Keep the Flame Alive artwork

Keep the Flame Alive

422 episodes - English - Latest episode: 22 days ago - ★★★★ - 29 ratings

Keep the Flame Alive® is the podcast for fans of the Olympics and Paralympics. Each week co-hosts Jill Jaracz and Alison Brown keep you up-to-date on the worlds of the Olympics and Paralympics through interviews with athletes, Gamesmakers, historians and more. We're the cure to your case of Olympic Fever. Give us a call: 208-FLAME-IT.

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Episodes

All in Stride Author Johanna Garton

March 29, 2024 04:34 - 1 hour - 63.7 MB

Today we’re talking with Johanna Garton, author of the new book All in Stride, which is about the US Army's World Class Athlete Program and two runners who were part of it, Elvin Kibet and Shadrack Kipchirchir. Also featured in the book is TKFLASTANI Samantha Schultz, who becomes friends with Elvin during their Army duty. Sammy gets to know Johanna as well and opens up to her about her struggles with body image and disordered eating. Learn more about Johanna at her website. Get your copy t...

Chamonix 1924: The Figure Skating Competition

March 26, 2024 17:25 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MB

It's Women's History Month, so we're devoting this episode to the women of Chamonix 1924--all 13 of them.  At the first Winter Olympics, women competed in ladies and pairs figure skating. We take a look at this competition, as well as the men's event, to learn just how different this Olympic sport was back in the day when Austria was a powerhouse (let's just say it doesn't include ice set on a specific Pantone color base).  The competition features Olympic and figure skating legend Sonja...

Blind Soccer with USABA CEO Molly Quinn

March 21, 2024 20:28 - 56 minutes - 51.8 MB

At the LA 2028 Paralympics, the US will compete in blind football (aka blind soccer) for the first time--but a national team is still in development. Molly Quinn, CEO of the US Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) joins us to talk about the process of building an internationally competitive team. Learn more about blind soccer at the USABA's website and follow them on X, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn! If you get involved with the team, we'd love to hear from you! Plus: Medal realloca...

Women's Sled Hockey with Monica Quimby

March 14, 2024 19:06 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MB

This is Episode 328. Women don’t compete in sled hockey at the Paralympics--yet. That may soon be changing, thanks to growth of the sport around the world. Veteran Team USA sled hockey player Monica Quimby joins the podcast to tell us the latest developments in women's sled hockey and its path to Paralympic inclusion. In Paris 2024 news: The flame lighting ceremony in Olympia is getting a makeover.  The Opening Ceremonies has a start time, and NBC announced its hosting team (one of wh...

Film Buff Fran on The Boys in the Boat

March 08, 2024 02:33 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MB

This is episode 327. The Academy Awards are this weekend, so what better way to celebrate than with the Keep the Flame Alive Movie Club? Film Buff Fran is here to talk about the newest Olympic major motion picture The Boys in the Boat. Based on the book by Daniel James Brown and directed by George Clooney, it tells the story of the 8-man boat on the US men’s rowing team and their uphill quest for gold at the Berlin 1936 Olympics. If you've seen it, let us know what you thought of it! Als...

Track Cycling with Olympic Hopeful Mandy Marquardt

March 01, 2024 02:00 - 1 hour - 62.9 MB

This is Episode 326. During Tokyo 2020, we loved watching track cycling, but of course, came up with many questions about the sport. American Olympic hopeful Mandy Marquardt joins us to talk about her specialty, sprinting. We talk about the sprint and Keirin races. We also get into how the bike works, her uniform, and how expensive track cycling shoes can be. Follow Mandy on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Team NovoNordisk is on Insta and X. Check out her website too! In Paris 2024 news, it'...

Book Club Claire on If Gold Is Our Destiny

February 22, 2024 19:26 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MB

Episode 325. Book Club Claire is here to discuss our latest book club selection, If Gold Is Our Destiny: How a Team of Mavericks Came Together for Olympic Glory by Sean P. Murray. This book tells the story of the US men's national volleyball team and its development in its quest for gold at the LA 1984 Olympics. Haven't read it? Grab your copy through our Bookshop.org storefront (affiliate link)! Follow Claire on Insta and X!  The Beijing 2022 figure skating team medal situation will ...

