Sporting Witness

In July 2010, the German cyclist Jens Voigt crashed while descending a mountain in the Pyrenees during the Tour De France. With his bike destroyed and his team support cars a long way up the road, Voigt borrowed a child’s bike and rode the next 15 kilometres on it. He talks to Ashley Byrne.(Photo: Jens Voigt in action at the 2010 Tour De France. Credit: Getty Images)

The story of how a Wimbledon first round tie between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut in 2010 became the longest tennis match in history, stretching over three days. Matt Pintus has been speaking to the match umpire, Mohamed Lahyani.PHOTO: John Isner, Nicolas Mahut and Mohamed Lahyani (Getty Images).

The story of baseball pitcher Tommy John's elbow injury in 1974 and the revolutionary surgery that was named after him. He became known as the Bionic Man.

In 1996 Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was one of the most promising and talented basketball players in the NBA. That was before he stopped standing with his teammates when American flag was raised and the national anthem played at the start of each game. Uma Doraiswamy spoke to him and heard how his meteoric rise was cut short because of his principles.Photo: Mahmoud Abdul Rauf at a game in March 1996 (Getty Images)

In 2000, Jill Heinerth was already a renowned diver, known for her exploits mapping vast underground cave networks in Florida. Filming for a National Geographic documentary brought a new and unprecedented challenge; a vast iceberg known as B-15 had broken away from an ice shelf in Antarctica, providing a unique chance to explore its networks of underground caves. Braving sub zero temperatures and the treachery of constantly shifting ice, Jill became the first person to ever enter one of these caves - a historic milestone in diving. She tells her story to Emily Finch. PHOTO: The B-15 iceberg (Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

In May 2005, Liverpool came from 3-0 down at half-time to beat AC Milan in the Champions League final, in what became known as “The Miracle of Istanbul”. Dietmar Hamann helped turn the game around for Liverpool when he was substituted on for the second half. Ben Henderson spoke to him about his memories from the night, and what happened at half-time to inspire one of the most famous comebacks in Champions League history.Thanks to BBC Radio Merseyside for commentary from the match.PHOTO: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard raises the Champions League trophy (Getty Images)

It's 25 years since Ryneldi Becenti became the first Native American to play in the women's NBA when she made her debut for the Phoenix Mercury. Basketball is a big sport on Native American reservations and success made Becenti a hero in her community. In 2019, Lucy Burns spoke to Ryneldi Becenti about her career and her challenging family background. Photo: Ryneldi Becenti playing for Arizona State University (courtesy Arizona State University)

Olaniyi Gideon is a professional footballer, who had played in the UAE and had trials for clubs in the UK; his efforts to keep his dream alive found him playing for a Syrian club in 2011 when the country descended into civil war. He tells Bukky Fadipe about the fraught escape he was forced to pull off after the club he was playing for abandoned him and the other players who weren't Syrians. The programme is a Whistledown Production.PHOTO: Olaniyi Gideon, with the ball, in a team phot taken in Syria (personal collection)

In May 2012, Manchester City won their first Premier League title with a nail-biting injury time victory in the last game of the season. In a goal that made football history, Argentine striker Sergio Agüero rocketed the ball past the QPR keeper in the 94th minute. Uma Doraiswamy talks to Manchester City defender Micah Richards about his memories of the match.PHOTO: Sergio Agüero lifting the Premier League trophy (Getty Images)

In the 1980s, Pakistani squash player Jahangir Khan became a legend in his sport by going undefeated for five years. But, as Shumaila Jaffery discovers, to become unbeatable, Khan had to overcome childhood illness and family tragedy. This programme was first broadcast in 2015.(Photo: Jahingar Khan in action. Credit: Steve Line/SquashPics)

In 2008, a group of cricketers went on what is believed to be the first tour of North Korea. The Shanghai Cricket Club arranged at their own expense to play the first - and only - edition of the Pyongyang Cricket Friendship Cup. Although initially baffled by the sport, some of the North Korean players showed a surprising amount of talent. Jo McDermott talks to Jon Newton, the president of Shanghai cricket club - and the man who brought cucumber sandwiches to a pariah state. PHOTO: Action from the Pyongyang Cricket Friendship Cup (Courtesy of Jon Newton)

