Olympic Hopefuls - Atlanta 1996

The trials and tribulations of our sporting megastars are well known but what does it take for someone to become an Olympic athlete?

To compete at the Games competitors have to achieve an elite standard before selection, which requires total dedication.

These Olympians are involved in sports that don’t offer its participants the kind of riches enjoyed by our top athletes and many agonise over sponsorship and funding. It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of the British team that went to Atlanta are dedicated amateurs who received little or no help from the Government or other sources.

As a result, there were compromises but these rarely manifested in terms of lower standards of fitness or preparation but on a psychological level which undoubtably affected performance. However, these individuals are exceptional talents and deserve recognition for their dedication and commitment.

The Centennial Olympics for the majority was the pinnacle of their sporting life and these portraits hope to reveal the tension, excitement and sense of expectation. They intend to emphasise the total dedication and obsessive attention to detail required in preparation for the worlds greatest sports festival.