GHM: Chamonix 1924: Mountain Climbing Was an Olympic Sport

February 20, 2024 18:02 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MB

At the first Winter Olympics, medals were awarded to mountain climbers for scaling the greatest peaks in the world. It wasn't even an actual competition that took place during the Games, but these men got Olympic medals nonetheless.  Alison explains how and why the Olympics awarded medals in Alpinism, including the fact that the team who won this award was truly a mixed-country team, the likes of which we don’t really see very often in Olympic history. For sources and a transcript of thi...

Unretiring with Olympic Artistic Swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau

February 15, 2024 22:41 - 1 hour - 63.1 MB

Episode 324. We always love it when a TKFLASTANI comes back on the show! Canadian artistic swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau is back to talk with us about her decision to put medical school on hold for a year and try for one more Olympics. Her road to Paris 2024 goes through Doha and the 2024 World Aquatics World Championships--will her duet be enough to get to her third Olympics? It's been a big news week for upcoming Games: Paris 2024 announced its medals (which are epic and may also mak...

Monobob with Olympian Bree Walker

February 09, 2024 01:43 - 1 hour - 62.1 MB

It's two years until the next Winter Olympics at Milan-Cortina in 2026, so we are in a winter sports mood! Milan-Cortina's slidingnovela (where the sliding events will take place) has us curious about bobsled, so Australian bobsledder (bobsleigher?) Breeana Walker joins us to talk monobob. Bree competed at Beijing 2022 in both the two-woman and the monobob, placing 16th and 5th respectively. We've wanted to talk about monobob for a while, and Bree sheds some light on the sport for us, incl...

Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 Week 2 (Episode 322)

February 01, 2024 20:53 - 1 hour - 60.5 MB

The Winter Youth Olympic Games 2024 has come to a close and the digital flame has been turned off. We run through the second week of competition, including feed beefs (or a lack thereof) and results from: Alpine Skiing Biathlon Cross-Country Skiing Curling Figure Skating Freestyle Skiing Ice Hockey - including why USA and Canada did not field women's teams in these Games Nordic Combined Short Track Speed Skating - the mixed relay was a lot of fun! Snowboard Speed Skating...

Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 Week 1 (Episode 321)

January 25, 2024 21:29 - 1 hour - 59.3 MB

The Olympics always has test events to make sure the venues are in working order and everything is ready to go for the Games. We've got one too--and that's the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) that are taking place in Gangwon, South Korea (and using many venues from PyeongChang 2018!). Alison has wholeheartedly jumped back into double screening, and her maternal vibe is really coming out for these kids. Jill? Well, she has thoughts about the YOG and is still working through them. On this...

GHM: Chamonix 1924: The Story Behind the Winter Olympics

January 24, 2024 20:51 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MB

How did the Winter Olympics begin? We've got the story for you in our new Games History Moment (GHM) show, which for 2024 will focus on the first Winter Olympics that took place in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The origin story has drama, competition, backtracking, and throwing people under the bus--which goes to show that the International Olympic Committee has had telenovela-esque situations since its early days. Alison explores how winter sports were an element in some of the very early ...

The Future of Olympic Branding with Terrence Burns (Episode 320)

January 19, 2024 04:18 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MB

Sports marketing and sponsorship expert Terrence Burns is back to discuss how sports marketers don’t get the Olympic brand. Terrence is the Owner, Chairman & CEO of T. Burns Sports Group, LLC, which does sports marketing, sponsorship sales/negotiation/strategy, bidding advisory services, and brand & communications development.  Terrence has a wealth of knowledge about the world of the Olympics -- check out his blog for some good behind-the-scenes stories of Olympic bids past. He's also a ...

