大象传媒

When Sebastian Coe presented London's bid for the Games on the international stage in 2005 he was surrounded 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 follow them has resulted in tremendous access to teenagers from very different backgrounds as they emerge into adulthood and deal with issues ranging from sporting successes and failures to romantic ones.

As 2012 draws near we hear from Ellie - the face of the London bid as she dived from the Thames Barrier. In earlier programmes we followed her family as they made the difficult decision to move to Australia, with its plentiful supply of 50 metre pools and access to top quality swim coaching. Now she's firmly on course to compete in 2012 and has her sights set on a gold medal.

By way of contrast Tom Brown - who proudly carried the torch through the streets of London - has experienced several setbacks on the road to swimming success. His parents have thrown him out of the family home and have even secured an injunction to stop him returning. He is living in a bed and breakfast hostel and he must soon undergo a kidney operation which could keep him out of the pool for several weeks.

Danielle still hopes to dance her way into the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony. The Singapore trip having shaped many of her experiences to date, so much so that she thinks the main reasons she's made the semi-finals of Miss England is due to the confidence she gained on that Singapore trip. Meanwhile Amber, who first presented London's Olympic bid to the IOC in Geneva in 2004, is honing her basketball skills at an American University. She received a full scholarship on the basis of her ability but since moving there she's fallen madly in love and is even thinking of marriage.

Peter White catches up these and the others who inspired London's Olympic bid.

Producer: Sue Mitchell.