Olympics.com Podcast

After she was passed over for the USA team for Sochi 2014, Mirai Nagasu was done with figure skating.“It wasn’t fun… I used to think, ‘I deserve to sit here in my puddle of tears and cry.’” She vowed to make a comeback and became the first American woman to land a triple axel at the Olympics – and took home Olympic bronze in the team event.Olympic champion Meryl Davis sat down with her to speak about the 2018 Olympics, the sarcasm of her teammate Gracie Gold and how she landed that big jump.LINKS:Mirai Nagasu on Instagram The triple axel 2018 Olympics routine in full Meryl Davis Instagram Ed Knowles on Twitter

Thomas Fogdö was one of the best slalom skiers in the world, but his life took an unexpected turn after he broke his back in a training accident. Despite now being in a wheelchair, the Swede has continued to give back to the sport he loves so much and help other athletes who have suffered similar injuries. Thomas Fogdö on TwitterActive Life FoundationAlessandro Poggi on TwitterAsh Tulloch on TwitterSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

Great Britain’s Bernice Wilson was a promising young sprinter, but her career took a turn for the worse when she enlisted the services of ex-UK Athletics coach, Dr. George Skafidas.They began dating and he persuaded Wilson to start doping. She was caught, banned for four years, and vowed to come back clean.With her ban nearing completion, she tested positive again. But this time Skafidas had been doping the Briton without her knowledge.Wilson alerted the authorities. Skafidas received a life-time ban from the sport. Three years on she is now a clean competitor and anti-doping campaigner.She told the Olympic Channel podcast how she made mistakes, was manipulated, and how she's trying to make amends.LINKS:Andrew Binner on TwitterBernice Wilson on TwitterUK Anti-DopingSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

Bobby Clay's promising running future was put on hold because she over-trained and under-ate. After winning numerous British titles and earning herself a team GB bib, the young rising star's body broke. ''I got to the point where I sat down in the gym and my shin snapped. It’s something we do every day and I couldn’t even do that without breaking. If I can’t do that, how was I meant to run.'' Now aged 21, Clay is competing in the UK national track cycling championships as part of her recovery but still has Olympic ambitions as a runner. She shares her story as a word of warning to other young athletes. LINKS: #TRAINBRAVE TRAIN BRAVE on Twitter Ash Tulloch on Twitter Bobby Clay on Twitter SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

Kenya's Wilfred Bungei seemingly had it all: Money, fame, and an 800m Olympic gold medal.However, after retiring he couldn't fill 'the vacuum' that training and competing once occupied, and slipped into deep alcoholism.On several occasions he almost lost his life, and missed the birth of his child."There is only three destinations for an alcoholic: Institutions - which is treatment, you will go to jail because you will do something stupid that will put you in trouble, or you will die."Now, over seven years sober, he is helping other alcoholics and former athletes avoid making the same mistakes. Olympic Channel reporter Evelyn Watta travelled to Kenya to hear Bungei's emotional story.LINKS:Alcoholics AnonymousSamaritansEvelyn Watta on TwitterSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST 

Lucy Davis isn’t your average Olympic silver medallist. A Stanford graduate with a major in architecture, she’s also a top-level equestrian showjumper. But even the best athletes suffer burnout, as Davis found out after winning silver in Rio. “I kind of lost a lot of motivation,” she admits – and it took her two years before she finally found a new calling. Part of that involves giving back to her sport through her business, PonyApp. “There is this community of people around the world that love horses and have no outlet for it. So we're trying to galvanise that energy and direct it towards the sport and its exposure.” LINKS:PonyApp Lucy Davis on Instagram ‘His name is Barron’ – Lucy Davis introduces Barron on the Olympic Channel Showjumping warm-ups with Lucy Davis on the Olympic Channel SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

If you’re looking for some motivation to achieve what you want in 2019, then have a listen to these amazing stories from across the Olympic world. We hear from Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin, Jordyn Wieber, and more. Whatever your aim for the new year, we hope these stories from the greats will inspire you on your way to greatness. LINKS: Missy Franklin Jordyn Wieber Yusra Mardini Michael Phelps Klete Keller

