WARREN SMYTH, SPORTS CENTRE MANAGER: There you go. That's a bit better, isn't it? There you go. It's a combination of four years' work to bring the Rwandan Olympic team to Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk for their brief pre-game training camp.
It's a big moment in the career of Warren Smyth. The sports centre manager is about to play host to a group of African Olympians.
WARREN SMYTH: We're just waiting for the team to arrive now. Apparently the plane has landed and hopefully, any moment, they are just about to come through the arrivals gate.
Also waiting to greet the team - Sydneysider Daniel Beniston.
REPORTER: Are people surprised when you tell them you're the Rwandan attache for the Olympic Games?
DANIEL BENISTON: A few people, but when you’re involved in the Olympics and there are so many Australians that are, I suppose it’s part of the legacy of the Sydney Olympics.
RWANDAN: Hi. Good to see you again. Hello. How are you?
DANIEL BENISTON: Hi. How are you? Welcome.
Two hours from London and a world away from Rwanda. Bury St Edmunds will be home for the next fortnight.
DANIEL BENISTON: The Rwandan team ended up here after a lot of work. We did, um, a short list from 630 locations, and then we finally came up with a top five. And this was the town that was eventually chosen. It was like this really means something to them and you could feel it. You could see it.
LOUDSPEAKER: This is a brilliant moment right here. Good afternoon. The Olympic Torch!
REPORTER: So, what do you think?
ALPHONSINE AGAHOZO, SWIMMER (Translation): I think that… to see the Olympic Torch means time is ticking. I have to move quickly so I can be ready for the Olympic Games.
Marathon runner Jean Pierre, and a 10,000m runner, Robert, are getting used to Suffolk's country lanes.
REPORTER: What does it mean to you to come to this Olympic Games?
JEAN PIERRE, RUNNER (Translation): It’s exciting to see lots of different people who will be attending the Olympic Games from different countries all over the world. There will be stars we often see on TV. I’ll personally see them in the flesh.
The youngest team member's only 15 years old, 50m freestyle swimmer Alphonsine Agahozo.
ALPHONSINE AGAHOZO: You know, the Olympic Games is a dream of every athlete, everyone in the sport. And it's my dream came true.
And 18-year-old Fred Sekamana is Rwanda's judo trailblazer.
FRED SEKAMANA, JUDO: I am just hoping I will do the best and hope fully, because I am the first judo man to go for the Olympics for Rwanda.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Can we just squeeze you in a little bit closer for the photo? Big, big smiles.
MAN: Hugely privileged to have with us the Deputy High Commissioner of Rwanda, Linda Kalinda. I should say I have adopted the team. I am applying to adopt her as my younger sister or daughter, or something.
WOMAN: How are they doing? Are they nervous?
LINDA KALIMBA, RWANDAN HIGH COMMISSIONER: Really, telling them, just keep in the lane. Don't worry. Think of the medal, nothing else. Yes!
MAN: Are you married?
ALPHONSINE AGAHOZO: No.
MAN: Have you got a husband?
ALPHONSINE AGAHOZO: No!
MAN: Would you like a husband? I have got the ring!
When Bury St Edmunds offered to host the Rwandan athletes, it promised more than just a warm welcome. So far, the town has raised over $25,000 for sports equipment in Rwandan schools.
REPORTER: I heard that the visit of the London Olympic team inspired you to do something quit particular. Tell me what that was?
PETER: Yeah, I heard the Rwandan Olympic team were going to come to Bury St Edmunds for their pre-Games training, and we wanted to come up with ideas to raise money. And I, in a very flippant way, said we should actually cycle to Rwanda. I think my colleagues said, "No-one's daft enough to do that." I said, "Yeah, I would be daft enough to do that."
PRIEST: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the touch of the gospel, the touch of salvation...
LINDA KALIMBA: From the moment we stepped in this town, who are welcomed, we got eye contact. We felt loved. And we feel at home, I must say.
