powering their way through to tokyo, 100 days out from the olympics in great britain rugby sevens women are hard at it. but the journey hasn't been easy. previously full—time professionals cutbacks met these players lost their contracts, meaning they had to return to the format of the game or look forjobs outside the sport. the format of the game or look for “obs outside the sporti format of the game or look for “obs outside the sport. the months went b . outside the sport. the months went b , and outside the sport. the months went by. and the — outside the sport. the months went by, and the uncertainty _ outside the sport. the months went by, and the uncertainty increased. l by, and the uncertainty increased. the olympics suddenly were inhabiting for a year, so we lost a bit of direction. and you could feel, is much as we were trying hard to keep together, there was a natural segregation that happened. the future looked bleak until a funding package in december allowed them to regroup and train through to them to regroup and train through to the summer's aims. to them to regroup and train through to the summer's aims.— the summer's aims. to be out in the sunshine now— the summer's aims. to be out in the sunshine now with _ the summer's aims. to be out in the sunshine now with the _ the summer's aims. to be out in the sunshine now with the direction - the summer's aims. to be out in the sunshine now with the direction and | sunshine now with the direction and that aim to get to tokyo deftly put smiles back on faces. this that aim to get to tokyo deftly put smiles back on faces.— smiles back on faces. this sport isn't for the _ smiles back on faces. this sport isn't for the faint-hearted. - smiles back on faces. this sport isn't for the faint-hearted. it. smiles back on faces. this sport

isn't for the faint-hearted. it is| isn't for the faint—hearted. it is played by seven on each side with seven minute halves, but on full—sized rugby pitches. it's all aimed at making it a quick game with plenty of sprinting and scoring. i plenty of sprinting and scoring. i could go 15 games and 80 minutes of having _ could go 15 games and 80 minutes of having ran _ could go 15 games and 80 minutes of having ran like a mile, then having a seven_ having ran like a mile, then having a seven games —— sevens game and running _ a seven games —— sevens game and running three — a seven games —— sevens game and running three miles. it gets tough at times, — running three miles. it gets tough at times, but we are living the dream — at times, but we are living the dream here. at times, but we are living the dream here-— at times, but we are living the dream here. , . , ., ., , dream here. five years ago, they merit democrat _ dream here. five years ago, they merit democrat narrowly - dream here. five years ago, they merit democrat narrowly missed | dream here. five years ago, they i merit democrat narrowly missed out on a metal in rio olympics when they finished fourth. but this time, can they go one better and fight their way onto the podium? i’m they go one better and fight their way onto the podium?— they go one better and fight their way onto the podium? i'm not a very emotional person, _ way onto the podium? i'm not a very emotional person, and _ way onto the podium? i'm not a very emotional person, and the _ way onto the podium? i'm not a very emotional person, and the pitch - way onto the podium? i'm not a very emotional person, and the pitch that stayed for rio of me crying on the floor and celebrating, it was heartbreaking and bittersweet. although as a whole, the expense was incredible, i definitely feel like i've left something behind that has given me the motivation and drive to push on. to given me the motivation and drive to ush on. ., ., .,

