Off The Podium - An Olympics Podcast

We’re back on the ice today as we chat with dual American short-track Olympian Julie Letai about her incredible career and Olympic experiences! We dive into how her passion for skating began in a completely different discipline, what sparked her switch to short track, and how she handled that transition. We also explore her preference for the relay, and how she prepares both physically and mentally for the gruelling demands it brings. On top of that, we look ahead to what’s next after two Olympics, her close friendship with a fellow OTP guest and learn why Jeff Goldblum is part of her journey as well as celebrating more Olympian dogs! It’s an epic chat you won’t want to miss!

It's time to get all Swedish up in here as we bring back another classic GAMES REVIEW by heading back to the year a certain ship sank, a certain cookie was invented and a certain US President was no longer in control as we look at the Stockholm 1912 Olympics! Why were these Games so groundbreaking for the modern Olympics? Are we excited to talk about the icon that is Jim Thorpe? What about super long wrestling matches that are probably still going? How about groundbreaking female swimmers from Australia? Or actual swimmers from Canada who apparently were well ahead of their time? Or most importantly, the debut of ART COMPETITIONS! There's a lot to get to and unpack in true OTP style, so get your ABBA playlist ready, assemble your IKEA furniture and bring along any other Swedish stereotypes you want as we deliver one hell of an episode!

HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY! Well, at least to us, as we celebrate ten glorious years on air with a very special episode you’ll remember forever! Okay... maybe at least for the next couple of hours, but hey, we’ll take that! Join us for a retrospective trip down memory lane as we look back on how this show began, how we’ve somehow survived ten years, our favourite Olympic memories, our favourite moments from the podcast and plenty more! And to help us celebrate, we’re joined by a very special guest: the first person to ever appear on our show, the amazing triple Olympian, world champion and Olympic bronze medallist Evan Dunfee! It’s one hell of an episode and the perfect way to celebrate ten years of putting up with us!

We first spoke with Australian bobsledder Sarah Blizzard back in 2021 in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics, an Olympics she narrowly missed, serving as an alternate. Ahead of her second push for the Games in 2026, Sarah rejoined us last year to reflect on her journey and why she believed Italy would finally be her moment. She was right. Alongside Desi Johnson, Sarah qualified for her first Olympic Games and helped create history, with Milano Cortina becoming the first Olympics to feature two Australian women’s sleds in the two-woman event. Now joining us for a third time, Sarah takes us inside her incredible journey to the 2026 Olympics, how her debut campaign unfolded, and what it meant to finally realise her Olympic dream. We also dive into her remarkable sportsmanship, including donating her sled, some unique experiences in Italy, and why this is only the beginning of her Olympic story. It’s another fantastic chat with Sarah that you won’t want to miss!

It's one of the rare track & field disciplines we've never had the honour of talking to an athlete from, and today that changes as we dive into the epic sport of pole vault with incredible New Zealand Olympian Olivia McTaggart, who joins us for an amazing interview about her, her sport and everything else in between! We find out how a serious injury in a different sport led her to switching to pole vault, and just how she was able to adapt to it so quickly. We also learn about the endless pursuit of that next height in her sport, and the frustrations that come from constantly aiming to go just a few centimetres better. Added to that, we hear more about her Olympic experience in Paris, why the Olympics seemingly runs in her family, and just what the deal is with her Australian connection and why she competes in the black colours of New Zealand rather than the green and gold from down under. It's an amazing chat with an amazing athlete that we know you will love! So get listening!

One theme we often hear about on this show through our many athlete interviews is the struggle when it comes to funding, and how Olympians support themselves to pursue their Olympic goals. It's a complicated journey for many to receive the money to help them with their careers, with limited avenues available to them outside the traditional sponsorship route. But one man is trying to change that, with British startup founder Ben Toland founding the online crowdfunding website Fayder, which aims to help support athletes in a way never seen before. But just what is this platform? How does it work? And how can it help future Olympians succeed on their path to ultimate sporting glory? We find out more about the startup in this special interview, discovering what drew Ben to create the platform and just how far he hopes to take it. It's a fascinating insight into the world of athlete funding, and one that we know you will enjoy!

