BBC Radio 4 LW

Children of the Olympic Bid

Factual: Life Stories

Sport: Olympics

Series following the youngsters who went to Singapore in support of London's Olympic bid

Series of programmes following thirty youngsters who travelled to Singapore in support of London's Olympic bid

Children of the Olympic Bid: Series 7

Children of the Olympic Bid: Series 7: Episode 1

Episode 1

Series 7

BBC Radio 4 - Children of the Olympic Bid, Series 7, Episode 1

Peter White catches up with the youngsters who helped secure the 2012 Olympics for London.

Continuing the series in which Peter White follows a group of East End teenagers widely credited with being London's secret weapon when it succeeded in its 2012 Olympic bid. 1/2.

Peter has followed them from their dramatic appearance alongside Sebastian Coe in Singapore, through their sporting triumphs and failures, GCSE's, A-levels and University courses, successful and unsuccessful love affairs, emigration, rows with parents, and in one case a brush with the police. As the games approach he finds out what has happened to them and those who live and train alongside them - from Ellie, the poster girl of the bid, who has now been selected for the British swim team, to Danielle, the dancer, who has been chosen to take part in the opening ceremony.

When Sebastian Coe presented London's bid for the Games to the IOC in 2005 he was flanked on the stage by 30 East End youngsters who represented the rich cultural diversity of their community. Faces of young sporting hopefuls appeared on billboards and the hopes and dreams they embodied became those of the nation. Radio 4's commitment to following their lives has resulted in tremendous access to youngsters from very different backgrounds as they emerge into adulthood and deal with issues ranging from romance to the direction they should take.

As 2012 draws near we hear from Ellie, pictured all those years ago as she dived from the Thames Barrier with the Olympic rings behind her. She moved to Australia, where better access to high quality training facilities, coupled with sheer dedication and talent, have helped her secure a place in the GB team: "Its such a relief, I've been planning this for the last four years and it's amazing to be able to say I'm going to the Olympics. I've been building up to it, I've been training to it and I'm so excited to have made the team."

According to her Mum, Toni, the combined prayers or relatives, family and friends across two continents, coupled with years of hard work, helped realise a dream first captured with her place helping the bid, seven years ago: "She's a London girl and she's made the London Olympics. Who would of thought when she was 12 and helped with the bid, that first of all London would get the Olympics and then that Ellie would make the team - it's like a fairy tale. For the little kids out there thinking I want to go to the Olympics, the message is that if you set your heart on something you can achieve it no matter how impossible it might seem."


Danielle will be dancing in the opening ceremony, her life having taken unexpected twists and turns - including the recent reconciliation of her parents, who originally divorced when she was just seven. Ashley has also experienced unforeseen developments - he lost his place on the third year of his economic degree course and Peter is alongside him as he copes with life on benefits. He has not, however, lost his commitment to the Olympics - once a promising 2012 prospect, injury put pay to his hopes of competing. He is now overseeing the Youth Ambassador scheme and encouraging youngsters to build on the 2012 opportunities, including funding and facilities: "Its amazing to see the completion of this fantastic Olympic project. "

Producer: Sue Mitchell.

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Peter White follows the youngsters from the East End who supported London's Olympic bid

Peter White follows a group of East End teenagers widely credited with being London's secret weapon when it unexpectedly succeeded in its 2012 Olympic bid

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