given me the motivation and drive to ushon. ., ., ., , ,., ., push on. to go to the olympics and can be on the _ push on. to go to the olympics and can be on the same _ push on. to go to the olympics and can be on the same stage - push on. to go to the olympics and can be on the same stage as - push on. to go to the olympics and l can be on the same stage as hussein bolt, _ can be on the same stage as hussein bolt, it's_ can be on the same stage as hussein bolt, it's such a surreal experience.— bolt, it's such a surreal exerience. , , . ., . experience. just been choice, the s - eedster experience. just been choice, the speedster with _ experience. just been choice, the speedster with a _ experience. just been choice, the speedster with a score. _ experience. just been choice, the speedster with a score. to - experience. just been choice, the speedster with a score. to get. experience. just been choice, the speedster with a score. to get to | speedster with a score. to get to potentially _ speedster with a score. to get to potentially do — speedster with a score. to get to potentially do it _ speedster with a score. to get to potentially do it again _ speedster with a score. to get to potentially do it again would - speedster with a score. to get to potentially do it again would be l potentially do it again would be phenomenal. this potentially do it again would be phenomenal-— potentially do it again would be henomenal. , , ., ., , phenomenal. this squad of 24 will be cut to 12, phenomenal. this squad of 24 will be out to 12. plus _ phenomenal. this squad of 24 will be cut to 12, plus the _ phenomenal. this squad of 24 will be cut to 12, plus the reserve _ phenomenal. this squad of 24 will be cut to 12, plus the reserve for - phenomenal. this squad of 24 will be cut to 12, plus the reserve for the - cut to 12, plus the reserve for the games themselves. players and i have three months to put everything on the pitch and make their spot on the play. the pitch and make their spot on the play- -- the pitch and make their spot on the play. —— the players now have. jo currie, bbc news. expectations for team gb in taekwondo are high. two—time olympic championjadejones is looking to make it a hat—trick of wins while her best friend, and housemate, bianca walkden is aiming for an unprecedented olympic, world and european treble after bronze in rio. she spoke to me earlier and started by reflecting on what's been a strange 12 months. i know it's crazy, the fact that we got told it was postponed and everything, but now it's alljust

come back around again and we are nearly here, and the countdown is on for the olympics. find nearly here, and the countdown is on for the olympics-— for the olympics. and how has your trainin: for the olympics. and how has your training gone _ for the olympics. and how has your training gone over _ for the olympics. and how has your training gone over the _ for the olympics. and how has your training gone over the last - for the olympics. and how has your training gone over the last year- for the olympics. and how has your training gone over the last year or i training gone over the last year or so? how has the delay impacted on you? has been positive, negative? that you? has been positive, negative? git first we didn't really know what to do, because as athletes, we are always in four year cycles for the olympics. then with the postponements, it's added on this extra year. we didn't stop, we just added it on — which is quite difficult mentally and physically, but we did quite well with the guidance we had in our apartments. we translated it into a little bit of a gym, but now we are quite lucky we've been able to go back to the gym and be with everyone else and train with them. is gym and be with everyone else and train with them.— train with them. is that one of your trainin: train with them. is that one of your training props— train with them. is that one of your training props behind _ train with them. is that one of your training props behind you? - train with them. is that one of your training props behind you? this - train with them. is that one of your training props behind you? this is i training props behind you? this is m aood training props behind you? this is my good old _ training props behind you? this is my good old friend _ training props behind you? this is my good old friend bob, - training props behind you? this is my good old friend bob, he - training props behind you? this is my good old friend bob, he just l training props behind you? try 3 3 my good old friend bob, he just gets kicked, that's it. my good old friend bob, he 'ust gets kicked, that's it. laughter. poor bob, — kicked, that's it. laughter. poor bob, he _ kicked, that's it. laughter. poor bob, he suffers - kicked, that's it. laughter. poor bob, he suffers a - kicked, that's it. laughter. poor bob, he suffers a lot i poor bob, he suffers a lot obviously. poor bob, he suffers a lot obviously-—

