Seven years ago, Sportsmail began following seven young athletes as they set out on their journeys to try to reach the 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games in London.

Food has been an essential part of my success, so healthy eating and cooking are important parts of my life and my kitchen is my second home after the gym.

Louis Smith is back on track with his exercise regime after being 'hurt' by pictures of him carrying more weight.

After returning to competitive action to take two Commonwealth medals, Louis Smith will go back to the small screen before launching an assault on the Great Britain squad next year.

MARTHA KELNER IN RIO: It is a sign of how far gymnastics in Britain has advanced that an Olympic medal was expected when the men's team took to the competition floor in Rio on Monday night.

Strictly Come Dancing star Louis Smith was accused of sulking when fellow Briton Max Whitlock won gold and knocked him down to silver in the pommel horse final at Rio 2016 yesterday.

Smith has announced his retirement from gymnastics at the age of 29. Smith was Great Britain's first individual Olympic medallist for a century when he won bronze in Beijing.

This is only the latest battleground in the tussle to decide who will be considered the greatest of all time. Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are likely to stroll through quarter-finals.

Nadal's withdrawal could prove decisive in the battle to end the year as world number one, with Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals in Tokyo this week and due to defend his title in Shanghai.

Rafael Nadal has been absent from the Shanghai Masters but is guaranteed to recapture the world No 1 spot next month after Novak Djokovic went down to a shock quarter final defeat in China .

Novak Djokovic was forced to dig deep and lost his temper with the chair umpire and crowd in his 7-6(5) 7-6(6) win over Kevin Anderson to win a testing ATC Cup tie for Serbia in Brisbane.

Rally for Relief will take place at Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park on January 15 to raise money for bushfires that have killed 25 people and destroyed nearly 1,900 homes.

Novak Djokovic showed his class in the deciding rubber to take a 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 victory, and book a showdown against Spain or Australia in Sunday's showpiece.

MIKE DICKSON IN SYDNEY: It was gone 1am when Novak Djokovic fell into his team-mates' arms after starring in both the singles and doubles as Serbia came back to beat Spain 2-1.

Nadal - who lost the inaugural tournament's final singles rubber in straight sets to Novak Djokovic - complained to the umpire about fans of the Serbian star.

Barcelona technical director Eric Abidal has admitted the Spanish giants are keeping a close eye on Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez.

PETE JENSON: Youssef En-Nesyri gave Leganes a shock first half lead. Despite a lacklustre performance, Barcelona fought back to win with goals from Luis Suarez and Arturo Vidal.

Aubameyang was heavily linked with a move to the Nou Camp and although a move didn't materialise, Abidal said the club will look for a striker this summer and spoke highly of the Gabon international.

British heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson is back in training after recovering from the freak foot injury which saw her miss this summer's Commonwealth Games.

Wayne Rooney has teamed up with an array of leading stars across the world of sport, including Serena Williams and Kobe Bryant, to feature in a new advert showing off their formidable speed.

British Athletics would not be making public any medal targets for the World Championships in Beijing. Here Sportsmail looks at where they are likely to come from.

Britain's Katarina Johnson-Thompson's World Championship medal hopes have gone up in smoke after she failed to record a distance in the long jump as Jessica Ennis-Hill stayed in front.

Greg Rutherford demanded critics lay off Katarina Johnson-Thompson after her long jump collapse cost her a heptathlon medal at the World Championships in Beijing.

MARTHA KELNER: Shara Proctor is expecting a carnival reception when she returns to Anguilla, the tiny Caribbean island where she grew up having to dodge cricket balls to pursue long jump.

DALEY THOMPSON: The achievement of Jessica Ennis-Hill in winning back-to-back medals in the Olympic heptathlon places her alongside the best British athletes in history.

RIATH AL-SAMARRAI AT THE LONDON STADIUM: Johnson-Thompson, there was a degree of redemption, considering it was this discipline that wrecked her chances in the heptathlon.

On the basis of her impressive performances in winning a European heptathlon silver medal in Berlin this week, the odds are finally shortening on her one day finding a way past Nafi Thiam.

Former EastEnders star Carol Harrison has lashed out at producers of the show and accused them of making her feel 'suicidal' amid a clash over 'sexist and ageist scripts'.

Emmerdale newcomer Mark Womack has revealed his soap star wife Samantha 'takes the mick' out of his line-learning style.

Fresh from his triumphs in London, where he won two golds, two silvers and one bronze medal, the American swimmer took to the pool in Las Vegas.

He already scored big at the Olympics and now Ryan Lochte is winning over the ladies with his perfectly chiseled physique.

Al Roker slammed disgraced Ryan Lochte in a debate with his 'Today' co-anchor Billy Bush. Bush defended Lochte, saying he embellished his robbery story but Roker called him a liar.

The Late Show host posted video of a faux interview with Lochte on Tuesday that included the answers the Olympian gave Lauer but this time with questions being asked by Colbert.

The 32-year-old is a front-runner to join the cast of upcoming 23rd season, according to People magazine.

Ryan Lochte may check in to rehab he said on |Monday, shortly after he was dropped by three of his four major sponsors. He said that he first needs to see his family and talk with them.

Ryan Lochte is opening up about the depths of his despair in the days and weeks after he found himself at the center of an international scandal during the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The Olympic swimmer told TMZ today the media was 'twisting' his words and that he had 'never thought about taking my own life' after he found himself at the center of an international scandal.

After admitting in January that he can't swim, at the age of 40, singer John Legend is taking baby steps, learning to swim from an Olympic champion.

The 50-year-old doting dad beamed while out with his three children. The rocker, who kept it casual in loose-fitting trousers and a light green T-shirt, was seen kicking a basketball at the park.

Made In Chelsea star Miles Nazaire has teased that his dalliance with returning star Tiffany Watson sees him 'get a taste of his own medicine'.

NIK SIMON AT TWICKENHAM: To be continued. England's Six Nations hopes are still alive but, like any good cliff-hanger, no one quite knows what will happen next.

Tottenham host Middlesbrough in a bid to reach the FA Cup fourth round after being held to a 1-1 draw in their initial third round meeting.

The cheating scandal erupted on MasterChef Australia this week, when judge Matt Preston tasted a contestant's dish before it was finished. 

The 34-year-old reality star and her producer husband, 42, really got into the spirit of Halloween when they were spotted in their fun outfits on Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles.

The 23-year-old reality star flaunted her impressively long legs in a golden feathered mini dress before enlisting the help of a pair of horses to give her the ultimate photo shoot backdrop.

Kacey Musgraves paid homage to her hometown when she transformed into a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader for her Halloween costume over the weekend.

Maya Jama's sexy Halloween snap drove American NBA player Ben Simmons, 23, wild as he couldn't resist leaving two fire emojis in the comments section below.

Ben Simmons set tongues wagging when he left a flirty emoji on one of Maya Jama's Instagram posts last month.

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTSWRITER: In September 2017, former Leigh Centurions director Andy Mazey, announced that he would be Swinton's new chairman. From then, changes were afoot.

She was last seen with beau Timothée Chalamet in late October for a dinner date in Los Angeles. And over two months later, Lily-Rose Deep was spotted with another handsome leading man.