With the sports programme for the French Alps 2030 Olympics now announced, we bring you a very special EMERGENCY PODCAST to discuss everything that has been revealed and give our take on the sports, the events and everything else in between. Has Ben managed to calm himself down enough about Nordic Combined to make this episode worth listening to? Why is Colin pumped for one of the new events? Why is another event so obscure that we have no idea what it actually is? What do we think of the other recent announcements, including the logo and venues? Oh yeah, and what about that little thing involving Russia potentially being allowed to compete at the Olympics again? So much to unpack in such little time! Get your emergency ears ready and tune in to this very special episode.

Ah, 2002. What a year! Especially when it comes to the Salt Lake City Olympics. An Olympics so historic, particularly for Australia, that we often remember it through rose-coloured glasses. But what about the Opening Ceremony? How does it hold up after all these years? Well today, you’re about to find out as we head back to the era of Bush, trains and plenty of bright ski jackets to revisit the first Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony of the new millennium! Does the fact it was held in a school stadium hold it back? What about having trains going down the aisles that two of our three hosts rightfully love? How about calling everyone Mitt? And now that the US men have finally won Olympic gold in ice hockey again for the first time since 1980, do we look at the Miracle on Ice team lighting the cauldron differently? And could that mean the 2026 gold medallists are a lock to do the same when the Games return to Salt Lake City? There’s plenty to unpack and a lot of fun to be had as we bring you our latest Opening Ceremony review in style!

In the lead-up to the Milano Cortina Olympics, we spoke with American ski mountaineer Cameron Smith about his rise in the sport and just how close he was to achieving his Olympic dream. That dream came down to one defining race, where he and teammate Anna Gibson had to beat their Canadian rivals to secure the North American quota spot for SkiMo’s Olympic debut in 2026. Not only did they beat Canada, they claimed gold, delivering the USA’s first-ever SkiMo World Cup victory and locking in their place at the Olympics. In this incredible chat, Cameron takes us inside that breakthrough moment and what it meant to be part of a piece of US Olympic history. We also dive into his experiences at the Games in Italy, reflecting on the team’s performances and why it all points to an exciting future for the sport in the United States. It’s a fantastic catch-up with one of our favourite guests that you won’t want to miss!

It’s not often you can say a reality TV show helped launch an Olympic career, but for Josh Williamson, that’s exactly what happened. The American, a promising lacrosse player growing up, won Scouting Camp: The Next Olympic Hopeful in 2017, a breakthrough moment that set him on an extraordinary path into bobsleigh. Now a two-time Olympian, Williamson has just returned from the Milano Cortina Games with a career-best fourth-place finish in the two-man event. We chat with Josh about his unique journey into the sport, the impact of that unlikely opportunity, and where his ambitions lie as he builds towards another Olympic campaign in four years’ time! It’s an engaging and remarkable conversation you won’t want to miss!

Excited to head back to the moguls slopes today as we chat with American freestyle skiing star Nick Page about his rapid rise in the sport and his Olympic journey so far! We find out how watching the 2010 Vancouver Olympics helped set him on this path, and how the athlete he once idolised as a fan ended up being his coach. We also dive into his rapid rise through the ranks, making history as the youngest ever NorAm Cup winner, and his two top ten finishes across his Olympic appearances. On top of that, we discuss what it was like beating the GOAT, his ambitions for a home Olympics in eight years’ time, and even a memorable meeting with a certain former IOC President. It’s an incredible chat with an incredible athlete! Get listening!

