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24 September 2014
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Follow Britain's Olympic hopefuls in the second series of ´óÏó´«Ã½ One's documentary Olympic Dreams


With the 2012 London Olympic Games drawing ever closer, many British athletes have embarked on the long journey towards fulfilling their ultimate goal of securing a place on Team GB and winning gold in front of a home crowd.

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Revealing just what it takes for these Olympic hopefuls to make the grade, the four-part documentary series Olympic Dreams co-produced with The Open University, begins on 15 July 2008 at 10.35pm on ´óÏó´«Ã½ One.

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Building on the success of the first series aired in December 2007, Olympic Dreams offers an insight into the world of elite sport and intimate access to British athletes' lives.

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It looks at their gruelling training schedules, daily sacrifices, highs of victory, the lows of defeat and injury, and the pressure of coping under the weight of growing expectation.

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The athletes featuring in the series include diver Tom Daley; BMX world champion Shanaze Reade; Team GB Paralympic Wheelchair rugby team; heptathlete Jessica Ennis; table tennis players Paul Drinkhall and Darius Knight; young Welsh gymnast Venus Romaeo; GB Junior judo hope Ashley McKenzie; Paralympic dressage champion Lee Pearson; Team GB Women's rowing team; and the elite Team GB men's rowing coxless four.

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In this Olympic year, some of the British hopefuls are also hoping to qualify and make an impact at the Beijing Games.

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During the series the unique relationship between coach and athlete is explored, as well as the role family and friends play in supporting the athletes through their preparation and training.

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It also offers insight into the nerve-wracking rounds of selection and competition and the sacrifices and opportunities the athletes experience in order to earn their place on the British Olympic Team.

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Senior Lecturer in Sports Studies at The Open University Ben Oakley is the academic consultant to the programme.

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He says: "It takes about 10 years for an Olympic champion to develop – someone who is just the best in their field on the planet. They are very special people.

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"Someone who is going to win gold in 2012 will probably be going to Beijing in 2008, or at least knocking on the door.

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"Olympic Dreams shows how the athletes, and the people around them, sacrifice themselves for this unique opportunity."

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You can follow the journey of many of these athletes on the build-up to Beijing and throughout the games via ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport's Olympics website, through a combination of news, reports, video clips and regular diary entries.

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The associated Open University website at www.open2.net provides further video diaries from the competitors, extracts from The Open University's sports courses and articles from those in the field.

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Notes to Editors

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Preview DVDs are available upon request.

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Episode 1 – Parents/Parental Support, featuring Tom Daley, British diver; Ashley McKenzie and Willesden judo Club; Venus Romaeo, national gymnast from Cardiff

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Episode 2 – Sacrifice and Opportunity, featuring Shanaze Reade, Olympic BMX; Lee Pearson, Paralympic dressage; The Team GB Women's rowing quad

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Episode 3 – The Coach/Athlete Relationship, featuring The Team GB Paralympic Wheelchair rugby team; Paul Drinkhall and Darius Knight, British table tennis players

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Episode 4 – The Selection Debate featuring Tom Daley, British diver; Team GB Men's rowing coxless four; Jess Ennis, heptathlete

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Details correct as at 25.06.08 and may be subject to schedule changes.

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ST2

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Category: Sport; ´óÏó´«Ã½ One
Date: 26.06.2008
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