02/07/2016 Road to Rio

competition, Belgium. Wales came back from 1-0 down to win 3-1. Now

on BBC News, it is time for Road to Rio.

Welcome. I am Nick Hope. This is Road to Rio. One month until the

Olympics begin in Brazil. We have an action packed show. We have the

inside scoop on Dina Asher-Smith who is timing her medal dashed. We meet

the Downing sisters, who are hoping to make history and stand on the

podium together. Is open water swimming the toughest sport? Why is

this athlete confident of winning Olympic gold? And through the

keyhole and behind the scenes with the gigabits hockey team on tour.

All that and much more to come. Including who is in and out of the

reckoning. We began with athletics. One of the rising stars of written,

Dina Asher-Smith. -- Britain. 20 years old and about to take part in

her first Olympics. This history student has a proud track record.

Gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games means that she is no stranger to the

top stand of the podium. Her time last year in Beijing was a new

British record. Victory in the women's 200 metres at last month's

British championships secured her place in Rio. We went to Olympic

Park to meet her. After the British championships you tweeted I am going

to be an Olympian. Has that sunk in yet? Not at all.

LAUGHING. Maybe a little bit after the race. At that emotional. Tell me

it is a bit embarrassing. My mother was like, it is fine! It has and

sunk in. I have to physically get there. There is still a lot of work

to get done. So, no, it hasn't sunk in. But it has been a lifelong dream

and something I have wanted for so long. It won't sink in until I come

home from Rio and I think I did that. Is that where that emotion

after the race came in? It has been a lifelong dream. Definitely. Me

being me, I am known for not believing in myself as much as I

should. I am being honest. I have always thought, that would be cool,

but not me. I will see what happens, but I won't focus on it. When I

lined up for the final, I remember thinking, well, this is it. If I do

well here, this could be me. Then I crossed the line and saw the results

and thought, oh my god, I have done at! Was that a really good lesson

for you? Learning how to cope with pressure? Was that the biggest

pressure you have ever felt? Not the biggest ever, but the biggest I have

put on myself would be that race. I am quite relaxed naturally. In terms

of Russia with other people, I am normally good at getting away from

that. -- pressure. Before you tell me I will do this I still have to go

through the motions and run my race and anything could happen. For me,

personally, it was like one of these things, where, I was like, I want to

go to Rio. That was the first time in my life I told myself I have to

categorically win this race. I have to keep going and run and deal with

the consequences later. Watching my friends qualify, I thought, please

can that be me tomorrow? They were tweeting pictures of kitting out,

and I thought, I want to be kitting out! I qualify the day before. And

my friend is an incredible heptathlete. We have been teammates

for a long time. It is great to be joining her. And another friend,

Jasmine. She has an incredible personal best in the long jump. She

did it while I was running the race. I thought, oh my god, Jasmine and

Morgan are going, I have to go as well, otherwise they will have fun

without the! Nothing we have done so far has prepared us for what will

happen at the Olympic Games. Well, Dina Asher-Smith wasn't the only

British athletes to XL. In the last few weeks, Tom Daley and Katherine

Grainger have reached Rio as well. Here are the headline makers from

the last month. MUSIC PLAYS. Suddenly a lodge to be excited

about. Many in Brazil aren't as enthusiastic about the prospect of

the Olympics beginning in a month because the buildup has in, well, a

little the Arctic. Zika, pollution, and corruption at the highest level

of government are facing the country. Were a Davies is our man on

the ground. -- Wyra. They could be a huge failure. Not my words, but

those of the acting governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro who said in

a frank interview this week with a month to go that unless the central

government of Brazil bails out the state of Rio de Janeiro to the tune

of about ?500 million, $800 million, all of this could be for nothing. On

a sporting front, all of this is going well. This is the temporarily

beach volleyball arena where thousands of people will expect to

see Brazil win the gold medal. At that park, the much troubled

Velodrome has been handed over. The problem is that all of the

infrastructure in Rio is not yet finished. The crucial line linking

Copacabana and the south of Brazil to the Olympic Park will only be

ready four days before the games begin. That is how tight things are.