The Milano Cortina Olympics didn’t exactly go to plan for American short track star Corinne Stoddard. Heading into her second Games with high hopes of a medal haul, a disastrous start left her on the back foot, and she also became the target of online abuse that forced her to completely switch off. But despite the setback, Stoddard bounced back in style, claiming her first Olympic medal and ending a drought for the United States in the process, silencing her doubters and securing her place in US Olympic history. In this open and honest chat, Corinne reflects on how she navigated those early challenges and turned disappointment into one of the defining moments of her career, as well as what comes next in her journey. It’s a raw and compelling conversation you won’t want to miss!

The 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics saw the long-awaited debut of women’s doubles luge, and Canadian luger Kailey Allan was part of that historic moment when she made her Olympic debut in the event. But just what makes doubles luge so different from singles, and why is it a discipline that is mocked more than it is respected? We find out from Kailey what makes the unique discipline so special, as well as just how much goes into creating a successful pairing. We also learn about her incredible rise in the sport, from why the Olympics were always a dream for her to what it was like competing in Italy during those 16 days in February. It's another incredible, informative and entertaining chat that you won't want to miss!

We’ve finished being intercalated and can now return to regularly scheduled programming in our Games reviews as we head back to jolly old England for everything related to the 1908 London Summer Olympic Games! How excited are we to talk about British domination for once rather than American dominance, even if it was a little bit rigged? What about Canada’s strong showing and how it cemented their place in Olympic history? And how does Ben feel about Australia competing alongside New Zealand, even if Australia did most of the heavy lifting? We also dive into why figure skating was part of the Summer Olympics, try to figure out just what the hell Jeu de paume is, and revisit another fascinating marathon once again. It’s another fascinating episode packed with stories, debates, and discoveries, so get listening!

In the lead up to the Milano Cortina Games, we spoke with legendary Australian para-snowboarder Ben Tudhope about his remarkable rise in the sport, which saw him become Australia’s youngest ever Paralympian and a Paralympic silver medallist. Since then, Ben has added to his incredible career at Milano Cortina, bringing home two more Paralympic medals and further cementing his status as one of Australia’s most successful and beloved Paralympians. We catch up with Ben to hear all about his experiences in Italy, why those latest medals carry a little extra weight for him, what it was like meeting the Prime Minister, and how his celebrations compared this time around, including whether there were any drunken haircuts like in his previous Paralympic exploits! It’s another fantastic chat with one of our favourite guests that you won’t want to miss!

It’s not too often we get to talk about music on this show and connect it back to the Olympics, but today we’ve got a special treat that does exactly that! Scottish singer-songwriter Olivia Rafferty is a mega talent in the music world, and her Olympic-inspired tracks during the Milano Cortina Games caught the attention of sports fans across the globe, racking up tens of thousands of views and even drawing notice from athletes and Olympians. In this fantastic chat, Olivia takes us through the inspiration behind her Olympic-themed music, how she’s been able to draw parallels between music and sport, and where her love of the Games comes from. We also dive into how those tracks started gaining traction during the Olympics, and why she could be a perfect fit for future Olympic themes. It’s a unique and engaging chat that we know you’ll love!

On February 12, 2026, Cooper Woods ended a 7302-day wait for Australia by becoming the first Australian male Winter Olympic gold medallist since Dale Begg-Smith in men’s moguls. The victory marked a historic moment on multiple levels, delivering Australia’s first gold of a record-breaking 2026 Games and adding to the nation’s legacy in the discipline. Today on the podcast, we welcome Cooper to reflect on that day, how life has changed since the Olympics, and what it means to join Begg-Smith in the history books. He also shares some lighter moments from life since the Games, including shouting drinks for fellow competitors, trying to buy stamps without being recognised, and the unusual song he promised his mates he would listen to if he won gold! It's a wide-ranging chat with a Winter Olympic champion at the centre of a landmark Australian moment that you won't want to miss!

