Episodes
| Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20250731 | 20250803 (WS) | 
How Monica Puig won her country's first Olympic gold medal by winning tennis gold in Rio The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games | |
| 20250807 | 20250810 (WS) |  Derrick Loccident is the kind of talent any coach would love to work with. Since entering para sport he's excelled in the long jump and the high jump, and also shown he's a world class sprinter. He's also a pretty good javelin thrower. American football gridiron was where he first excelled, catching the eye in the US collegiate system. But when an accident left him as a below the knee Amputee, he found a brand new stage. He's now a multiple World Championship and Paris Paralympic medalist. How para sport offered Derek Loccident a new career path, one he has jumped at The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games | |
| Derrick Loccident: A New Challenge, A New Life | 20250724 | 20250807 (WS) 20250810 (WS) | Derek Loccident was a college American football player when, in 2018, an accident changed the course of his life. But despite becoming a below-the-knee amputee, he refused to give up on returning to the football field, and ended up exceeding everyone's expectations. Then another opportunity arose that set him on a path he'd never expected - competing at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry hear Derek's story, from why he draws inspiration from his Haitian mother to how he rebuilt his mentality as he faced new challenges. He also explains what it's like to compete in the unusual pairing of high jump and long jump, and why the brilliance of his biggest rival, German long-jumper Markus Rehm, is inspiring him to see just how far he can go. On the Podium is the podcast that sits down with Olympic and Paralympic medallists to discover the real stories behind their success. Pole vault pioneer Stacy Dragila talks about her battle to get her sport on the Olympic programme, and triathlete Jess Learmonth reveals what led her back to sport after walking away as a teenager. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo. An accident changed Derek Loccident's life - and his mentality The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games Derek Loccident did a rare double at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, winning medals in both the long jump and high jump. Six years earlier, an accident altered the course of his life. |
| Jess Learmonth: The Unexpected Triathlete | 20240704 | 20240707 (WS) | Jess Learmonth was a talented junior swimmer, but aged 15, she decided she'd had enough. Over the next few years, she and her partner worked in supermarkets, and travelled through Asia. When they returned home, Jess realised she wasn't done with sport yet - but she didn't expect that her desire to get back into shape would eventually lead her to the top step of the Olympic podium. Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry hear how Jess's decision to take part in a triathlon as a fitness challenge eventually spiralled into a full-time career, and a spot on the UK's gold medal-winning triathlon mixed relay team in Tokyo. She shares what it was like to take up one of the Olympics' most demanding sports in her 20s, often finding herself in the company of much younger competitors, and why imposter syndrome is something she says she deals with every day. Jess also reveals how sport and confidence have been intertwined throughout her life - from feeling it was the only thing she was good at while struggling academically at school, to why she believes a lack of self-belief has helped in her competitive career. She also discusses the unique physical demands of a sport that combines swimming, cycling and running, and how becoming pregnant with her first child changed the way she thinks about her own body, as well as her attitude towards life and competition. As the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics approach, delve into our archive to discover more stories of extraordinary sporting journeys. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo. Jess walked away from sport aged 15. Eighteen years later, she won Olympic gold The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games Aged 15, Jess Learmonth decided she'd had enough of competitive swimming, and walked away from sport. So how did she become an Olympic triathlon champion 18 years later? How one triathlete went from stacking shelves at a supermarket to winning Olympic gold |
| John Mcfall: The First Paralympian In Space? | 20240627 | 20240630 (WS) | John McFall's life changed forever when, at the age of 19, he lost the lower part of his right leg in a motorcycle accident. His dream of joining the British Army was over - but sport gave him a way to find the challenges he'd been seeking. A little over eight years later, he sprinted to bronze at the Beijing Paralympics. Then he left the track behind, and turned his attentions to a new challenge: training as an orthopaedic surgeon. He also began raising a family with his wife Sonia, herself a former Olympic gymnast. But a few years later, a phone call from a friend would send John on another unexpected journey - one that might even take him to outer space. Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry talk to John about the passions that have driven his life, and which are now fuelling his work with the European Space Agency to test what it will take to send a physically disabled person to space safely. He shares the emotional impact that learning to run again had on him, and how he wants his new career to challenge preconceptions of what disabled people can do, both among the scientific community and with the wider public. He also explains why he thinks his Paralympic medal was less important than the eight years of work it took to earn it, and reveals the small memento he keeps from the accident that changed everything. As the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics approach, delve into our archive to discover more stories of extraordinary sporting journeys. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo. From Paralympic medallist to orthopaedic surgeon - and now, trainee astronaut The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games John McFall won a bronze medal at the Paralympics in 2008, then left sport behind to become a surgeon. Now, he's training to become an astronaut. John McFall is a remarkable man - A Paralympian who won bronze in the 100m in Beijing he quit at the top of sport to become an orthopaedic surgeon. Having conquered that too, he is now in training to be an astronaut with the European Space Agency in an attempt to become the first disabled person in space. John McFall. Paralympian, orthopaedic surgeon and trainee astronaut |
