Class of Tokyo 2020: The race to be selected for Team GB

It’s the greatest show on Earth – the pinnacle for many an athlete.

This summer sees the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics take place, one year later than planned because of the global pandemic.

But it’s easy to forget when you’re watching the world’s best athletes competing, that the Olympics is the culmination of a four – or in this case, five – year long race to qualify.

Around 10,000 athletes are expected to head to Japan to compete in 25 sports in the Olympics from countries all around the world, but only 376 will be selected for Team GB.

For a brand new BBC Bitesize documentary, Class of Tokyo 2020, we spoke to five first-time Olympic hopefuls and followed them on their journey competing for a spot at the Games right up until the point they found out if they had a place on the plane to Japan.

Reaching new heights

It’s one thing for an athlete to make their Olympic debut, but for Molly Thompson-Smith, her sport is appearing at the Games for the first time.

Climbing makes its bow in Tokyo and Molly was among the climbers challenging for an historic spot in Team GB.

But it wasn't set to be easy, with her place determined by her performance at the European Championships eight months before the Olympics.

The 23-year-old athlete has already faced challenges, battling back from a potentially career-ending injury in 2018.

Molly said she’s grown a lot after coping with adversity.

“I lost a bit of faith and hope, but it was my family and friends who reminded me how much I love climbing, what it meant to me.”

That renewed enthusiasm for the sport meant Molly was determined to get a place on the plane.

“The Olympics wouldn’t mean as much if it was easy to get into it, if it wasn't such a big thing.”

Can they kick it?

For just the second-time ever in Olympic history, Great Britain will have a team in the women’s football competition.

Team GB topped their group at the London 2012 Games, before losing to eventual bronze medallists Canada in the quarter-finals.

Nine years on and there was a prolonged and agonising wait for footballers from across the home nations.

Just 18 players could be selected for the final squad and BBC Bitesize caught up with Leah Williamson and Georgia Stanway, who were in the running to make the cut.

International football is no new thing for the pair – Arsenal’s Williamson and Manchester City’s Stanway both have 20 caps for England and were part of the squad that finished fourth at the 2019 World Cup – but they say playing at the Olympics would be a huge achievement.

Speaking before the squad was announced, Georgia said: “It's hard looking at the World Cup squad knowing that we had 23 players and that it’s now got to be whittled down to 18 including all the other countries that come under Great Britain.

“When finding out news that you don't really want, it hurts and it's emotional and you kind of deal with things in different ways. I've just got to make sure that I do everything so that come that day that I can hold myself accountable.”

Leah agreed that it was a difficult time waiting to hear if she'd got the nod.

She said: “You never know what's going to happen. So nobody can really plan. I think everybody's on standby just like I am and hopefully you'll see us all out there.”

Making a big splash

While Great Britain’s women will be searching for their first ever Olympic football medal, there’s a rich Games history for the country in swimming.

Team GB won six swimming medals in Rio in 2016, taking them to 74 in the pool throughout Olympic history.

Scott McLay is Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Youth Games athlete of all time, winning five medals in 2017 before representing his country in the senior Commonwealth Games the following year.

But making the squad for Tokyo is a tougher challenge still – with just 30 swimmers to be selected.

The places would be decided in a trials format – meaning Scott had to achieve a certain time or placed finish to qualify.

He said that type of competition brings big pressure, particularly as he was getting closer to competing.

In the run-up to the event, he said: “It's kind of tough and that's when I feel most nervous.

“I just get myself into that space and I know that I've done all the training for months and months up to this point. I have full self-belief in myself that I can do what I want to do.”

Skater Boy

Another new sport dropping in at Tokyo 2020 for the first time is skateboarding.

It’s more commonly associated with the X Games than the Olympic Games, but the sport was approved to be added to the lineup in 2016.

That idea took a bit of getting used to, according to Team GB hopeful Alex DeCunha.

He said: “It’s weird! It’s skateboarding, you never think of it as one of the main sports.”

The 24-year-old would have to compete with the best of the best in international competitions for a limited number of spots in the Olympic finals – but in the run up to the qualifying events, he said he was determined to give it his all.

“I’m so close to being in the qualification. It’s top 20 and I think I might be 24th. It’s up to me. I need to make sure it happens and I’m going to make sure it does.”

For Alex, Scott, Molly, Georgia and Leah, the wait to find out if they’ll get the chance to represent their country has been an agonising one.

You can find out how they get on in Class of Tokyo 2020 - a special Bitesize documentary following their selection journey right up to decision day, available on BBC iPlayer from Wednesday 21 July.