poor bob, he suffers a lot obviousl . ~ obviously. he never kicks back, that's the _ obviously. he never kicks back, that's the problem. _ obviously. he never kicks back, that's the problem. bianca, - obviously. he never kicks back, that's the problem. bianca, if. obviously. he never kicks back, | that's the problem. bianca, if we look ahead _ that's the problem. bianca, if we look ahead to _ that's the problem. bianca, if we look ahead to this _ that's the problem. bianca, if we look ahead to this year _ that's the problem. bianca, if we look ahead to this year and - that's the problem. bianca, if we look ahead to this year and your| look ahead to this year and your formant, and how you're feeling, your officially coming back off... are you feeling happy with where you are? �* . , , , are you feeling happy with where you are?�* . , _ ., are you feeling happy with where you are?�* ., are you feeling happy with where you are?�* . , _ ., ., are? i'm happy to come away with the euro ean are? i'm happy to come away with the european title — are? i'm happy to come away with the european title again, _ are? i'm happy to come away with the european title again, and _ are? i'm happy to come away with the european title again, and it _ are? i'm happy to come away with the european title again, and it was - european title again, and it was just nice to go out into a major competition and being able to compete at that level just before the olympics. so hopefully it's all just coming place and i can bring it out before the limericks in the summer. �* y ., out before the limericks in the summer. ~ , ., ., g ., ., summer. and you mentioned, jade, how bi of a summer. and you mentioned, jade, how big of a deal— summer. and you mentioned, jade, how big of a deal as — summer. and you mentioned, jade, how big of a deal as it — summer. and you mentioned, jade, how big of a deal as it to _ summer. and you mentioned, jade, how big of a deal as it to the _ summer. and you mentioned, jade, how big of a deal as it to the team _ summer. and you mentioned, jade, how big of a deal as it to the team gb - big of a deal as it to the team gb to have two successful athletes competing at the highest level? it says a lot for the sport.— says a lot for the sport. yeah, i think we showed _ says a lot for the sport. yeah, i think we showed the _ says a lot for the sport. yeah, i think we showed the way, - says a lot for the sport. yeah, i think we showed the way, and l says a lot for the sport. yeah, i l think we showed the way, and for jade, as well, she's going for her third title — no doubt that she can go out there and come back with another gold medal, and hopefully i can come back with one too and we

can come back with one too and we can bring them back to the apartment together. bhd can bring them back to the apartment touether. �* , ., can bring them back to the apartment touether. �* i. ., , ., ., together. and you got bronze in rio in 2016, together. and you got bronze in rio in 2016. you've _ together. and you got bronze in rio in 2016, you've obviously _ together. and you got bronze in rio in 2016, you've obviously got - together. and you got bronze in rio in 2016, you've obviously got your | in 2016, you've obviously got your european titles, you've got your world titles — is that gold—medal really the big thing for you now? definitely, that's the last one i need to take off, because i have the rest. i've done the rest of them, so like you said, i want to run in my last run but itjust wasn't the colour i wanted —— i won a bronze in my last run. colour i wanted -- i won a bronze in my last run-— my last run. and preparing for the ol mics my last run. and preparing for the olympics is _ my last run. and preparing for the olympics is a _ my last run. and preparing for the olympics is a massive _ my last run. and preparing for the j olympics is a massive undertaking my last run. and preparing for the i olympics is a massive undertaking at the best of times, how do prepare for this olympics bearing in mind all the extra layers that will be around it? t all the extra layers that will be around it?— all the extra layers that will be around it? ~' ., around it? i think the one thing we've realised, _ around it? i think the one thing we've realised, if _ around it? i think the one thing we've realised, if you _ around it? i think the one thing we've realised, if you can - around it? i think the one thing we've realised, if you can do i around it? i think the one thing we've realised, if you can do it| around it? i think the one thing i we've realised, if you can do it in this type of situation, itjust brings out the pace. i think everyone else is in the same boat, so as notjust us, it's the whole world together that's gone through this mess pandemic. i think wejust

