first event, the 100-metre hurdles in the habitat on. The

bright colours of Rio welcoming everybody to the stadium this

morning. The flags waiting to be raised after two days of competition

right behind where these athletes are lining up. The three stanchions

where the flags will be raised to determine the medals.

An enthralling two days of competition, I'm sure. Katarina

Johnson-Thompson goes in heat three and Jessica Ennis-Hill and Brianne

Theisen-Eaton in four. They are seeded to their ability in this

particular event. Tadic, in lane three, recently won a

bronze medal and a new personal best. But she doesn't get a very

good start at all, the Colombian, Aguilar, is going well. It is the

Colombian, Aguilar, having a very good race.

13.80. That is very close to her personal best and this will be

interesting for us to see whether the time that is given in the

stadium is rounded up or down. But that is a pretty solid start for all

three of them. Tadic's new personal best was set in those championships.

Brianne Theisen-Eaton got away bashed Aguilar got away pretty well.

You want the wind speed as calm as you possibly can because if you have

a strong tail wind it pushes on into the barriers. They don't spend that

much time... Looking at the way they are running the clock, they are

running down at the moment. The winning time was given as 1379. --

rounding down at the moment. They will be looking at how these

athletes are doing. They will know they are the slowest of the group

and they will be thinking if they can get close to their personal best

in these conditions, it sets them up nicely and the other ladies will

come in with a lot more confident. Good technique, though, by all the

ladies right at the top. They are still struggling to separate second

from third, it was very close. Zsivoczky-Farkas given the win and

that has been recorded as 13.7 nine. Not too many people in the stadium

permit must be said, a view British fans. Most already trying to hide

away from the rain. Pretty heavy rain for the athletes and ourselves

heading into the stadium on day one. We won't see too many they want

glitches. Good for the heptathlete is resting

between the events throughout the day.

Field events under way, men's risk is -- discus qualification.

One of 17 athletes in this first pool, that will be written down as a

12, sigh of 60 metres. He is a 66 metre man at his very best. The rain

has been coming down and it's just gone a little heavier as well. The

disc is the Rovers won't enjoy it, it may affect the qualifying

distance, but Nesterenko in the lead but first up, that was inevitable.

Labutov of Kazakhstan in this first round, just saves that with his

feet, bisects the field. No one yet beyond 60 metres. Labutov there

somewhere around 55 metres. The 31-year-old Kazakhstan Eve. National

record-holder for Kazakhstan. A bit of tension, the first morning of

athletics here. Tension in the stadium. Habitat Lunn under way,

men's discus qualifying, the women's shot to come as well. 55.54 there.

there is Laura Ikauniece of Latvia. She has actually run 13.07 before.

But here she goes in lane eight. Should be a class apart from most of

the athletes in this one, raced two. A reminder that Katarina

Johnson-Thompson goes in the third heat and Jessica Ennis-Hill in the

fourth. But this is how they line up in the second heat of the 100

hurdles, the women's heptathlon. Still a bit soggy, has it stopped

raining? I think it has, but some good athletes here who might feature

overall, like Nadine Broersen. It hasn't stopped raining but we

looking forward to some good times and I'm good athletics to start this

day. The faithful followers are in and carb loading for the day ahead.

The European bronze medallist a couple of years ago has been

struggling a bit this year. Nafissatou Thiam Full

Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Jessica Ennis-Hill and more to come. Join us

in a few moments. In fact, I would like to wish

everybody hello to those of you just joining us on BBC One here, we are

enjoying the opening morning of track and field at the Joao

Havelange Stadium. Habitat Lunn under way with Great Britain's

defending champion Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katarina

Johnson-Thompson just about to get under way. Those of you watching on

BBC