BBC Radio 4 FM

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

BBC Radio 4

Radio 4

Radio 4 (FM)

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 9

Children of the Olympic Bid: Series 9: Episode 2

Episode 2

Series 9

BBC Radio 4 - Children of the Olympic Bid, Series 9, Episode 2

Peter White catches up with youngsters he first met in 2005 during London's Olympic bid.

The East End youngsters who travelled to Singapore in 2005 are now living in all corners of the world and making decisions about careers, relationships and lives in their twenties.

In this programme Peter White meets up with Jessica Manning, a promising heptathalete picked for the Singapore trip because of her achievements on the track. She helped London unveil plans for an Olympics which placed youth legacy at its heart. But although she helped clinch the games, she did not carry on to participate herself. Her parents decided to move to Canada and a reluctant Jess followed them after her A Levels. Once there she struggled with the facilities and coaching team and eventually decided to swap athletics for greater involvement in the church.

It was a decision which has paid off when it comes to longer term happiness. It was in the church that she met Canadian broadcasting student, Conner, and after weeks of late night Skyping they finally started a relationships: "I knew in just a few weeks that he was the one. It was so quick, but we had spent so long getting to know each other before we went out. And then we started talking about kids and decided to get married. It all happened fast but we're really happy."

Peter also catches up with Lawrence Okoye, the rugby playing schoolboy who decided he wanted to turn his hand to the discuss and just two years later achieved a place in the Olympic final. Sporting commitments kept him away from Singapore, but in the run-up to 2012 Peter White followed him on an international training camp in America. Coaches there were convinced that only time stood in the way of him eventually setting a new world record, but almost straight after the London Games Lawrence made a surprising decision: opting for a career in American football and signing with the San Francisco 49ers. Not having played the game before, his first two years on the team have been a steep learning curve, but he's confident that his technique has improved to the extent where he can make a valuable contrbution when the next season begins.

Lawrence feels that the London Olympics placed the capital centre stage and has helped improve take up and participation in sport: "I just wish it came back again - it would be great if we could re-live it and it was definitely inspirational for young kids: if they had never seen some of these events they were prompted to try them and for those already involved in sport this showed what was possible. Hosting the Olympics has had a great impact on youth and the kids from that generation will be a golden generation in the future".

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Peter White brings together the 30 teenagers unveiled to the IOC in Singapore in 2005

Peter White brings together the 30 teenagers who were unveiled to the IOC in Singapore in 2005 in a bid to help London clinch the Games.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Children of the Olympic Bid

Series 9

Episode 2

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Radio 4 FM

About BBC Radio 4