got to be lucky that it's totally going all ahead and we can still be a part of it. t going all ahead and we can still be a part of it— a part of it. i think we've seen over the _ a part of it. i think we've seen over the last _ a part of it. i think we've seen over the last year _ a part of it. i think we've seen over the last year or - a part of it. i think we've seen over the last year or so i a part of it. i think we've seen over the last year or so what i a part of it. i think we've seen i over the last year or so what sport can bring to people at home and all over the world when they can see sport continue on? tt’iii over the world when they can see sport continue on?— over the world when they can see sport continue on? it'll be a bit of a liuht at sport continue on? it'll be a bit of a light at the _ sport continue on? it'll be a bit of a light at the end _ sport continue on? it'll be a bit of a light at the end of _ sport continue on? it'll be a bit of a light at the end of the _ sport continue on? it'll be a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel i a light at the end of the tunnel hopefully for the world, a little bit more of that step to slowly getting back to the new normal, as we can see. sport is just incredible, so what it does for life and for people and relationships around the world, hopefully this olympics will shine a light on the world this summer. the olympics will shine a light on the world this summer.— olympics will shine a light on the world this summer. the very best of luck with all — world this summer. the very best of luck with all the _ world this summer. the very best of luck with all the training _ world this summer. the very best of luck with all the training get - world this summer. the very best of luck with all the training get to i luck with all the training get to come, i hope bob stays in one piece. yeah. thank you very much, he won't. bianca, enjoy it all, the very best in tokyo. bianca, en'oy it all, the very best in to 0. g bianca, en'oy it all, the very best in to 0. ~ , ., , . bianca, en'oy it all, the very best i in tokyo.— for in tokyo. think you very much. for bob, ou in tokyo. think you very much. for bob, you wouldn't _ in tokyo. think you very much. for bob, you wouldn't want _ in tokyo. think you very much. for bob, you wouldn't want to - in tokyo. think you very much. for bob, you wouldn't want to be i in tokyo. think you very much. for bob, you wouldn't want to be bob, would you? —— poor bob.

and finally to one of the ultimate underdog stories. last night in belfast, northern ireland women made history by reaching a major finals in football for the first time. they beat ukraine to secure their place at the euros next summer. they were ranked 26 places below their opponents, most of their players are part time and they had struggled with a big injury list. i spoke to their captain marissa callaghan about what made this team so special. we have a group of girls who were so talented. but itjust didn't click with us because we didn't have that belief in ourselves. he's come in and managed us superbly, and he's just installed this belief and trust, and this family —like atmosphere. it's almost like we're

atmosphere. it's almost like we're at war and we would die for each other on that pitch, you know, if there's a mistake made, someone can fix it for you. there's a mistake made, someone can fix it for you-— fix it for you. this team was reformed — fix it for you. this team was reformed after _ fix it for you. this team was reformed after being i fix it for you. this team was i reformed after being disbanded, it was reformed in 2004. and you've been on thatjourney since then, and a lot of the players coming into this, you've had injuries, players with clubs who didn't have game time, you had part—time players — when we talk about david and goliath battles, this really was one of them. ~ ., , battles, this really was one of them. ~ . , ., ., , ., them. we had seven of our starting team who are _ them. we had seven of our starting team who are actually _ them. we had seven of our starting team who are actually injured i them. we had seven of our starting team who are actually injured with l team who are actually injured with long—term injuries, and we had young players such as rebecca mckenna who came in and just absently stole the show last night and the game on friday —— absolutely. ijust think it's incredible that we just don't have just a team, but a squad of players that if you are called upon, we know what ourjob is and what we have to do to achieve. i know i

mentioned it last night a couple of times, but they didn't stand a chance against us because we just had so much belief coming into those two games, and there was no way they were taking it away from us.— were taking it away from us. another thin i were taking it away from us. another thing i noticed _ were taking it away from us. another thing i noticed was _ were taking it away from us. another thing i noticed was the _ were taking it away from us. another thing i noticed was the cars - were taking it away from us. another thing i noticed was the cars beeping l thing i noticed was the cars beeping outside the stadium, they were celebrating for that because i wonder how much this means for people in northern ireland as well today was yellow i mean, i can give you an example. we today was yellow i mean, i can give you an example-— today was yellow i mean, i can give you an example. we had a young girl at the hotel— you an example. we had a young girl at the hotel when _ you an example. we had a young girl at the hotel when we _ you an example. we had a young girl at the hotel when we were _ you an example. we had a young girl at the hotel when we were leaving i you an example. we had a young girl at the hotel when we were leaving to go to the match, and her mum said that she was there from 2:30pm yesterday so she could see us. at the end of the game i went over towards her to give her a high five, and she said this the greatest night of her life. and this is a young kid