The concerns for Zika have gone away with assurances it won't impact

again. Though many athletes, oddly, many, golfers, have pulled out of

the games because of the concerns. We have also learned that the

multi-million pound anti-doping lab has lost its licence from WADA. That

is critical. There is so much influence from cheating in games

that the Rio lab needs to be up and running before August the fifth. It

is a mixed picture. In South America were used to things being done in

the last minute. It has been done well before. I am sure these venues

will look great on television. There are deep problems behind the scenes

and it is really touch and go before now and the Opening Ceremony to see

if they are ready for three weeks of sport. As he mentioned, several

golfers have pulled out of the Rio Olympics citing concerns about the

Zika virus's potential impact on their families. Rory McIlroy was

expected to be one of the best gold-medal prospects. But he and

Jason Day have both pulled out. The move has been criticised by those

who missed out. This squash player said it is a convenient excuse for

golfers, with gold having backtracked on a promise to have the

highest profile people playing at the games. Here are some who have

entered their selection in the last month.

Still to come on Road to Rio, we catch up with some archers to learn

about their emotional journey to be Games. And onto a Mackenzy and

people, we talk to the hockey team and the trophy news. -- and some

lads in the pool. Back in 2008, the British team were happy to get one

medal, and then had their best ever games. They will go to Rio intent on

thrashing that figure. The event in Switzerland was a chance for others

to take centre stage, including a pair of sisters. 14.566. Ellie

Downie. The second of the day. A brood of full -- beautiful routine.

Rebecca Downey! This year's best competitor from Britain! MUSIC

PLAYS. A great Europeans for the team ahead of Jelavic. Who best to

look back on the performance than the sisters themselves!

Congratulations on your success. Bank is the bite claiming that title

was a huge boost. -- Thank you. It was more the fact that we had been

working at it for a year and for it to finally come off at this point in

time was incredible. We hope to build on the momentum. This is only

your second year as a senior. Medals galore. Are you surprised by this? I

was surprised at the success I have had. Last year was just a huge

surprise. And then to get the World Team Medal and come back this year

and get another two silvers, it is incredible. It hasn't sunk in yet

what we arguing. You both have been looking on. -- are doing. I have

watched her whole career. That was from the first European title. To be

with her again as a senior this time was even better. Is there a rivalry

between you two? I have to ask. There is eight years between you.

One of you want to be top dog, I am sure. We are competitive. But it is

nice there are events we're not head to head on. The events we do a

different. We are both good beam workers. That may come in the

selection, and staff. But the ultimate performance and what

everyone is looking for is the team medal and we know we have to be at

the top of our game for that. Tell us about the squad for Britain at

the moment. We saw success at the European Walker. That was the best

ever. -- Europeans. It is growing. This is my third Olympic cycle and

its high favourites of us. After London 2012 there was a lot of

pressure for us to look at improving the women's programme as well. And

we could look at all the individual medals and wonder about it. We have

had psychologists, nutritionists, all these people and personal

coaches, it is a massive team effort. Everyone believes we can get

there. It is how can we get there? We just need people pushing and

pushing. Now we are here. It is time for Rio. Whatever team goes out will

be the best we have ever had. What is it like coming onto this team

with so much excess watching it as a junior and being amongst it now?

It is incredible. To go into competitions and think that we can

meddle with stakes like in the European, so it is good to be in it

-- medal. Can you sum up what it would mean to be able to get that

Olympic medal this time around, having missed out on one games and

being in great form? It would be incredible, it would definitely be

the biggest reward for the hard work and sacrifices over the years. The

team medal is the one people are striving for. Everyone would rather

that medal over the individual one because we are working so hard

together as a team and we know that we have a shot. At the same time it

is going to be hard. That is the big push and we are just going to see

what happens. Hopefully you can share the podium together. That

would be incredible. Good luck. Thank you. From athletes with

multiple prospects to one stating it all on one event, Jack secured his

place in Rio coming fifth at the open water World Championships last

year but is focused firmly on winning Olympic gold in what is one

of the toughest Olympic sports. I went to see how difficult marathon

swimming is during his preparation in Majorca. Open water and pull

swimming are very different sports. The race is ten kilometres for a

start. You finish in around two hours. In terms of brutality and

length it is there. Then you throw into the mix everyone is trying to

climb on top of you, hit you, push you back, under the water, anything

goes. Being kicked and punched, if they can't see it they can't

penalise it. And on top of that you have the elements. It could be hot,

cold, wavy, windy. We like to think organisers make sure there is no

sharks and deadly things, but jellyfish are fair game and you

don't know what you will turn up to on the day and that is why I love

it. So, Jack, I know use that open water is staff, but it isn't all

hard work. This is a nice place to come. Look behind us at the back

drop to this race in Majorca and we do get to travel the world and see

beautiful places and it is an advantage. Can this help with Rio in

mind, are the conditions what you would expect? Definitely, that is

one reason why we are here, the conditions. It is about performing

in Rio, so anything we can do to emulate what will be out there is

perfect. This kind of scenery and weather is key. Open water came into

the Olympics in 2008 but Great Britain achieved great things. How

much did it inspire you to think you want to take that route? 2008 we had

success with David Davis and others, it was medals the law. For me it was

something I looked up to and wanted to emulate and achieve -- medals

galore. I been working with open water for 15 years. I had David

Davies win an Olympic medal. Jack's biggest aspect is his thinking.