To celebrate our first incredible year, we have put together highlights from some of our most downloaded interviews of the year. We have an absolute stellar line-up including Simone Biles, John Orozco, Anthony Ervin, Brian Orser and Yuzuru Hanyu. LINKS: Simone Biles John Orozco John’s song Anthony Ervin Brian Orser Yuzuru Hanyu

Italian Michela Moioli felt nervous ahead of her first Olympic snowboard cross final at Sochi 2014. Those nerves turned to despair as her medal hopes were crushed when she crashed heavily. Aged just 18, her career was in jeopardy after suffering a torn cruciate ligament in her knee. But, she dedicated herself to making a comeback and, four years later at PyeongChang 2018, she won gold. We spoke to Michela about pasta, post-Olympic blues, and Beijing 2022. LINKS: Against All Odds Michela Moioli Instagram

We sent Olympic champion figure skater Meryl Davis to Vancouver to cover the Grand Prix Final for the Olympic Channel Podcast. And she bumped into a familiar face.  Double Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser is coach to Yuzuru Hanyu, Javier Fernandez and Evgenia Medvedeva. Davis and Orser chatted about Hanyu’s ankle injury, Fernandez’s European Championships mission and what his opinion on Medvedeva’s inconsistent season.  “I ask everyone for their patience. Please. It will be great. Really great. But there’s no quick fix.” LINKS: Nathan Chen Facebook Live Meryl Davis Instagram

British Paralympian David Weir has won more London Marathon titles than anyone on the planet.But despite his success, he’d never come to terms with his disability. He was born with a spinal cord transection that left him unable to use his legs. Frustrated by his lack of options in the sporting world growing up, he went on to excel at wheelchair racing.Even after winning six gold Paralympic medals, by the time he won his record-breaking seventh London Marathon in 2017, he felt no joy.Weir had to face up to the inner turmoil he had been burying since childhood.“I never showed my emotions to my family. I never spoke to my mum and dad about my disability... I just bottled things up for years and years.”The 39-year-old opened up about why he wants to represent Great Britain at Tokyo 2020, the highs of London 2012, and his life-changing counselling sessions.

“It's not popular for men to be emotional in America. Especially black men.” Family tragedy. Injuries. A new mission in Los Angeles. You may remember US gymnast’s emotional NBC interview after he qualified for Rio 2016. He beat the odds to make the team after injuries and the sudden death of his mother. Orozco never made it to Brazil. Another injury ended his sporting career. Now, the 25-year-old is looking to become a singer in Los Angeles. “Hope is not… an empty concept. It's something that you have to create the meaning for - what is your hope?” LINKS:Lifeline Samaritans UK John Orozco Instagram Scott Bregman Twitter Ed Knowles Twitter SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

China have sent some of their most promising athletes to Norway to transform them into Winter Olympians.A set of athletes aged 15-20 have been given an incredible challenge.They haven’t ever worn skis before but are still hopeful of becoming international level ski jumpers.We went behind-the-scenes on their first day on the slopes.Plus, double Olympic champion Aksel Lund Svindal, 35, joined us to tell about how to achieve longevity in skiing.Credits:Chinese Ski Jumping (Reporter: Nicklas Vinde) and Aksel Lund Svindal (Reporter: Alessandro Poggi)

Swimmer Anthony Ervin won Olympic gold aged 19. His life then fell apart. He was homeless for a time, attempted suicide, and drank heavily. By 2016, he had completely turned his life around and won the 50m freestyle at the Olympics.Aged 35, he was the oldest individual Olympic gold medal winner in swimming.This time though - he was ready.“Winning can be a terrible thing that happens to you. It can completely intoxicate you… Winning is a test.”We spoke about Ryan Lochte, growing up with Tourette’s, and how he wants to compete at Tokyo 2020.LINKS:Anthony winning gold in RioAnthony's bookThe other book he recommendedAndre Agassi's bookThe myth of IcarusIf any of the topics in this episode distressed you, please talk to some one! Or let us know... In the UK, the charity Samaritans are very helpful.

Four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles is now a 14-time world champion. The records fell in Doha with her achievements made all the more unbelievable after she was admitted into hospital on the eve of competition with a kidney stone.The Olympic Channel Podcast spoke to her just after she had won her dramatic all-around title.Plus, reporter Scott Bregman and gymnastics writer Blythe Lawrence (@rockergymnastic) picked out the best stories from an action-packed world championships.