Swedish table tennis player Jan-Ove Waldner is a living legend in his own country -- and in China. Known as the “Mozart of Table Tennis”, Jan won every major title in a sport traditionally dominated by the Chinese, including a career-defining win at the Olympic games in 1992 - where he became the first and only table-tennis gold medallist from a non-Asian country. At one point, Waldner was said to be more widely recognised in China than President Bill Clinton. He talks to Ashley Byrne about a career that spanned three decades. The programme is a Made-in-Manchester Production.PHOTO: Jan-Ove Waldner in action in 2004 (Getty Images)

In 2002, free diver Tanya Streeter attempted to set a No Limits world record by diving down to 160m and resurfacing, all on a single breath. She would have to survive the pressures of the deep and hold her breath for 3 and a half minutes. It almost went wrong. Tanya Streeter spoke to Alex Last in 2015.PHOTO: Tanya Streeter on her record-breaking dive (Buzz Photo/Alamy Stock Photo)

In March 1981, women were allowed to compete officially in the Vasaloppet race in Sweden - one of the world's most popular cross-country skiing events. Vasaloppet officials had previously suggested that women would not be strong enough to complete the course and extra toilet facilities might need to be built for them. Female skiers responded with a concerted campaign to get into the historic race, which included trying - unsuccessfully - to take part disguised as men. Maddy Savage talks to Swedish Olympian Meeri Bodelid, who posted the fastest women's time in the historic 1981 Vasaloppet race.(Photo: Meeri Bodelid competing in 1981, courtesy of the Vasaloppet Race)

It's 10 years since one of the most dramatic moments in the history of Premiership football. Fans around the world held their breath when the Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on the pitch. His heart stopped for 78 minutes. Uma Doraiswamy has been speaking to cardiologist Dr Andrew Deaner, who ran from the stands to help save Fabrice Muamba's life.PHOTO: The medical team treating Fabrice Muamba (Getty Images)

Kelly Gallagher, a visually-impaired skier from Northern Ireland, won Team GB's first Winter Paralympic gold at the 2014 games in Sochi. She talks to Nick Holland about her career in one of the most thrilling alpine sports, and her bond with her guide, Charlotte Evans.PHOTO: Kelly Gallagher competing at Sochi (Getty Images)

The first Winter Paralympics were held in the Swedish town of Örnsköldsvik in 1976. Nearly two-hundred competitors came from 16 countries. Rachel Naylor speaks to two blind skiiing competitors with very different experiences - Finnish multi-gold medallist, Pertti Sankilampi, and Londoner Mike Brace, who learnt his sport shortly before the Games.PHOTO: Paralympic skier Larry Kuntz in the 1970s (Getty Images/Denver Post)

Bibian Mentel-Spee became a national hero in the Netherlands after campaigning for snowboarding to become part of the Winter Paralympics and then winning Gold the first time the event was held, at Sochi in 2014. Mentel-Spee had switched to Paralympic sport after cancer forced her to have a leg amputated. She would win two more gold snowboarding medals at the next games in Pyeongchang in 2018, just weeks after another gruelling round of cancer treatment. Mentel-Spee died in 2021. Matthew Kenyon speaks to her husband, Edwin Spee, and to Canadian Paralympic snowboarder, Michelle Salt. PHOTO: Bibian Mentel-Spee in action in 2014 (Getty Images)

In February 1988, the American speedskater, Dan Jansen was told on the day of his Winter Olympic final that his sister had died of cancer. Stricken by grief, he then fell during his race. It took Dan Jansen another six years - and five more races - before he finally won gold and completed one of the most emotional laps-of-honour in Olympic history. He spoke to Simon Watts in 2014.PHOTO: Dan Jansen (Getty Images)

Morten Andersen arrived in the US at the age of 17 knowing nothing about American football. He went on to become a record-breaking NFL kicker and was later inducted into the Hall of Fame. Alex Last speaks to Morten about his remarkable career and hears why the kicker is one of the most under-appreciated skill positions in American football. Photo: Kicker Morten Andersen of the New Orleans Saints kicks on a hold by Tommy Barnhardt, Oct 1991 (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

Vonetta Flowers became the first black athlete to win a Winter Olympic gold, when her US pair won the two-woman Bobsleigh event in 2002. Flowers started her career as a sprinter and long-jumper, but switched to bobsledding after failing to make the American summer Olympic team. She was a natural for the brake-woman role and formed a successful team with driver, Jill Bakken. Vonetta Flowers speaks to Iain Mackness. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester production.(Photo: Vonetta Flowers celebrating her Olympic victory in 2002. Credit: Getty Images)