Whenever he has got in the port it has because he has swum great races.

He has set his mind set on winning. He has a very good chance.

Conditions here in Majorca really are as perfect as you can get in

open water swimming but they will be rougher in Rio with the pollution a

real problem and health risks associated with all watersports. At

Jack Jack Burnell is looking for any excuses. All I am here to do is

perform and win an Olympic gold medal, that is my only goal, dream

aspiration -- But. Any obstacles in the way in terms of the venue not

right, the water not right, it has no relevance of what I want to

achieve. Everyone else is in the same boat and is just a case of who

can swim fastest and I hope that is going to be me. You want people to

say this is Jack Burnell who could win a gold medal. Without doubt. The

pressure is something I feed. There is no second chances. It heightens

the adrenaline and gets the blood pumping and I can't wait get out

there. Two others looking forward to getting to Brazil are the para

archers. We had two big losses with Daniel Browne ruled out after

regulation changes while the silver-medallist from London El

Clarke has taken time-out of the sport. There are medals up for blood

-- Mel. You saw how high people were training and the passion they had

and I thought, I want to be part of that, I want to feel that pride.

Certainly when I started swimming in 1992, disability sport has a much

higher profile and it is much more accepting and people appreciate the

effort that people are putting in. We now have equal standing with

able-bodied athletes. How are things going? Are you pleased with where

you are at? Not really. I am struggling with a lot of my own

self-confidence. And I am going into competition and I am questioning

myself all the time. I know that four weeks away from the games with

the help and support I am getting from the national lottery, with

sport and Archery GB, I will hopefully, I am determined, to be in

contention for Rio. Sport has changed your life. Sport has become

my life. It has cost me a marriage. I am not embarrassed in saying it.

That was my drive, to go to Beijing. And I have gone to London and Del

Rio. So I have made my sport my life. I want to make sport, my

archery, about what I first came into it. What advice can you give to

someone like Jo, going into it for the first time? We were always told

by our psychologist to go into the games, and if you enjoy it and you

can take the spirit of the games, don't look at it as being

competitive that way and then if you can go forward and just enjoy the

whole moment of the sport, why you are there, then you just seem to

flow through it. You don't even realise you are competing because it

just becomes like a training environment. I would say to Jo to go

and enjoy the whole experience. Good luck to them. 1988 was the last time

a British Robbie Keane one Olympic gold. That was the men. The women

claimed bronze at London 2012. Both teams are looking to better that in

Brazil. Preparations have been easy. GB women scored some impressive

goals at the champions Trophy in London last month but finished fifth

while GB men lost to Germany in the bronze medal match. They insist they

can get it right in Rio. We went behind the scene is with the British

Men's Team to find out what life is like onto. -- on tour. Hello,

welcome. Behind the scenes look at gigabits men's hockey. I am Dan Fox.

This is our goalkeeper. Entertainer second. George pinup. Onto the

rooms. We get to share the hotel with all the other guests -- Pinner.

And unfortunately we all have roommates as well. This is dirty

washing. Feel free to... We are at the pool doing some morning

recovery. All the lads do their own individual staff. Some are late

because they have to minesweeper Locker. And he will bring his

goggles in case any coins have fallen to the bottom of the pool. I

enjoy swimming. It is good fun. Race? As you can see it as a little

haphazard and they will do a little of what they want but it is

essentially about getting moving without the stress of being on their

feet. Underwater interference and I think we are taking the mickey out

of him today. I think I started quite well. I think we will stick to

hockey. Everyone gets on really well which will hopefully help, along

with all the professional stuff we do in training to give us the best

chance of coming together and bringing home a medal in the summer.

You can see more behind-the-scenes action from the men's hockey team

including some outtakes and a ukelele on the BBC sport website but

that is it for this edition. We will be back just before the games get

under way and we leave you with a glint of the action to look forward

to over the next month on the Road to Rio.

We'll keep the cool and showery weather for the day ahead but it