Road Cycling with Olympian Coryn Labecki (Episode 319)

January 12, 2024 04:04 - 55 minutes - 51 MB

Olympic road cyclist Coryn Labecki joins us to answer one of our burning questions: How does a road cycling peloton work? Coryn's got answers--and why being short is a useful quality in a race. Plus, remember that wild race at Tokyo 2020 where Dutch favorite Annemiek van Vleuten thought she had won the gold--until she realized she hadn't? Coryn was in that second breakaway group and saw it all go down. She shares the full story with us! Check out Coryn's website, and follow her on Facebo...

Happy Olympic and Paralympic Year! (Episode 318)

January 05, 2024 01:29 - 45 minutes - 41.2 MB

Happy Olympic and Paralympic Year! It's been a while since we've been able to say that phrase, but Paris 2024 is coming, and we couldn't be more excited! This week we've got all the important news about the Summer Games: Hotel taxes, food, the Russian participation situation, and Snoop Dogg. More importantly: The lottery to get tickets to the TeamNL House is now open. Register here by January 17. If you get selected in the lottery, you'll have 48 hours to purchase your ticket (h/t House P...

Film Buff Fran on Over the Limit (Episode 317)

December 15, 2023 02:05 - 58 minutes - 53.5 MB

It's our last episode of the year! Film Buff Fran joins us with a lively discussion of the 2017 documentary "Over the Limit," which follows Russian rhythmic gymnast Margarita Mamun. Will it be a thumbs-up holiday family film recommendation? Listen to find out! We also close our year of looking back at the Seoul 1988 Olympics and Paralympics. Our summer Intern Annalee Deabel looked at the legacy of these Games and what they did for the city of Seoul and the country of South Korea. In TKFL...

Book Club Claire on Speed Kings (Episode 316)

December 07, 2023 22:04 - 54 minutes - 50 MB

Book Club Claire is back for our final book of 2023, Speed Kings: The 1932 Winter Olympics and the Fastest Men in the World by Andy Bull. It covers the early days of the sport of bobsledding--and so much more. So much so that Claire's take on it surprised us! Buy your own copy through our bookshop.org storefront (affiliate link, for which we may earn a commission). We're winding down our Seoul 1988 history moments. Jill looks at the Closing Ceremony for the Paralympics, which includes...

On Location's Will Whiston on Paris 2024 Hospitality Packages (Episode 315)

November 30, 2023 18:04 - 1 hour - 57.8 MB

You can buy tickets to the Olympics and Paralympics, but then you can also buy "hospitality packages," but what does that really mean? On this episode, we talk with Will Whiston, Executive Vice President of Olympic and Paralympic Games for On Location to demystify "hospitality." It's On Location's first Games as the International Olympic Committee's official sponsor. Will tells us how that partnership came about, and he also explains some of the different hospitality experiences on offer f...

Lightning Rounds with Author Stephen Lane & Hockey Turf Expert Paul Kamphuis (Episode 314)

November 23, 2023 05:02 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MB

It's Thanksgiving in the U.S., which means we've got a helping of Lightning Rounds to serve up with your turkey dinner! Lightning rounds are a set of five questions that we ask every guest. They're not necessarily lightning fast, as you'll see with one of our guests, and often inspire additional questions. They're one of our favorite features because there are so many different answers there are for the same questions. It shows just how diverse and interesting our TKFLASTANIs are! Today'...

Author Aime Alley Card and Olympic Legends The Tigerbelles (Episode 313)

November 16, 2023 21:40 - 1 hour - 58.5 MB

The world of sports has always been captivating, filled with stories of determination, resilience, and triumph. The legendary Tennessee State Tigerbelles are one of those teams that triumphed throughout many Olympics, even with the odds against them. On this episode with talk with Aime Alley Card, author of the new book The Tigerbelles: Olympic Legends from Tennessee State. Aime's book covers the early years of the Tigerbelles, when Ed Temple became coach of the women's track and field tea...