| Marit Bouwmeester: Perfection And Parenthood | 20250724 | 20250814 (WS) 20250817 (WS) |  Marit Bouwmeester is the most decorated female sailor in Olympic history, winning medals at four consecutive Games, including two golds. She credits her success to the mental strength she amassed over the course of two decades, committing herself to constant improvement, and succeeding where people she regarded as more talented failed. But has becoming a mother changed the way she sees sport and the world? Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry talk to Marit about how she worked to build a champion's mentality, including deliberately using worse equipment in her training to force her to improve her skills, and how difficult it can be to pursue perfection in a sport where so many factors can be out of your control. She also reveals why she doesn't keep her medals at home, and shares her thoughts on the future of sailing - and how her sport has brought her face-to-face with the climate crisis. On the Podium is the podcast that sits down with Olympic and Paralympic medallists to discover the real stories behind their success. Pole vault pioneer Stacy Dragila talks about her battle to get her sport on the Olympic programme, and triathlete Jess Learmonth reveals what led her back to sport after walking away as a teenager. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo. How Marit Bouwmeester built the mindset that made her the Olympics' top female sailor The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games Over 20 years, Marit Bouwmeester built a winning mentality that made her the most-decorated female sailor in Olympic history. How has motherhood changed her approach to life? |
| Monica Puig: Puerto Rican Pride | 20250724 | 20250727 (WS) 20250731 (WS) 20250803 (WS) |
Nobody knew that she was about to have the best week of her career - including Monica herself. When she beat reigning French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza, she began to think she had a shot at a medal; when she beat two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the chance of winning her country's first ever Olympic gold medal was within sight. As she faced reigning Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber in the final, Puerto Rico held its breath. Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry hear the story of how Monica became a national hero, and what it meant for her to be the first Puerto Rican to ever reach the top step of the Olympic podium. She explains why, eight years later, she feels she still hasn't fully processed the significance of that week, and just what her achievements have meant for her island. She also gives Eliza and Ed an insight into how tough it is to maintain a career on the professional tennis tour, and why a new sporting adventure has helped her deal with retiring from the court. On the Podium is the podcast that sits down with Olympic and Paralympic medallists to discover the real stories behind their success. Pole vault pioneer Stacy Dragila talks about her battle to get her sport on the Olympic programme, and triathlete Jess Learmonth reveals what led her back to sport after walking away as a teenager. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo. Puerto Rico had waited 68 years for Olympic gold. Monica Puig was their unexpected hero The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games Tennis player Monica Puig unexpectedly won Puerto Rico's first ever Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She then discovered just how much sport means to her island. Noemie Fox is from a family of paddlers, whether in a canoe or a kayak. Her mum, her dad, her auntie have all stood on the podium many times over. Her sister Jessica is one of the most decorated Australian Olympians of all time. But at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024 Naomie stepped out of her sister's shadow and made her Olympic debut in an event making its Olympic debut. There will only ever be one woman who was the inaugural Olympic gold medalist in Kayak Cross and that is Noemie Fox. How Noemie Fox stepped out from her sister's shadow to claim her own Olympic gold |
| Noemie Fox: Paddling Out Of The Shadows | 20250724 | 20250727 (WS) |  Noemie Fox grew up in a family of canoeing and kayaking champions, but she didn't believe she could become one herself. She struggled to master the skills that seemed to come naturally to her relatives, and felt like she didn't have what it took to reach the top. Then, in her mid-20s, things began to change. With the addition of the chaotic, high-intensity discipline of kayak cross to the Olympic programme in Paris, Noemie seized her opportunity to finally step into the spotlight. But when the draw for her first race at the Games was made, she discovered she'd be lining up against the most decorated canoe slalom racer in Olympic history: her own sister, Jess. Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry hear from Noemie about what it's like to grow up surrounded by sporting success, what drove her on to overcome her doubts, and why the support of her family has been crucial to her success. She also shares her thoughts about what comes next - and why a gesture from a Sydney zoo might be an even bigger honour than making Olympic history. On the Podium is the podcast that sits down with Olympic and Paralympic medallists to discover the real stories behind their success. Pole vault pioneer Stacy Dragila talks about her battle to get her sport on the Olympic programme, and triathlete Jess Learmonth reveals what led her back to sport after walking away as a teenager. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo. Noemie Fox is from a family of champions. She didn't believe she could be one herself The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games Noemie Fox is from a family of canoeing and kayaking champions, but growing up, she didn't believe she could become one herself. Then in Paris, she got a shot at making history. |
