Tokyo Olympics: Five documentaries to get you in the mood for the Olympic Games
- Published
The world's greatest sporting event is here. And, to whet the appetite, we've rounded up a few fantastic Olympic sporting stories available now to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Here are just some of the films you can watch now to get you in the mood before Friday's opening ceremony.
1. Gold Rush: Our Race to Olympic Glory
Jessica Ennis-Hill is just one of the many Olympians to give insights in this film
This three-part series is a comprehensive study of Great Britain's journey from the lowest ebb of 36th place in the medal tally at Atlanta 1996, to London 2012, one of the country's best ever sporting moments, where Team GB finished third overall.
Along the way, there are talking heads from pretty much every British Olympic athlete since 1996.
There are also insights from Prime Ministers, journalists and leaders of UK Sport.
It's a fascinating tale of how investment and commitment took Team GB from a group of part-timers to a fully backed team of world beaters.
2. Dina: Racing For More
Dina Asher-Smith talks race, fashion, beauty, soca music and eye shadow
In this 20-minute chat between Dina Asher-Smith and Clara Amfo, we learn quite a lot about Britain's fastest woman.
One of the first revelations is that her full name is actually Geraldina and she's named after her mum's childhood best friend.
She also talks about race, body-image, fashion, and dancing to soca music.
Representation for dark-skinned girls is important to her. On getting a Barbie doll in her own image, Asher-Smith says: "It struck me how few dolls I played with when I was younger, that looked like me."
She also talks about being shot for the cover of Vogue earlier this month and why she's proud of showing off her muscles.
"The body positivity movement speaks to a lot of young, muscular, black women."
There's lots more in the film about George Floyd and race politics in sport and we learn that she loves to dance to soca music on race day and has bought loads of eye shadow for Tokyo.
Plus, after Tokyo, she plans to go away and "live my best life. Best - in capital letters, bold, italic."
3. Jade Jones: Fighting For Gold
'We're all fighters, I just do it for a living'
This is a really warm, inspiring insight into the life and background of double Olympic gold medal Taekwondo champion Jade Jones.
Going back to her hometown of Flint, North Wales, Jade introduces us to her large family - or 'Team Crazy' - as they dub themselves.
Jones explains that says she's inherited a lot of her fighting spirit from them: "We're all fighters, I just do it for a living," she says.
Her father, Gary, in particular, makes an impression in the film. His parenting style keeps her grounded and hard-working - involving, for instance, taking Jade out picking up scrap metal and doing a spot of cockle-picking with him.
4. Helen Glover: The Mother of All Comebacks
'I think it's going to be one of the best things I've achieved,' Glover says on making Tokyo 2020
Four years and three babies after Helen Glover decided to quit rowing, she's going to another Olympics.
Glover is already a double Olympic gold winner, triple world champion, quintuple World Cup and quadruple European champion.
But this time is different - mainly because she's now a mother of three.
The film charts her journey from deciding to get back into rowing during lockdown to getting selected for Team GB at Tokyo.
There are moments during filming when her speech is slurred because she's so tired.
"I think it's going to be one of the best things I've achieved," Glover says, in one emotional scene.
5. Adam Peaty: Beneath The Surface
'In my head, I would rather die than lose'
Adam Peaty became Olympic champion aged 21 at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. This year, he'll be swimming like he's being chased. "I've had a target on my back for the last six, seven years," he says.
This mini documentary takes us inside Peaty's home and into his daily training schedule.
The abiding sense is of someone very determined to win.
"In my head, I would rather die than lose."
By his own admission though, being a young father has forced him to introduce a bit more balance into his life. Only a bit…
"I want to prove that you can be a dad and you can be the best."
Gold Rush: How Britain's Olympic dreams were rebuilt after a disappointing 1996
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