Irish Winter Olympic Hopeful Brendan Doyle (Episode 312)

November 10, 2023 05:43 - 1 hour - 60.2 MB

What's it like to pioneer a sporting tradition in your country? Irish skeleton racer Brendan Doyle joins us to talk about his efforts as a solo athlete (Ireland currently has no funding for winter athletes) to qualify for Milan-Cortina 2026 and become an Olympian.  Follow Brendan on Insta and X, and check out his website. Brendan has also founded BuildThroughSport, a non-profit that aims to highlight the character-building aspects of sport, show how taking up sport can build positive attri...

Cricket in the Olympics with Andrew Nixon (Episode 311)

November 03, 2023 02:53 - 1 hour - 60.2 MB

Cricket is one of the sports that made it onto the program for LA 2028. It's one of the world's most popular sports....except in the US. We've decided to give ourselves a five-year learning curve to understand how the sport works, and to kick off that learning, Andrew Nixon, writer at Cricket Europe, joins us to explain the sport and its colorful, colonial history. Check out Andrew's piece on cricket's Olympic inclusion, and follow him on Twitter / X and Blue Sky: @andrewnixon.bsky.social...

Olympian Kristi Wagner on Pairs Rowing (Ep 310)

October 27, 2023 05:43 - 58 minutes - 53.5 MB

This week we're delighted to have Olympic rower and podcaster Kristi Wagner on the show. Kristi competes in double sculls, finishing 5th at the Tokyo Olympics with Gevvie Stone. She now rows with Sophia Vitas and they won the world championships this year. We talked with Kristi about rowing, changing partners, and her new role as host of  the podcast The Other 3 Years. Follow Kristi on Insta and be sure to subscribe to her podcast--it's an excellent listen, and you'll learn so much about w...

Gender Equity at the Olympics with Dr. Michele K. Donnelly (Ep 309)

October 20, 2023 00:24 - 1 hour - 77.7 MB

The Paris 2024 Olympics will be notable for many reasons, but the International Olympic Committee wants to make sure you know that for the first time in Olympic history, the Games will have gender parity. But what does that really mean? We talk with Dr. Michele K. Donnelly, assistant professor of sport management at Brock University in Ontario, Canada to get to the heart of the matter. Find out more about Dr. Donnelly's research here. In our Seoul 1988 history moment, Jill looks at t...

USA Fencing CEO Phil Andrews (Episode 308)

October 13, 2023 05:07 - 1 hour - 74.6 MB

We welcome back Phil Andrews to the podcast this week to talk about his new(ish) role as CEO of USA Fencing, how governing this sport is different from his last role at USA Weightlifting, how he’s dealt with the Alen Hazdic situation, how to get more women and para athletes involved with the sport, and what he’s looking forward to in Paris. Follow Phil on Insta and LinkedIn! In our history moment, Alison looks at the fencing competition at Seoul 1988. In our visit to TKFLASTAN to see ...

Beach Volleyball Partnerships with Betsi Flint (Episode 307)

October 06, 2023 01:46 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MB

We’re headed to the beach this week to talk with pro beach volleyball player and Olympic hopeful Betsi Flint. We talk with Betsi about the dynamics of partnerships in the sport--she currently partners with Julia Scoles--and some of the little details to look for when you’re watching. Betsi is also married and has a daughter, so we get into the dynamics of balancing training and competing with parenthood. Follow Betsi on Instagram and learn more about her at her website. She’s also playing...

The Olympics Mindset with Erin Aldrich-Shean (Episode 306)

September 29, 2023 02:42 - 1 hour - 88.3 MB

Note: This episode does contain discussion of abuse. While having great athletic skills is key to being an Olympian, mindset also plays a major part in being able to compete with the best of the best. In this episode, we talk with Olympian Erin Aldrich-Shean about the journey she's taken from elite athlete to becoming a coach and consultant to help others attain an Olympic mindset. We talked with Erin about her athletic career--part of which involves an abusive relationship with a coach-...

The Dirtiest Race in History with Book Club Claire (Ep 305)

September 21, 2023 19:47 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MB

Cue our History Moment music and our Book Club music because Book Club Claire is on hand for a discussion about Richard Moore's The Dirtiest Race in History: Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and the 1988 Olympic 100m Final (affiliate link). The title pretty much says it all--this was a doping scandal for the ages, and the book uncovers the history of the competitors in this race and all of the complexities about steroids and doping at the time. If you've read the book, we'd love to hear your thoug...