The consequences for failure in BMX at the Olympics are high. New Zealand’s Sarah Walker knows about this – she’s broken 18 bones over her career. A big crash meant she missed out on Rio 2016 after her silver medal at London 2012. She believes that the definition of failure should be reassessed. “(Society sees) failure as such a bad word. It’s so negative and this thing that you need to avoid (but) I aim to fail every week."Then if I have a bigger failure – I have practiced that feeling – and I am more comfortable with it and I am more accepting of the outcome.” Find out how to make some epic fails – Olympic style.

As we gear up towards the artistic gymnastics world championships in Doha, we sat down with two incredible Olympic gold medal winning gymnasts.Jordyn Wieber became world champion in 2011 but then missed out on the all-around final at London 2012. "I felt like I had failed because I didn’t live up to those expectations."Now, she's at UCLA as a coach and is flourishing.Plus, we get the inside-track on Simone Biles from her team-mate Madison Kocian."I’m really excited to see how she does at worlds, I’m sure she’s going to do well."

Get up-to-speed with the new documentary 'The Golden Generation'. We have interviews from both directors - including with the Oscar-winner Juan Jose Campanella.Plus, we get the full low-down on why Manu Ginóbili and the rest of this Argentinian basketball team from Athens 2004 were really 'The Golden Generation'.

Waleed Abu Nada set up a weightlifting club in the biggest refugee camp for Palestinians outside of Palestine.Here was here in Buenos Aires for the Youth Olympic Games as part of the Jordan team.We spoke about our favourite moments from the past few days and also how he started his club.Plus, the latest headlines.LINKS:Documentary about weightlifting club

He’s 22 and already considered a veteran in the gaming world. Jake Lyon says that Esports and the Olympics could learn a lot from each other.“You could be confined to a wheelchair… you can be a man, woman, young (or) old – all these barriers that would usually require divisions – in Esports they don’t mean anything.”Plus, we have the latest headlines from Buenos Aires and an athlete to watch.

Are the Olympic Games at risk because of climate change?Olympic bronze medallist snowboarder Alex Deibold worries it’s a real possibility. “That’s what is at stake if you don’t take climate change seriously. ... The moments of triumph. The moments of joy.”Plus, we catch up on the headlines from the Youth Olympic Games and also give you an athlete to look out for here at Buenos Aires.

He is aiming to be Africa’s first gold medallist at the Winter Olympic Games.  The track prospect swapped sports to skeleton - but some people still didn’t believe in Akwasi Frimpong.  “I definitely know what it feels like to be bullied. I definitely know what it feels to be laughed at. I definitely know how it feels when people tell you to give up.” Plus, we have all the headlines from the Youth Olympic Games and an athlete to watch.

Olympic champion swimmer Chad le Clos opened up about how he dealt with his parents' cancer diagnosis just before Rio 2016. He argues that you must put everything to one side before stepping onto the blocks to perform."You don't cry for losing. You cry for winning."We also have all the headlines and an athlete to watch for the day too.

Nyjah and Leticia are two of the world's top skateboarders and we asked about their feeds - what do they post and why? Plus, we tracked down professional dancer Kaelynn Gobert-Harris on what grabs her attention on Insta and tips on how to make it.  We also have the usual headlines and an athlete to watch.

Double Olympic champion Jade Jones is 25 and aiming for a third title at Tokyo 2020. She's travelled to Argentina as an athlete role model to give advice to those competing. With that in mind, we fired some difficult questions about dating and being an athlete. How do you get that balance between your love life and elite sport?Plus, we have the latest headlines from Buenos Aires 2018 and the day's athlete to watch.

We went behind-the-scenes at the first ever Youth Olympic breaking individual finals. We spoke to Bumblebee, Shigekix, and Emma after they won their medals. Don’t forget the team event will be streamed on OlympicChannel.com today. Plus, we have all the usual headlines and tips on who to watch.

The 18-year-old cancer survivor playing 3x3 basketball at the Youth Olympic Games.

Yusra nearly drowned in the Aegean Sea when she fled Syria and became a refugee. She steadied a boat with her sister - saving the lives of the people on board. She went on to compete at Rio 2016 and won her swimming heat. We talked to her about her Instagram feed and practical ways people can help refugees.