MIKE GRAHAM, SAINT EDMUND PACERS: Competing for Rwanda in the Olympic Games on the 30th of, um, July. With coach Justin from France. Alright. Let's get the ropes out. Have fun.
MICHELLE: Alphonsine, this is Dan.
ALPHONSINE AGAHOZO: Nice to meet you.
MIKE GRAHAM: We had the Flame here Saturday. And now today we've got two Olympic runners. We've got Robert, 10k runner. And John's here, yeah? He's a marathon runner, two hours 17.
REPORTER: What do you think it means to people here, to have the Rwandan team in town?
MIKE GRAHAM: I think it gives them a bit of pride that a country actually chose this track to train on. We've got three, two, one!
REPORTER: Will you be cheering on the Rwandan runners?
MIKE GRAHAM: Well, I will be cheering on everyone. But obviously the Great Britain team comes first, you know!
DANIEL BENISTON: Go, go, go!
JEAN PIERRE: Don't just go like this and push down, right? You go with the right, like... Push, push, push, push... Good.
REPORTER: What do you think? Good.
ROBERT: It's OK? It's OK.
REPORTER: Good coaching?
ROBERT: Yes. Good coaching.
MIKE GRAHAM: There's actually 200 countries coming to Great Britain to compete in the Olympics. 200. 60!
REPORTER: And you've got one of those countries here?
MIKE GRAHAM: We've got one of the countries here on the track. 65! 67! 70! And the other thing, by having another country here, whatever country it is, is the youngsters get inspiration from it. If you actually see a lot of the youngsters' faces when they come into train, two Olympians here training... Five seconds! And it's their faces. Just see their faces. Their faces tell the story. They lit up.
WOMAN: Good luck. Good luck.
GIRL: Thank you. Lovely. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. The first time I have ever run. Never run before. So...
JEAN PIERRE: Hey. Well done.
BOY: It was really good. 'Cause I saw the Rwandan athletes, um. I haven't actually saw an Olympic athlete personally right in front of me so that was a good opportunity.
Local schools have caught Olympics fever, fundraising, and teaching sister schools and teaching students about where their guests came from.
REPORTER: What's the most interesting thing you think you learned about Rwanda?
BOY: It's just quite a small country and it has just really fascinating stuff, like, uh, we had this person come in our school and he's an artist and he talked about the silverback gorilla. It's really quite fascinating, the silverback.
MAN: We're here supporting the Rwandan Olympic team that are here, and also schools in Rwanda.
REPORTER: What does a school in Suffolk doing a Rwanda dance for?
LAURA PAVELY, KING EDWARD VI SCHOOL: Look, obviously because of the Olympic links and we were given the opportunity to host the Olympics for the Rwandan team. We thought, "What a wonderful thing to do." Do a dance we can put on YouTube and go and see local schools.
ROB WALDEN, KING EDWARD VI SCHOOL: Rwanda was the team we wanted. Lots of people said, "Wouldn't you want China or Australia?" They are big teams. But the one we wanted was something the children could learn from that nobody had really heard of before. You can hear an awful lot about China and an awful lot about Australia. But to actually hear and learn about Rwanda, the Rwandan people, East Africa, the culture, it's just something really special to us.
MAN: Loose change, please!
LINDA KALIMBA: We had a tragic past and seeing a country that was torn and hopeless in 18 years ago coming to the 2012 Games is hope. In a tangible sense.
REPORTER: So the Olympics are, in a way, nation-building exercise for Rwanda?
LINDA KALIMBA: Exactly. It's nation-building. It's giving us this task to look at. We are talking of medals, everyone Rwandan is hoping for the medal. Gold medal, not bronze or silver!
REPORTER: How does it feel to see everyone up there, dancing?
LINDA KALIMBA: Amazing.
ROB: We have something called British reserves, which means we're a little shy with these things. The Rwandans are bringing it out of us.
MAN: The Rwandan Olympic Team...