Shiva Keshavan was the first Indian to compete in one of the most dangerous events at the Winter Olympics – the luge. At the 1998 games in Japan, the 16-year-old was the only athlete in the Indian team and had to lead himself out in the opening ceremony in Nagano. Shiva Keshavan took part in a further five Winter Olympics and is credited with boosting awareness of snow sports in India. In 2020, he spoke to Farhana Haider.(Photo: Shiva Keshavan in action in 2010. Credit: Getty Images)

Aged thirteen, Novak Djokovic appeared at coach Nikola Pilic's tennis academy near Munich. He would soon become Pilic's star pupil thanks to his incredible self-discipline and natural tennis brain. Twenty grand slams later, the Serbian star is still in touch with Nikola Pilic, and regards him as one of his mentors. Nikola Pilic speaks to Petra Zivic.PHOTO: Novak Djokovic in 2008, the year he won his first tennis major (Getty Images)

In 2011, the rugged mountains of Bamiyan province in central Afghanistan became the backdrop of something as unlikely as it was uplifting - an international ski scene. As Bamiyan was then relatively safe for tourists, a new travel agency, supported by a development NGO, started offering holidays to skiers seeking a unique adventure. A ski school was also set up for local villagers keen to learn, including Alishah Farhang, who went on to become one of Afghanistan's top skiers. However, as he tells Viv Jones, his hopes of competing in the Winter Olympics have been shattered by the return of the Taliban.PHOTO: Competitors take part in the start of the fourth Afghan Ski Challenge in February 2014 (Shefayee/AFP/Getty Images).

In 1976, the Yale women's rowing team stripped naked to demand equal treatment for women's sport. The protest attracted national attention in the USA and helped force universities to make the same funding and facilities available to women athletes as to men. Catherine Davies talks to two of the Yale protestors, Christine Ernst and Ginny Gilder.(Photo: The 1976 Yale women's rowing team in action. Credit: Getty Images).

At the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, Nigerian shotputter, Lauritta Onye, became a social media sensation thanks to her cart-wheeling gold-medal celebration dance. Onye has dwarfism and has never grown beyond four foot one, or 125 centimetres. She suffered social stigma in Nigeria and at one point ended up selling DVDs on the street in order to survive. But a taster session of Paralympic sport would transform her life. She talks to Ian Williams . PHOTO: Lauritta Onye competing at the Rio Paralympics (Getty Images)

In 1971, the Bangladeshi football team made history at the height of the country's war of independence when they played a series of matches in India. The games were the first to be played under the flag of a nation that was still not officially recognised and helped raise money for Bangladesh's independence struggle. Farhana Haider talks to star striker Kazi Salahuddin, who was smuggled into India so he could take part in the matches. Photo:The Shadhin Bangla Football Dol "Free Bengal Football Team", 1971. Credit: Kazi Salahuddin.

In 2001, a group of Tibetan exiles and a Danish ex-footballer teamed up to create the Tibetan national football team, in the face of many obstacles, including threats from China. Robert Nicholson talked to Michael Nybrandt and team captain Sonam Wangyal about their first ever game against Greenland. A Whistledown Production, first broadcast in 2017.PHOTO: The Tibetan team lining up for their match against Greenland (Getty Images)

In 1961, England’s top players threatened strike action in order to force the Football League to scrap its limit on wages of 20 pounds a week. Their victory was a turning point for the sport as it ushered in the modern era of football mega-salaries. In 2011, Lucy Williamson spoke to the late Jimmy Armfield, a former star defender for Blackpool and England captain.PHOTO: The late Jimmy Armfield in the early 1960s (Getty Images)

In November 2009, Zenyatta became the first – and only – mare to win the Breeders Cup Classic, one of the most prestigious horse races in America. Undefeated in all but one of her races, Zenyatta became wildly popular with the public; she was as well-known for her dance moves in the paddock as she was for coming from behind to snatch victory at the last moment. Zenyatta’s jockey, Mike Smith, talks to Jonathan Holloway. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production.PHOTO: Zenyatta and Mike Smith in action in 2010 (Getty Images)