Kirsty Coventry, Senegal and the Youth Olympic Games

We open our daily podcast from Buenos Aires with a bang as USA's Missy Franklin. She opens up about her body issues when she was a teenager. There’s some sage advice on how to perform under the glare of the world afrom the five-time Olympic champion. Plus, we speak to Paris 2024 boss and three-time Olympic champion Tony Estanguet on why he has a vested interest in the athletes' performance here in Buenos Aires.For a live stream from the Youth Olympic Games - head to Olympic Channel now.

The start of Buenos Aires 2018 is almost here. Over 4,000 elite sporting teenagers are descending on Argentina for the Youth Olympic Games.  Former Youth Olympians include snowboarder Chloe Kim, diving’s Tom Daley and Spain’s badminton Olympic champion Carolina Marin. We’ve spoken to four athletes who we think you need to know about.At 18, Kanak Jha is already USA’s top men’s table tennis player.“The Youth Olympic Games is the biggest event there is for juniors and (to win) would just be unbelievable,” he said.World junior champion Aaliyah Powell has all the ingredients for success in taekwondo according to double Olympic gold medallist Jade Jones.“I think she has got a lot of star qualities.”Plus, we get the stories behind British gymnast Amelie Morgan and USA rugby 7s captain Junior Waqavesi.Experience their journey from the start-line and discover the ‘Heroes of the Future’.

The 23-time Olympic champion, Michael Phelps, opened up to the Olympic Channel Podcast about his struggles with mental health. “Being able to be open, to be honest (and) being your authentic self… that’s kind of the equation for success.” Phelps was third place in what was billed as the ‘Race of the Century’. The man who beat him to second place was three-time Olympic champ Pieter van den Hoogenband. Ian Thorpe, Michael Phelps, Grant Hackett and Klete Keller were all in the race – and all have suffered from mental problems at some point. Pieter didn’t. And, once his time competitively swimming ended, he was still ok. “When your career is over, your life is not over. And you are not a medal.” Links: Legends Live On with Ian Thorpe: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/original-series/detail/legends-live-on/legends-live-on-season-season-1/episodes/australia-s-ian-thorpe-extended/ Race of the Century: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/video/detail/thorpe-wins-men-s-200m-freestyle/ Michael Phelps: Athlete Evolution: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/video/detail/athlete-evolution-michael-phelps/

Sarah Storey has won more Paralympic gold medals than any other British woman. She won 14, in both swimming and cycling, across her ground-breaking career. During Rio 2016, she took the decision to breastfeed during competition. She thinks that it’s possible to be a breastfeeding mother and be on the top of your game. After Serena Williams’ coach advised her to stop breastfeeding, Storey also says attitudes in coaching need to change at the highest level of sport. “You have to consider the small person that the athlete mum is looking after and all the other things that come with it.” SUBSCRIBE for the best interviews and biggest talking points around the Olympics every Wednesday.

Rhythmic gymnast Marta Pagnini is an Olympic bronze medallist from Italy who is totally confident with her body. She wants to promote a positive message. “I’m confident with my body and I shouldn’t be judged for my body, I should be judged for my performance as an athlete. And from what I do as a woman, not for my body.” SUBSCRIBE for the best interviews around the Olympics every Wednesday. LINKS: Anatomy Of: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/original-series/detail/anatomy-of/ Marta Pagnini Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martapagnini/?hl=en

Sweden’s Rio silver medallist Nilla Fischer thinks we’re a long way from seeing a big, male star ‘come out’ in the sport. But the first openly gay referee in the English game, Ryan Atkin, believes homophobia is on the decline in football. We want to know what the men can learn from the women’s game about LGBTQ+ inclusivity. SUBSCRIBE for the best interviews around the Olympics every Wednesday. LINKS: Nilla Fischer video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=B5q8iORvrlA Ryan Atkin background: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10946184/professional-referee-ryan-atkin-says-being-openly-gay-in-football-should-hold-no-fears