YALDA HAKIM: Amos Roberts in Bury St Edmunds. It seems the athletes enjoyed their time there so much, they plan to return after the Games are over.
It's a big moment in the career of Warren Smyth. The sports centre manager is about to play host to a group of African Olympians.
WARREN SMYTH: We're just waiting for the team to arrive now. Apparently the plane has landed and hopefully, any moment, they are just about to come through the arrivals gate.
Also waiting to greet the team - Sydneysider Daniel Beniston.
REPORTER: Are people surprised when you tell them you're the Rwandan attache for the Olympic Games?
DANIEL BENISTON: A few people, but when you’re involved in the Olympics and there are so many Australians that are, I suppose it’s part of the legacy of the Sydney Olympics.
RWANDAN: Hi. Good to see you again. Hello. How are you?
DANIEL BENISTON: Hi. How are you? Welcome.
Two hours from London and a world away from Rwanda. Bury St Edmunds will be home for the next fortnight.
DANIEL BENISTON: The Rwandan team ended up here after a lot of work. We did, um, a short list from 630 locations, and then we finally came up with a top five. And this was the town that was eventually chosen. It was like this really means something to them and you could feel it. You could see it.
LOUDSPEAKER: This is a brilliant moment right here. Good afternoon. The Olympic Torch!
REPORTER: So, what do you think?
ALPHONSINE AGAHOZO, SWIMMER (Translation): I think that… to see the Olympic Torch means time is ticking. I have to move quickly so I can be ready for the Olympic Games.
Marathon runner Jean Pierre, and a 10,000m runner, Robert, are getting used to Suffolk's country lanes.
REPORTER: What does it mean to you to come to this Olympic Games?
JEAN PIERRE, RUNNER (Translation): It’s exciting to see lots of different people who will be attending the Olympic Games from different countries all over the world. There will be stars we often see on TV. I’ll personally see them in the flesh.
The youngest team member's only 15 years old, 50m freestyle swimmer Alphonsine Agahozo.
ALPHONSINE AGAHOZO: You know, the Olympic Games is a dream of every athlete, everyone in the sport. And it's my dream came true.
And 18-year-old Fred Sekamana is Rwanda's judo trailblazer.
FRED SEKAMANA, JUDO: I am just hoping I will do the best and hope fully, because I am the first judo man to go for the Olympics for Rwanda.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Can we just squeeze you in a little bit closer for the photo? Big, big smiles.
MAN: Hugely privileged to have with us the Deputy High Commissioner of Rwanda, Linda Kalinda. I should say I have adopted the team. I am applying to adopt her as my younger sister or daughter, or something.
WOMAN: How are they doing? Are they nervous?
LINDA KALIMBA, RWANDAN HIGH COMMISSIONER: Really, telling them, just keep in the lane. Don't worry. Think of the medal, nothing else. Yes!
MAN: Are you married?
ALPHONSINE AGAHOZO: No.
MAN: Have you got a husband?
ALPHONSINE AGAHOZO: No!
MAN: Would you like a husband? I have got the ring!
When Bury St Edmunds offered to host the Rwandan athletes, it promised more than just a warm welcome. So far, the town has raised over $25,000 for sports equipment in Rwandan schools.
REPORTER: I heard that the visit of the London Olympic team inspired you to do something quit particular. Tell me what that was?
PETER: Yeah, I heard the Rwandan Olympic team were going to come to Bury St Edmunds for their pre-Games training, and we wanted to come up with ideas to raise money. And I, in a very flippant way, said we should actually cycle to Rwanda. I think my colleagues said, "No-one's daft enough to do that." I said, "Yeah, I would be daft enough to do that."
PRIEST: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the touch of the gospel, the touch of salvation...
LINDA KALIMBA: From the moment we stepped in this town, who are welcomed, we got eye contact. We felt loved. And we feel at home, I must say.
MIKE GRAHAM, SAINT EDMUND PACERS: Competing for Rwanda in the Olympic Games on the 30th of, um, July. With coach Justin from France. Alright. Let's get the ropes out. Have fun.
MICHELLE: Alphonsine, this is Dan.
ALPHONSINE AGAHOZO: Nice to meet you.
MIKE GRAHAM: We had the Flame here Saturday. And now today we've got two Olympic runners. We've got Robert, 10k runner. And John's here, yeah? He's a marathon runner, two hours 17.
REPORTER: What do you think it means to people here, to have the Rwandan team in town?
MIKE GRAHAM: I think it gives them a bit of pride that a country actually chose this track to train on. We've got three, two, one!
REPORTER: Will you be cheering on the Rwandan runners?
MIKE GRAHAM: Well, I will be cheering on everyone. But obviously the Great Britain team comes first, you know!
DANIEL BENISTON: Go, go, go!
JEAN PIERRE: Don't just go like this and push down, right? You go with the right, like... Push, push, push, push... Good.
REPORTER: What do you think? Good.
ROBERT: It's OK? It's OK.
REPORTER: Good coaching?
ROBERT: Yes. Good coaching.
MIKE GRAHAM: There's actually 200 countries coming to Great Britain to compete in the Olympics. 200. 60!
REPORTER: And you've got one of those countries here?
MIKE GRAHAM: We've got one of the countries here on the track. 65! 67! 70! And the other thing, by having another country here, whatever country it is, is the youngsters get inspiration from it. If you actually see a lot of the youngsters' faces when they come into train, two Olympians here training... Five seconds! And it's their faces. Just see their faces. Their faces tell the story. They lit up.
WOMAN: Good luck. Good luck.
GIRL: Thank you. Lovely. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. The first time I have ever run. Never run before. So...
JEAN PIERRE: Hey. Well done.
BOY: It was really good. 'Cause I saw the Rwandan athletes, um. I haven't actually saw an Olympic athlete personally right in front of me so that was a good opportunity.
Local schools have caught Olympics fever, fundraising, and teaching sister schools and teaching students about where their guests came from.
REPORTER: What's the most interesting thing you think you learned about Rwanda?
BOY: It's just quite a small country and it has just really fascinating stuff, like, uh, we had this person come in our school and he's an artist and he talked about the silverback gorilla. It's really quite fascinating, the silverback.
MAN: We're here supporting the Rwandan Olympic team that are here, and also schools in Rwanda.
REPORTER: What does a school in Suffolk doing a Rwanda dance for?
LAURA PAVELY, KING EDWARD VI SCHOOL: Look, obviously because of the Olympic links and we were given the opportunity to host the Olympics for the Rwandan team. We thought, "What a wonderful thing to do." Do a dance we can put on YouTube and go and see local schools.
ROB WALDEN, KING EDWARD VI SCHOOL: Rwanda was the team we wanted. Lots of people said, "Wouldn't you want China or Australia?" They are big teams. But the one we wanted was something the children could learn from that nobody had really heard of before. You can hear an awful lot about China and an awful lot about Australia. But to actually hear and learn about Rwanda, the Rwandan people, East Africa, the culture, it's just something really special to us.
MAN: Loose change, please!
LINDA KALIMBA: We had a tragic past and seeing a country that was torn and hopeless in 18 years ago coming to the 2012 Games is hope. In a tangible sense.
REPORTER: So the Olympics are, in a way, nation-building exercise for Rwanda?
LINDA KALIMBA: Exactly. It's nation-building. It's giving us this task to look at. We are talking of medals, everyone Rwandan is hoping for the medal. Gold medal, not bronze or silver!
REPORTER: How does it feel to see everyone up there, dancing?
LINDA KALIMBA: Amazing.
ROB: We have something called British reserves, which means we're a little shy with these things. The Rwandans are bringing it out of us.
MAN: The Rwandan Olympic Team...
YALDA HAKIM: Amos Roberts in Bury St Edmunds. It seems the athletes enjoyed their time there so much, they plan to return after the Games are over.