In December 1999, the American Tori Murden McClure became the first woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean single-handed. It was the culmination of a dream that had brought her close to death many times as she capsized again and again during a hurricane on a previous attempt. She was inspired to keep trying by working with the great boxer Muhammad Ali. Tori Murden McClure talks to Claire Bowes.Photo: Tori Murden McClure in the 'American Pearl' 1999 (courtesy of Sector Sport Watches and Tori Murden McClure)

In 2011, the Lebanese national football team reached the final phase of World Cup qualification for the first time, sparking wild celebrations among the fans. But within months, the game in Lebanon was engulfed in a huge match-fixing scandal focusing on a suspicious-looking goal in a match against Qatar, as well as domestic fixtures. In 2013, 24 Lebanese players were found guilty in an investigation ordered by FIFA and the national side’s World Cup campaign fizzled out. Alex Eccleston reports. The programme is a Whistledown Production.PHOTO: The Lebanese team ahead of a World Cup qualifier in 2012 (Getty Images)

At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, South African-born Zola Budd collided with the home favourite, Mary Decker, in the final of the women’s 3,000 metres. Decker was left weeping on the ground, while Budd was booed by the crowd and had to leave the US with a police escort after receiving death threats. Simon Watts introduces the memories of Zola Budd as recorded in the BBC archives.PHOTO: Zola Budd, left, with Mary Decker in the 1984 Olympic final (Getty Images)

In the 1980s, a Hawaiian-born wrestler took the traditional world of Japanese sumo by storm. Known as the Dumptruck because of his huge size, he won legions of fans and paved the way for the internationalisation of the sport. The Dumptruck shares his love of Sumo - and Hawaiian hula music - with Will Yates. The programme is a Whistledown Production, first broadcast in 2014.Photo: The Dumptruck in his prime. (Credit: Getty Images).

In 1988, the American athlete, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, put in one of the greatest performances in the history of women’s athletics at the Seoul Olympics. She set a world record that still stands in the Heptathlon and won a second gold medal in the individual High Jump event. Jackie Joyner Kersee talks to Ashley Byrne.PHOTO: Jackie Joyner-Kersee at the 1988 Olympics (Getty Images)

In 2006, Scott Jurek, one of the world's best ultramarathon runners, travelled to the remote canyons of Northern Mexico to race the best athletes from an ancient Mexican tribe. The Tarahumara have a tradition of running huge distances and they gave Jurek one of his toughest races, inspiring the best-selling book, Born To Run. Scott Jurek talked to Simon Watts in 2014. (Photo: Scott Jurek with Tarahumara runner, Arnulfo Quimare. Credit: Luis Escobar)

In the year 2000, the Japanese track cycling sport of Keirin made its Olympic debut at the Sydney Games. Wildly popular in Japan, Keirin races begin with the cyclists following a motorized pacer, who gradually cranks up the speed until the riders are released into a final frenetic sprint. Ashley Byrne talks to former Japanese cyclist, Shinichi Ota, about trying to win the first gold medal in the sport his country invented. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production.PHOTO: A Keirin race at the 2016 Olympics (Getty Images)

In 2004, the Cameroonian triple-jumper Francoise Mbango made headlines around the world when she competed in the Athens Olympics with her head shaved. Mbango wanted to show solidarity with her mother, who was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Mbango won a gold medal and went on to retain her title at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She talks to Ian Williams about how motherhood inspired her journey to the very top of world sport.PHOTO: Francoise Mbango after her Olympic victory in 2004 (Getty Images)

America’s Misty May-Treanor is the winner of three Olympic gold medals and the most successful women’s beach volleyball player of all time. Misty formed an almost unbeatable team with Kerri Walsh-Jennings, but she faced a tough personal battle at the London games in 2012, which she had decided would be her last competition because of persistent knee and Achilles tendon injuries. Misty May-Treanor talks to Jeremy Inson about her challenges on and off the court. The programme is a Whistledown Production. PHOTO: Misty May-Treanor in action at London 2012 (Getty Images)

In the early 2000s, Afghan women and girls set up the country's first football teams. Now the Taliban has returned and women's sport has been banned. We speak to Shamila Kohestani, former captain of the Afghan women's team, about why she fought to play and why in Afghanistan, football was more than a game. Photo: Woman's face painted with flag of Afghanistan (Getty Images)

In 1972, war veteran Murlikant Petkar won India's first ever Paralympic gold medal at the Heidelberg Games. Petkar had been shot and paralysed seven years earlier in a battle during the war with Pakistan, but then took up sprint swimming. He spoke to Adrian Moorhead in 2016. The programme is a Sparklab Production for BBC World Service.(Photo: Murlikant Petkar with his medals)