The State of Gymnastics with Blythe Lawrence (Ep 304)

September 14, 2023 17:52 - 53 minutes - 49 MB

We're excited to share with you the second part of our interview with freelance sports journalist and commentator Blythe Lawrence (if you missed part 1, go back to episode 300). Last time we focused on rhythmic gymnastics, and now we're checking out what's up in the world of artistic gymnastics. Follow Blythe on X/Twitter and Insta. She's also been commentating the Invictus Games with fellow TKFLASTANI Olly Hogben!   Jill's recent visit to the York Barbell Company's Weightlifting Hall...

Long Run to Glory with Author Stephen Lane (Ep 303)

September 07, 2023 19:28 - 1 hour - 65.2 MB

Author Stephen Lane talks with us about his new book Long Run to Glory: The Story of the Greatest Marathon in Olympic History and the Women Who Made it Happen. It’s about the development of women’s marathon as a sport, how it became included in the Olympics, and the very first Olympic marathon at LA 1984.  Stephen's book is a great read, so be sure to check it out. We have it listed on our Bookshop.org storefront (affiliate link) In our Seoul 1988 history moment, Alison goes into "what h...

Film Buff Fran on "A Promise Kept: The Oksana Baiul Story" (Episode 302)

August 31, 2023 04:07 - 1 hour - 58 MB

We're going back to 1994 this week with our latest Movie Club pick: A Promise Kept: The Oksana Baiul Story. This SOBIG made-for-TV biopic had the blessing of Lillehammer 1994 gold medalist of Oksana Baiul and tells the story of her life through her surprise victory amidst the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding scandal (though if you didn't know that scandal happened, you wouldn't learn anything about it from this movie).  Plus, video journalist Sean Colahan stops by post-Paris vacation to tell ...

When Women's Sitting Volleyball Was New with Lo Nigrosh (Ep 301)

August 25, 2023 18:29 - 1 hour - 59.8 MB

We love hearing what the Games used to be like for pioneers of sport, so we're excited to have on Paralympian Lo Nigrosh, who was on the first U.S. women's sitting volleyball team. They competed at Athens 2004 and to many people's surprise, brought home the bronze. Lo tells us what the early days of the team were like and about her time in Athens. Today Lo is a lactation consultant, childbirth educator and birth doula at Quabbin Birth Services, and she's host of the podcast The Milk Making...

Rhythmic Gymnastics with Blythe Lawrence (Ep 300)

August 18, 2023 02:51 - 45 minutes - 41.8 MB

On this episode, we look at the world of rhythmic gymnastics with freelance sports journalist and commentator Blythe Lawrence (whose voice you might recognize from many a gymnastics feed). Blythe explains how the sport works and what we can look forward to at Paris 2024. Be sure to follow Blythe on Twitter and Insta! In our Seoul history moment, Alison looks at the men's 100m butterfly race, which has a surprising winner. In our visit to TKFLASTAN, we have news from: Swimmer Felicity...

Sunny Choi on Breakdancing (Episode 299)

August 11, 2023 02:41 - 1 hour - 56.6 MB

Paris 2024 added a number of hip, urban sports to the program for their Games, including breakdancing. However, if you're an average Games fan and maybe have caught a little bit of breakin' here and there, you may not understand how it works. Not to worry -- American B-girl Sunny Choi is here to explain it all, including what happened to The Worm. Follow Sunny on Instagram and on TikTok! Intern Annalee has got some follow-up from last week's Seoul history moment, including some contribut...

Wheelchair Fencing with Paralympian Ellen Geddes (Ep 298)

August 04, 2023 03:57 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MB

This week we are moving to the fencing piste to learn how wheelchair fencing works. Contributor Ben talks with Paralympian Ellen Geddes about the ins and outs of the sport and how she got into it. Follow Ellen on Insta! For our Seoul 1988 history moment, our intern Annalee Deabel tells of yet another controversy in the boxing ring, this time about South Korean boxer Byeon Jeong-il, whose headbutts rankled the referee, leading to pure chaos--and then sadness--in the ring. In news from T...