Imagine you’re single. Your date turns out to be an Olympic figure skater. Six months later, you propose. She says yes. Liam Cross went from knowing nothing about figure skating to being physically sick before the Olympic Games in PyeongChang because he was so nervous about his wife’s performance. Together With Bruno Massot, Alonja Savchenko took gold in the pairs from PyeongChang 2018 for Germany. Her husband Liam Cross says that day was the most terrifying of his entire life. Why? Because he's madly in love with a figure skater... LINKS: Tough Girl Podcast: https://www.acast.com/toughgirlpodcast Record-breaking pairs free programme in full: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/savchenko-and-massot-ger-gold-medal-pairs-free-skating

Heptathlete Rebecca Wardell is on a mission to cycle through most of Europe and Asia before hopping on a plane and finishing her journey through New Zealand. After injury forced her hopes for a second Olympic appearance six weeks before London 2012, she’s now embarking on a trip to meet as many Olympians as possible and raise money for charity to get more women into sport. She says, “It’s definitely not as hard physically as you might think.” LINKS: Asian Games: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/events/2018-asian-games--jakarta-and-palembang-idn/ Tim Ferris Podcast with Jerzy Gregorek: https://tim.blog/2017/03/16/jerzy-gregorek/ Long Way Home website: http://www.thelongwayhome.co.nz/

Four-time Olympic medallist, coach, and NBC commentator Ato Boldon remembers Usain Bolt’s incredible world record breaking performance at Beijing 2008. The Trinidad and Tobago sprint legend has been at the stadium every time Jamaica’s Bolt has broken a record. He says that moment was simply iconic. As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of a race that won’t be forgotten, we spoke to Boldon about Bolt’s untied shoelace, the man who finished second Richard Thompson, and the celebrations that changed the way people think of running forever. The Olympic Channel Podcast comes out every Wednesday. Think like an Olympian. SUBSCRIBE NOW. LINKS: BACK TO BEIJING 2008: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/features/back-to-beijing-2008/ RICH ROLL PODCAST WITH DES LINDEN: http://www.richroll.com/podcast/des-linden-375/

Less than three months after winning Olympic gold in cross-country skiing at PyeongChang 2018, Kikkan Randall was diagnosed with breast cancer. The 35-year-old American is receiving treatment and the prognosis is good. But she’s had to shave her hair off. Hair that she used to dye pink to stand out from the crowd. We talk about the colour pink, the dreaded moment she took ‘the call’ and making the most of every day. Remember to subscribe to the Olympic Channel Podcast for more inspiring stories every Wednesday. We want you to think like an Olympian. LINKS: ISAIAH THOMAS VIDEO: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/isaiah-thomas-i-want-to-inspire-small-kids/ SPORTSWEEK: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0070lk9/episodes/downloads GOING OLYMPIC: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/going-olympic-tokyo-2020/sports-chronicles/fukushima-returns-as-one-of-japans-premiere-surf-spots/ BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

Courage is easy to talk about but hard to practise. How can we find the courage to speak out for the right thing? And do you have the courage to face your fears? Greek gymnast Eleftherios Petrounias won gold on the rings at Rio 2016. His journey to that moment was difficult. He was bullied as a child for being short and lost his father two weeks before he became world champion in 2015. We also talked to him about the bravery of US gymnasts – like Aly Raisman - who spoke out against their abuser and recently won an award for their courage. LINKS: Simone Biles article: https://articles.olympicchannel.com/simone-biles-returns-interview/ StopBullying: https://www.stopbullying.gov/ Speaking out: http://www.stepupspeakout.org/

Figure skater Denis Ten died suddenly on 19 July 2018. There was an immediate outpour of emotion after the Sochi 2014 bronze medallist was reportedly attacked and stabbed in Kazakhstan. The Olympic Channel Podcast spoke to Olympic gold medallist Aljona Savchenko. She was friends with Ten and gives a moving a tribute. Plus, we dug into our archives to find an interview with Denis Ten that we did before PyeongChang 2018. LINKS: Gamebreakers: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/gamebreakers/core-gamebreakers/how-denis-ten-put-kazakhstan-on-the-map-with-an-unlikely-winter-sport/ Podcast: https://www.ted.com/read/ted-podcasts/worklife

