A collection of 26’ portraits dedicated to great contemporary sporting champions. Their name has become synonymous of the country and the discipline they are representing. The seven champions participating in the Olympic Games in Sydney, but the series is not geared specifically to the event.

We are meeting each sportswoman and sportsman on their own ground, in their own country, and find out how they cope with the pressure of competing on the highest international level. How they prepare themselves mentally and physically for each meeting and what it means to them to collect medals, break records. Some of them are considered living monuments to the glory of their country. How do they hold up to media pressure and how are they affected by failure?

To complete the picture, the series makes extensive use of footage of World Championships, Olympic Games, European or Commonwealth games to highlight the career of our subjects. And we go beyond the sporting interest to look at the private side of the champions. They talk to us about their beliefs and their hopes for the future. They explain what it means to represent the colours of your country.

The films:
ASTRID KUMBERNUSS, Shot-putting Shooting Star
HAILE GEBRESELASSIE, Ethiopian Gold
HICHAM EL-GERROUJ, King's Runner
MICHAEL JOHNSON, A Mystery
NOVA PERIS-KNEEBONE, Flame of the Aborigines
RONALDINHO, The new Pelé