One Year to Paris 2024 with Ken Hanscom (Ep 297)

July 27, 2023 21:41 - 1 hour - 55.8 MB

We are officially at the one year to go mark before the Paris 2024 Olympics starts! That means it's time for a visit from our TKFLASTANI travel expert Ken Hanscom, who's got all of the details on what tickets might still be available, the hotel situation, flights, getting around Paris, and the hospitality houses. Follow Ken on Twitter (X) and Insta, and if you're on Facebook, join the Paris 2024 Olympics Planning & Preparation group for more advice! In our Seoul 1988 history moment, Alis...

Paul Kamphuis on Hockey Turf (Episode 296)

July 20, 2023 19:23 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MB

Are you ready for surface talk?! This week we're joined by Paul Kamphuis, general manager at Polytan Asia Pacific, to talk about hockey turf. Paul tells us how the surface is made, why it's watered, and he's got a job Jill would like to do come Games time. Coincidentally this week was also Hockey Turf Day, so we hoped you celebrated appropriately. If you haven't, watch "The Surface," a really interesting documentary about the evolution of hockey turf. The "Smurf Turf," as it was nicknamed,...

Watch Party: Opening Ceremonies Seoul 1988 (Episode 295)

July 14, 2023 00:26 - 42 minutes - 39.1 MB

With just about one year to go until Paris 2024, we've got to start getting our daily show muscles into shape! We're training with you this week as we get deep into our yearlong look at the Seoul 1988 Olympics and Paralympics by watching the Olympics Opening Ceremonies.  For screencaps of some of the gems from the Parade of Nations, as well as a transcript, please visit flamealivepod.com. In our visit to TKFLASTAN, we have news from: Pole vaulter Katie Moon Hammer thrower DeAnna Price...

Lightning Rounds with Olly Hogben, Louise Sugden, and Andy Spalding (Episode 294)

July 07, 2023 03:56 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MB

We had Independence Day here in the U.S. this week, so we've put together a series of lightning rounds for your enjoyment. If there's time at the end of our interviews, we ask our guests five questions--and they're pretty similar--in a lightning round format. Because it's us though, it's never so lightning fast. That's what makes them interesting though! That said, we're joined by anti-corruption expert Andy Spalding, para powerlifter Louise Sugden, and commentator Olly Hogben. Here's ho...

So Many Olympic Updates! (Episode 293)

June 29, 2023 19:52 - 45 minutes - 42.1 MB

So much has been happening in the world of the Olympics that this week we're catching up on all of the news. We start with the continued saga of boxing and the International Boxing Association (IBA) vs. the International Olympic Committee (IOC).  We then take a look at the IOC's eSports Week, which was held in Singapore on June 22-25. Will eSports be a bigger part of the IOC's plan to reach youth?  We also have an update in the Kamila Valieva situation, including a ballsy exhibit at the ...

Author Warren Perrin on Munich 1972 Victim David Berger (Episode 292)

June 23, 2023 04:33 - 53 minutes - 48.5 MB

This week we're going back to the Munich 1972 Olympics and the massacre that happened there. Author Warren Perrin knew David Berger, the Israeli weightlifter, and he recently wrote a book called The Weight of History, the Power of Apology: Remembering Lifter David Berger 50 Years after the Munich Olympics to memorialize his friend and reflect on what it means to receive an apology for a devastating act. Warren is co-founder of the Acadian Heritage & Culture Foundation which celebrates the ...

Craig Spence on the International Paralympic Committee, Part 2 (Episode 291)

June 15, 2023 05:28 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MB

We're excited to have Craig Spence, chief brand and communication officer of the International Paralympic Committee, back on the show with us. In part 2 of his interview, we learn the latest on the situation with Russia and Belarus, and we also learn what keeps Craig up at night (sadly, it might be us at the moment). Craig's a great follow on social! Find him on Twitter, Insta and LinkedIn. WARNING: This episode's Seoul History Moment will likely have you going down the rabbit hole of rh...