The sun beats down hard on the Madrid street and it’s hot. The ice here is normally in drinks to cool down. The Spanish capital doesn’t seem like a natural first choice for Winter Olympians. That was until Javier Fernandez slowly worked his way to becoming one of the world’s leading figure skaters. He is a two-time world champion and took home a bronze medal from PyeongChang 2018. As a young man, once he reached a certain level, he knew he had to leave his country behind. He has trained with the legendary Brian Orser in Toronto for eight years. As his illustrious career competing comes to a close, he’s back and is looking to teach his skills to a new generation of Spanish skaters. So what does he have planned? Does he have any career regrets? And what does he make of double Olympic champion and training partner Yuzuru Hanyu? SUBSCRIBE for the best Olympic interviews from the podcast every Wednesday. We want you to think like an Olympian. LINKS: Shredding Monsters: Mavericks: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/features/shredding-monsters-mavericks/ Rich Roll podcast: http://www.richroll.com/podcast/rangan-chatterjee-376/

The swimmer won Olympic gold in 2004 with Michael Phelps and just a few years later he was jobless and living in his car. Klete Keller experienced the highs of beating Olympic swimming legends like Ian Thorpe but, after his winning career was finished, he sunk into a deep depression. Keller lost his marriage and his job over the course of 24 hours. His life fell apart and he spent 10 months living in his car. The American used to blame everyone but himself for his situation but now he has come to terms with his past. He simply struggled with real life once swimming had ended. He says he just got lower and lower. Now, Keller is rebuilding his life and says the biggest lesson he learnt was that life takes a bit of discipline. LINKS: Podcast: Gymcastic https://gymcastic.com/ Flag and Family: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/flag-family/flag-family/boxing-star-kadiru-a-typical-german/

What happens when you are expected to stand on the podium as an Olympic medallist – but you finish fourth? Swimmer Katinka Hosszu was favourite for gold in 2012. (Interview starts at 03:05) During the race, she realised that she was in third position and the person in first couldn’t be caught. She started to be mentally distracted. The Hungarian finished the race and looked up at the board to check her time. She had finished fourth and was ‘devastated’. Some were even advising her to walk away from the sport entirely. Hosszu used this disappointment to become the ‘Iron Lady’ who broke the world record for the 400m Individual Medley in 2016. Finishing fourth was a necessary step on her journey to winning three Olympic gold medals (and also a silver!). That redemption hasn’t happened for rower Emma Twigg (interview starts at 12:04). Or at least not yet! She finished in fourth place in the single sculls twice – in 2012 and 2016. In the boat after her performance in Rio, she vowed to give up the sport. Now, she’s making a run at Tokyo 2020 which would be her fourth Olympic appearance. Yes, she has thought about finishing fourth in Tokyo. And, although she’s aiming for the gold medal, now she’s at peace with missing the podium and proud of what she has achieved. LINKS: PODCAST: Ctrl Alt Delete http://www.emmagannon.co.uk/category/podcast/ BOOK: Hosszu’s book in Hungarian - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11652298.Katinka_Hossz_

It’s time to start thinking about the new Olympic cycle for figure skating. So, we asked two Olympic champions what they think Yuzuru Hanyu and Evgenia Medvedeva should do next. Russia’s Evgeni Plushenko (interview starts at 02:56) says that Hanyu is ‘from a different planet’. And hints that the Japanese double Olympic champion could be capable of doing the quad axel. Plushenko also says that if Medvedeva feels more comfortable training with coach Brian Orser then – why not? We also spoke to USA’s Brian Boitano (interview starts at 11:10) who won gold against Brian Orser at Calgary 1988. He advises Hanyu against taking too much of a break from competitive skating. And he thinks that Medvedeva will become an even better skater after training with Boitano’s former rival Brian Orser. Two exclusive interviews that you won’t see (or hear!) anywhere but Olympic Channel. If you liked this episode, we would love it if you gave it a five star review on iTunes or wherever you found us. SUBSCRIBE and you will never miss an episode of the Olympic Channel podcast. We want you to think just like an Olympian. Links: Hanyu interview in English from just after PyeongChang: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/listen-olympic-channel-podcast-ep20-with-hanyu-solo-wise/ Medvedeva interview in English from Japan: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/olympic-channel-podcast/may/evgenia-medvedeva-a-russian-skater-on-the-move/ Plushenko video interview: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/evgeni-plushenko-talks-yuzuru-hanyu-quads-and-the-future-of-figure-skating/ Foul Play: Dutee https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/foul-play/foul-play/foul-play-dutee/ Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin: https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/heresthething