— itjust shows what it means for those young girls watching it, and i hope that we've inspired a nation to get behind us and there's been amazing sports from everyone. i know amazing sports from everyone. i know a lot of the girls, including myself, we were trying to get through to everyone to send messages of support, it is just been incredible. and wejust of support, it is just been incredible. and we just hope that we can do what we did in 2016 and bring northern ireland together, have them support us at home and come up when we are in england. the support us at home and come up when we are in england.— we are in england. the northern ireland captain _ we are in england. the northern ireland captain there, _ we are in england. the northern ireland captain there, brilliant i ireland captain there, brilliant scenes from belfast last night. you can find all the details of the champions league quarterfinal second

leg later. remember, liverpool three have and one down our hosting real madrid. that's all from sportsday. we'll have more throughout the evening. have a lovely evening, bye—bye. hello there. it's going to be another cold night tonight with some clearer skies developing. when we did have the sunshine earlier on today, there was a bit of heat in that sun this time of year, so it felt quite pleasant. but just to show you how the weather's changed here in south wales — same location, but move things on into the afternoon and there's much more cloud around. we had cloud building up around today, producing 1—2 showers across more southern and western areas, even though we've got high pressure in charge, it's keeping most parts of the country dry, and it will do again tomorrow. any showers, though, fading away later this evening, and overnight we'll have clear skies, some patches of mist and fog, maybe a few showers coming in off the southern north sea onto the coast of

east anglia and kent. it'll be a cold night, widespread slight frost for the most part. lowest temperatures in northern england and southern scotland, down to minus 4—5 celsius. more showers on the way for tomorrow, and it looks like the north—easterly breeze will push them in towards east anglia and the southeast of england. elsewhere probably going to be dry, cloud building up, some sunny spells, a small chance of showers in pembrokeshire and cornwall, but large parts of the uk will be dry. cool breeze filtering in those showers across southeastern areas of the uk, so temperatures here will be a bit lower than they were today. elsewhere, around 12—13 celsius could make a degree or two higher than that and western parts of scotland. those temperatures again will fall away very quickly during the evening, as skies tend to clear, we've got those showers moving away from southeastern parts of england, so it's turning dry overnight once again. and we still have high—pressure in charge of the weather as we move into friday — and for the time being, at least, it's keeping these weather fronts at bay out in the atlantic, and keeping mild air away, as well.

bit more of a breeze perhaps developing in northern ireland, western scotland, a southerly breeze, a bit of a breeze through the english channel. elsewhere the winds are light after a cold, frosty start. a sunny start will see the cloud holding up again, spreading out over inland areas with the best of the sunshine around coastal parts, but probably a dry day everywhere on friday with similar sort of temperatures, as well. heading into the weekend, these weather fronts will finally make a move into scotland and northern ireland, increasing the cloud, more likely to get rain in the northwest during the second half of the weekend. elsewhere for much of the uk, the weekend will be dry. we will see temperatures rise a bit across eastern parts of england, and it shouldn't be quite as cold overnight.

hello, i'm nuala mcgovern, this is outside source. as president biden prepares to formally announce the withdrawal of us forces from afghanistan — twenty years after they first went in following the 9—11 attacks — there's concern about what happens next. certainly there's a fear that whilst america public involvement in this war might be drawing down, for afghans the conflict is only going to get bloodier and even more fragmented. a policewoman is to face manslaughter charges, over the fatal shooting of a black man in the us state of minnesota. at the derek chauvin trial — a defence witness — a forensic pathologist, says heart issues and drug use, contributed to george floyd's death. mr floyd had a sudden cardiac

arrhythmia, or cardiac arrhythmia due to his atherosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease.