A True Mancunian

BBC Learning EnglishA True MancunianCallum: Hello I'm Callum Robertson and welcome to thisprogramme which we've called'A True Mancunian'. Now, what is a Mancunian, well aMancunian is a word for someone who comes from the city ofManchester and in this special programme we hand over toour colleagues in BBC Manchester who have recorded afeature for us on James Hickman – A True Mancunian. Sojust who is James Hickman? – Over to Ashley Byrne.
　　Ashley: He may have been retired 1 for almost two years nowbut World Champion swimmer James Hickman still likes to gofor a dip most mornings…SPLASH SOUNDAshley: I’m Ashley Byrne and this is a profile of a TrueMancunian…James Hickman has been all around the world in his careerat as an international swimmer but he’s always returned toManchester…James: Well I was really luck in my swimming career that Imanaged to go all over the world. You know I’m justthinking about where I won my world championship medals. Iwon the first one in Sweden, the second one in Hong Kong,the third one in Athens, the fourth one in Moscow, so I’vetravelled all over the world and enjoyed every minute ofit.
　　But the one fantastic thing is that when I land back at theairport in Manchester, Iknow I’m home, you just feel like you can relax.
　　Ashley: So what is it about Manchester that keeps himfirmly fixed 2 to his roots?
　　James: There was a time when Manchester was really big onthe music scene and it was a vibrant 3 city and then I don’tknow what happened. There just seemed to be a decline 4, theHacienda closed and all that scene started to disappear.
　　There was nothing in Manchester that was there, and that’swhy I moved to Leeds. But while I was in Leeds, somethinghappened. I can remember 1996 really well cause thatwas my first Olympics and of course in Manchester we hadthe biggest bomb since World War 2, it took out the wholeof the city centre and there had to be regeneration afterthat.
　　And it grew from the ashes, like phoenix 5 rising from theashes, Manchester came out and now it’s a fantastic city.
　　Ashley: James’ return to Manchester coincided 6 with theCommonwealth Games being staged in the city in 2002 – andit was there that James had his proudest of moments…James: It was a massive 7 honour that they asked me to saythe oath 8 at the opening ceremony, and yeah I was reallyproud that my team mates…they voted for who they wanted tosay the oath, and me being from Manchester, I was alreadyCommonwealth Campion, that they thought I would do a goodjob.
　　Ashley: And James flew the flag for Manchester at thoseCommonwealth Games in 2002clinching yet more medals to add to his already huge tally…James: In the 200 fly where I got a bronze medal…ok Iwanted to win, I wanted to defend my title, but I did areally good swim, great race, and then we got a silvermedal in the relay 9 as wellIt was a fantastic moment winning those two medals in frontof a home crowd.
　　Ashley: But the Championships that were to make a name forJames’ and help him putManchester on the world swimming map were the World ShortCourseChampionships…James: World Short Course, of course by then in 2002 I’dwon my fourth world title inMoscow, and yeah I wanted to really go out on a high.
　　Indianapolis 2004 as well, another world short coursechampionships, the same year as the Olympics, and in myheart of hearts I knew I was gonna finish my swimmingcareer in Manchester, training in Manchester. And that’swhat I did.
　　Ashley: So James returned to Manchester – and in trueMancunian style he absorbed himself once more into the lifeof this thriving city…within months of retiringhe’d set up his own radio and tv production company andnow makes programmes for national, regional andinternational networks…James: I kind of thought if I want to do anything well it’s got to be something | really like doing. Like myswimming, I love to swim, so I thought I’ll give the mediaa try and set up a TV and radio production company.
　　Which in this city, in Manchester, is probably the bestthing that could happen because it is a thriving mediacity.
　　Ashley: And of course all true Mancunians have a favouritefootball team…James: Football is in the veins 10 of all Mancunians. Wellthe true ones are blue…you can’t take away from the redsthey have done quite a bit for the city. Whenever I gosomewhere, unfortunately, and I say I’m from Manchestermost people go ‘oh yeah Manchester united.’
　　Yeah I live with that every time I travel somewhere butManchester’s a little bit more on the map because of them.
　　Ashley: James sees himself as a TRUE Mancunian…but whatMAKES a TRUE Mancunian?
　　James: A true Mancunian to me is someone who has grit 11 anddetermination, definitely.
　　That is in the city, but it’s in a friendly way.
　　Ashley: And I suppose James follows in the TRUE Mancuniantradition….this is a city of firsts – the world’s firstcomputer was built here, the world’s first railways, theindustrial revolution, Coronation Street - the world’slongest running TV serial…And James…the first person to become 5 Times WorldButterfly Champion…James: I still see myself as a boy. Everyday he wanted toswim as fast as he could. I’ve trained in some glamorouslocations…there’s Bondai Beach in Sydney…there’snothing I like more than just kicking back with my friendsin Manchester.
　　Because I know the city has got everything that I want…and on a Saturday, having the day to myself and my friends…and we can choose to do anything we want to do.
　　Callum: That was James Hickman, a True Mancunian and thankyou to Ashley Byrne fromBBC Manchester for that feature.