At the opening ceremony of the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, Chinese athlete Hou Bin stunned the huge global audience with an amazing feat of strength. As the world held its breath, he used a rope to haul himself, his wheelchair and the Olympic flame 39 metres into the air to light the cauldron. Hou Bin talks to Ashley Byrne. A Made In Manchester Production.PHOTO: Hou Bin climbing to the top of the Olympic stadium (Getty Images)

In 1995, promising Kenyan runner Henry Wanyoike suffered a stroke and lost his sight. After initially feeling depressed, Henry learnt how to run tethered to a guide and went on to a set a series of long-distance running records for the blind. Henry Wanyoike talks to Alex Last. (Photo: Henry Wanyoike, right, with his guide on a run in 2013. Credit: Getty Images)

At the Tokyo 1964 Olympics, British sweethearts Ann Packer and Robbie Brightwell became household names all over the world when they both competed in the running events. Ann would win a gold medal at her least favourite distance, the 800 metres, while Robbie had to make do with a silver in the 4x400 relay. As this was the amateur era, the couple retired after their first and only Olympic to get married and work as school-teachers. They talk to Ashley Byrne. The programme is a Made In Manchester Production.PHOTO: Ann Packer and Robbie Brightwell pictured with their Olympic medals in 1964 (Getty Images)

At the London 2012 Olympics, Somalia sprinter Zamzam Farah became a crowd favourite after finishing last in her 400-metre heat by a whopping 27 seconds. Zamzam had grown up in war-torn Mogadishu, where she had to dodge violence from the militant Al-Shabab group while training on the so-called "Road of Death". Zamzam competed with her body fully covered, but, after the Olympics, her family in Somalia received death threats because of what Al-Shabab considered unacceptable behaviour for a Muslim woman. She remained in the UK and won asylum. Zamzam Farah talks to Ian Williams.PHOTO: Zamzam Farah competing at the 2012 Olympics (Getty Images)

The first Olympic Games in Japan were held in 1964, less than 20 years after the country lost the Second World War. The bombed-out centre of Tokyo had been virtually rebuilt following the Allied Occupation, and the Japanese took the opportunity to showcase new technology such as the Bullet Train and colour TV broadcasts. Ashley Byrne talks to wrestling gold medallist, Yojiro Uetake, about his memories of the games. The programme is a Made In Manchester Production.PHOTO: Japanese student Yoshinori Sakai about to light the Olympic Cauldron in October 1964 (Keystone/Getty Images)

At the 2000 Sydney games, women were able to compete in the Pole Vault at the Olympics for the first time. It followed the emergence of a generation of vaulters led by America’s Stacy Dragila, who proved that women could master an event traditionally regarded as too physically demanding and too technically difficult for them. Stacy Dragila went on to win the first women’s Olympic gold medal in her discipline. She talks to Simon Watts.PHOTO: Stacy Dragila competing in 1999 (Getty Images)

In the late 1970s and early 80s, Sweden’s Bjorn Borg was the biggest star in world tennis and arguably the sport’s first sex symbol. Always besieged by young female fans, Borg won five Wimbledon championships in a row and enjoyed a famous rivalry with John McEnroe, which culminated in an epic tie-break in the 1980 final. But Bjorn Borg would then shock the world of sport by retiring in 1983 at the age of just 26. Simon Watts brings together Borg’s Wimbledon memories, as recorded in the BBC archive. PHOTO: Bjorn Borg at Wimbledon in the 1970s (BBC)

In July 2000, France became only the second team to hold the World Cup and European Championship titles at the same time. Already the reigning World Champions, a French side featuring all-time greats such as Zinedine Zidane and Didier Deschamps struggled to break down their Italian opponents. But everything changed in the final moments of a dramatic final, as midfielder Robert Pires tells Steve Hankey. The programme is a Whistledown Production.

In June 1976, Czechoslovakia won the men’s European football championship with probably the most famous penalty kick in history. During a penalty shootout against West Germany, midfielder Antonín Panenka waited for the goalkeeper to dive and then casually chipped the ball down the middle of the goal. The technique is now known as a “Panenka” and has been copied by everyone from Zinedine Zidane to Leo Messi. Antonín Panenka talks to Ian Williams.