| Ntando Mahlangu: Walking, Running And Leaping Into The Future | 20240718 | 20240721 (WS) | Ntando Mahlangu was born with fibular hemimelia, a condition that meant his legs didn't develop fully below the knees. After spending his childhood in a wheelchair, he made the decision to undergo amputation aged 10. When he received his first set of prosthetic 'blade' legs, his whole world changed - and four years later, he was on the podium at the Rio Paralympics, with a silver medal around his neck for finishing second in the T42 200m sprint. By the time he turned 20, he'd added two gold medals for sprinting and long jumping to his collection. So what's he planning to do next? Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry hear from Ntando about growing up in rural South Africa, and how he's taught those around him to appreciate disabled people for who they are. He explains how seemingly small things in life have made a huge difference to him, and how walking on blades helped him develop as both an athlete and a human being. He also shares his perspective on being a veteran in his sport at the age of 22, the lessons he's learned about balancing his athletic career with personal development, and why he now feels a responsibility to build para-athletics for the generations coming through behind him: 'Those hurdles are for me to jump, and to make sure the guys that come after me just walk through them. As the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics approach, delve into our archive to discover more stories of extraordinary sporting journeys. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo. Ntando didn't learn to walk until he was 10. Four years later, he won a Paralympic medal The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games Ntando Mahlangu didn't learn to walk until he was 10. Four years later, he won his first Paralympic medal; in Tokyo, he became a double gold medallist. What will he do next? |
| Stacy Dragila: Vaulting The Barriers | 20240711 | 20240714 (WS) | Men's pole vaulting has been part of the Olympics since the inaugural modern Games in 1896 - but there was no women's competition until more than a century later. When America's Stacy Dragila became the first woman to win gold in the event at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, it was the culmination of years of campaigning from athletes and coaches, who'd been training for an opportunity they were never sure they'd get. As she stood on the podium, Stacy thought about the criticism she had and her fellow competitors had faced - from disapproving comments on their appearance to being repeatedly told their bodies weren't strong enough for the sport. Stacy tells Eliza Skinner and Ed Harry about the 'hot mess' that was her introduction to the sport, when her athletics coach in Idaho decided to see if her team of multi-event athletes might have an aptitude for vaulting. She recalls her journey from tentatively vaulting into a long-jump pit to setting her sights on an Olympic medal that didn't yet exist, and the battles that had to be fought to gain acceptance from athletics authorities in both the US and internationally. She also shares the unique mental and emotional experiences that come from landing a perfect jump, and reveals a few things about the event that spectators might not appreciate. Now her competitive days are over, Stacy's devoted herself to introducing children in Idaho to pole vaulting, and she explains why she finds training reluctant or unlikely athletes to be the most rewarding experience of all. As the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics approach, delve into our archive to discover more stories of extraordinary sporting journeys. Basketball champion Breanna Stewart and shot-putter Raven Saunders explain why they use the platform sport gives them to act as advocates. Swimmer Anastasia Pagonis and rower Brigit Skarstein share how sport helped them rebuild their futures after life-changing events, while Markus Rogan and Maarten van der Weijden talk about the lives they have found after leaving competition behind. Multi-sport stars like Oksana Masters and Jana Pittman reveal what it's like to compete at both the summer and winter Games. There's stories of memorable victories, like the moment high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share his gold medal, and Shaunae Miller-Uibo putting everything on the line to reach the top step of the podium. Plus, the triumphs nobody predicted, including Molly Seidel's shock marathon bronze, and the day Anna Kiesenhofer rode away from cycling's biggest names to claim gold in Tokyo. The first female Olympic pole vault champion's fight to get her sport in the Games The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games The first men's Olympic pole vault was held in 1896. It took more than a century for women to get the same chance. Stacy Dragila recalls the fight to get her sport in the Games. The pole vault pioneer who had overcame stereotypes about what women could do by winning the first Olympic gold in the event, when the sport was finally introduced in 2000. She now trains the next generation of athletes with a focus on fun, encouraging children to enjoy a lifetime of healthy activity |
Sport for many people, whatever they might tell you, is about being first, and the pursuit of that can bring positives and negatives. But what if being first wasn't just about you? There are times when a victory makes you a pioneer, and that's certainly true of Monica Puig, who won their country's first ever Olympic gold medal. Puerto Rico have been sending teams to the games since 1948, the year their national Olympic Committee was founded, 68 years later they were still waiting, and then in Rio Monica had the week of her life beating the world's best tennis players in a magical run to the final and to gold.