If you have a look at Yusra Mardini’s Instagram feed – there are clues about what she does: pictures of swimming training and plenty of selfies. She’s clearly an international standard athlete. But her story runs deep – after fleeing Syria and swimming for 10km alongside a boat of displaced people looking for a new start, she ended up in Germany training for the Olympics. She refuses to be defined by her status as a refugee and wants you to reassess what you think about the word too. In a huge act of kindness, marathon runner Gatkuoth Puok Thiep gave up his place on the Refugee Olympic Team. He lost his father, mother and sister to the war in South Sudan. His inspiring story, although tragic, is full of hope about the future. We sat down with both for World Refugee Day. Don’t forget to subscribe for more of the best Olympic talking points every week. And leave a five star review on iTunes and other places if you liked what you heard. We want you to think just like an Olympian. LINKS: SPORTSPIEL: https://sportspielonline.com/ BOOK: https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/yusra-mardini/butterfly WE ARE ONE DOCUMENTARY: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/features/we-are-one/

Everywhere Luka Doncic has gone – he’s won. From the Eurobasket with Slovenia to the Euroleague with Real Madrid, the 19-year-old is hot property for the NBA Draft. But what makes him so special? And could we see Slovenia finally compete and even challenge at the Olympic Games? We speak to ESPN’s Senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski about why basketball dealmakers are so interested. Plus, we hear from to Bostjan Nachbar, who has played in the NBA and in Euroleague. He’s also Slovenian, knows Doncic and the pitfalls facing a young player trying to make it in the USA. Don’t forget to subscribe for the best Olympic talking points each week. LINKS: WOJ POD: http://art19.com/shows/thewojpod BOOK: https://www.mcdbooks.com/news/announcing-kobe-bryant-s-the-mamba-mentality WE ARE ONE DOCUMENTARY: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/features/we-are-one/

Physical trauma is, on the surface, much harder to stomach than any emotional pain. Imagine choosing between sparring a few rounds with a boxer compared to being called a few names. The choice seems easy. But, as an elite boxer watches cuts and bruises heal after a big fight, they say it's the emotional scars that can last a lifetime. Olympic bronze medallist boxer David Price has faced the worst of both. Price has suffered both internet abuse and brutal knock-downs. He admits to crying (in a positive way!) ahead of his last fight against Alexander Povetkin and argues that physical pain is much easier to handle than the mental. Plus, USA boxing coach Billy Walsh gives us some tips on how to stay in the best mental condition. LINKS: PEOPLE’S FIGHTERS: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/features/the-peoples-fighters/ PODCAST: https://www.michaelneill.org/podcast/ DOCUMENTARY: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1330059/

When two-time Olympic silver medallist figure skater Evgenia Medvedeva announced that she was leaving her coach to join Brian Orser in Canada, it was a surprise. We managed to grab a word with the two-time world champion about anime, meeting EXO, and her thoughts on PyeongChang. But she also gave us the lowdown on what she thinks of moving to Canada. ***LINKS*** EXO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdssuxDdqKk TRAILER FOR NEW DOC: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/five-rings-films-the-peoples-fighters-official-trailer/ PODCAST RECOMMENDATION: https://armchairexpertpod.com/ BOOK RECOMMENDATION: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16175114-making-mavericks

It’s not every day that you receive an invitation to visit the home of one of the biggest skateboarders around. So the Olympic Channel Podcast naturally leapt at the chance to speak to Nyjah Huston at his apartment in Los Angeles. Why on earth are we concerned about skateboarding? Well, the sport is going to be at Tokyo 2020. And if you have any doubts as to why skateboarding should be at the Olympic Games – this episode should set that straight… LINKS SLS: http://streetleague.com/ Nyjah’s ‘Til Death part: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBgbBrxj2to Danny Lozano profile (in Spanish) http://www.go-skateboarding.com/?p=15858 Joe Rogan Podcast: http://podcasts.joerogan.net/ ATHLEAN-X: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe0TLA0EsQbE-MjuHXevj2A