Book Club Claire on "The Hard Parts" by Oksana Masters (Episode 290)

June 09, 2023 01:32 - 1 hour - 57.3 MB

Book Club Claire is back to discuss a memoir we've been excited to read: The Hard Parts: A Memoir of Courage and Triumph (affiliate link) by Oksana Masters, a 6x Paralympian who is one of the major faces of Team USA. Will this book live up to our expectations? Don't forget to follow Claire on Twitter! She's a great follow! In our Seoul 1988 History Moment, Jill has part 2 of her sailing stories. This time we're looking at the Finn class, and the sportsmanship of Canadian Lawrence Lemieu...

Craig Spence on the International Paralympic Committee (Episode 289)

June 01, 2023 09:00 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MB

Craig Spence, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at International Paralympic Committee, joins us to discuss the IPC's new strategic plan--or at least some of it. Plus, we get into how the IPC is different from the International Olympic Committee, what goes into revamping the classification system and the making of the We the 15 campaign. Follow Craig on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.  In our TKFLASTAN Update, we've got news from: Nordic combined athlete Annika Malacinski Wheelch...

Film Buff Fran on Zero to Hero (Episode 288)

May 25, 2023 05:21 - 29 minutes - 27 MB

We're getting ready for summer movie season! Film Buff Fran joins us to talk about "Zero to Hero," the 2021 Hong Kong biopic of So Wa Wai, Hong Kong's first Paralympian to win the gold medal. Our next movie will be “A Promise Kept: The Oksana Baiul Story,” which you can watch for free on Crackle and Plex. Will this be a made-for-TV movie that's so bad, it's good? For a transcript of this episode, please visit: https://wp.me/pbRtIx-2eg Thanks so much for listening, and until next time...

Author Alexandra Allred on Women in Sports Throughout History (Episode 287)

May 18, 2023 20:28 - 1 hour - 60.2 MB

On the whole, women's sports have been downplayed throughout history, and even in ancient times, some societies didn't want women to compete. Was it just because of the "falling uterus" theory? We talk with author Alexandra Allred about her book When Women Stood: The Untold History of Females Who Changed Sports and the World and the audacious women who dared to compete. In our history moment, we look at a women's first. At Seoul 1988, it was the first time that women had their own sailing ...

3x Paralympian Chuck Aoki on Wheelchair Rugby (Episode 286)

May 12, 2023 04:08 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MB

t's always great when we can take someone off our never-ending list of people we'd love to talk to. It's even better when we manage to do the interview without completely fangirling. This week we talk with wheelchair rugby legend Chuck Aoki. Chuck has been to three Paralympics--London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020. He's racked up hardware at all three, with a bronze and two silvers respectively. Chuck is currently on the Team USA 2023 training squad in preparation for international compet...

5x Paralympian Lora Webster on Sitting Volleyball (Episode 285)

May 05, 2023 02:25 - 1 hour - 61 MB

On this episode of the show we get to take someone off the list! We're so excited to have the opportunity to talk sitting volleyball with five-time Paralympian Lora Webster. With Team USA, she has won a bronze, 2 silvers, and gold in Rio and Tokyo. She is also a mom of 4 and became a big story in Tokyo because she was competing while 5 months pregnant. We talked with Lora about how sitting volleyball works, her long career, her plans for Paris and how the kids help her train.  Lora will be...

Olympic Commentator Olly Hogben Returns! (Episode 284)

April 28, 2023 01:22 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MB

e're thrilled to have Olly Hogben, Olympic Broadcasting Service commentator, back on the show this week! We talk about his experiences commentating at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022, and what makes the Olympics so special. Olly’s a great follow on social media! Check him out on Twitter and Insta, and you can learn more about him at his website. Since we're talking broadcasting, Alison took a look at NBC's coverage of Seoul 1998 for our history moment. It's pretty horrifying--and M...

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