Figure skating is a sport we love on this show, and we’re delighted to welcome Canadian superstar Trennt Michaud to talk about his incredible career and recent Olympic experience in Milano Cortina! We hear how not being able to skate while playing ice hockey led him into figure skating, and which iconic Canadian pair inspired his journey to the Games. Trennt also opens up on the heartbreak of missing the 2022 Olympic team and how that fuelled his standout performance in 2026. Beyond the Olympics, we dive into his continued success, his surprising passion for a non-Olympic sport, and how he landed a role in one of the biggest TV shows around right now! It’s a fascinating chat you won’t want to miss!

It's been a while since we reviewed a classic opening ceremony, but all good things come to those who wait as today we bring you our take on the incredible 1988 Seoul Olympics opening ceremony! We explore Korean culture in all its colour and symbolism, breaking down what worked, what didn’t, and why this ceremony remains one of the most unique we’ve ever seen. Colin also explains why he believes he would’ve been the true star of the ceremony had he been allowed to attend, and how he’s processed that injustice all these years later. We touch on what might be the greatest stadium announcer of all time, question why the Dutch needed umbrellas, and attempt to identify exactly what one of the mascots was meant to be. And of course, we talk doves — including roast doves — and ask whether we maybe, just maybe, miss the smell of burning doves in the morning. You know you’ve missed these moments, so get pumped for a classic opening ceremony review in true Off The Podium style.

It’s been four years since we last spoke with Australian cross-country skier Seve de Campo, but the now two-time Olympian has certainly kept busy since our last chat. From making his second Olympics in Milano Cortina to becoming something of a social media star along the way, Seve continues to prove why he is one of Australia’s most entertaining Olympians while also punching above his weight on the world stage. We catch up with Seve to learn about what he has been up to since our last chat, what drove him through his record-breaking second Olympic appearance, what it was like to have a front-row seat to Olympic history during those Games, and just why his social media presence makes this interview feel, at times, like a bit of a self-interview! It’s another entertaining and incredible chat with one of our favourite guests that you won’t want to miss!

For a podcast that has been talking about the Olympics for close to a decade, we haven't had much of a chance to find out what it's like at the very top of the Olympic movement. Well today that is about to change, as we sit down with the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director of the International Olympic Committee, Christian Klaue, to learn a little bit more about the IOC and gain some unique insight from the organisation that puts together the event we love so much! We find out from Christian just what his role is at the IOC and why it is so important when it comes to the Olympics. We also gain a great understanding of the logistical efforts involved in not only putting an Olympic Games together, but just how much work is constantly happening behind the scenes at any given time. Added to this we find out a bit more about how Brisbane is tracking six years out from the Games, how the recovery is going after what we just saw in Italy, and how the future is shaping up for potential Olympic cities in the years to come. It's an amazing insight into the Olympics that you simply won't want to miss!

For someone still under 30, Riley Fitzsimmons has already achieved plenty in sprint kayaking. A triple Olympian, he’s risen rapidly through the ranks, culminating in a famous silver medal at the Paris Olympics as part of Australia’s K4 500m team, finishing just 0.04 seconds behind the great German crew. But for Riley, those achievements are only the beginning. With the hunger and drive to make it to a fourth Games in LA, his dream of standing atop the Olympic podium and winning gold for Australia burns brighter than ever. In this fun, engaging and inspiring chat, Riley opens up about his journey, from the deep lows after Rio and Tokyo to the pure joy of finally claiming an Olympic medal in 2024. Don’t miss this one, it’s a fantastic insight into the mindset of a true Olympian!

There is no doubting that swimming is the biggest Olympic sport in Australia, and one of its brightest stars over the last three Olympics has been Brianna Throssell. The triple Olympian first caught the world’s attention with her seven-medal haul at the 2014 Youth Olympics, and just two years later she was representing Australia at her first Olympics in Rio. She would go on to compete in Tokyo and Paris, retiring from the sport with four Olympic medals, including two golds. In this open and fun chat, Brianna reflects on her epic rise through the sport, talking about the high-intensity pressure of being on the Australian Swimming Team, how she maintained consistency over all those years, and which races stand out to her across her amazing Olympic journey. It’s honest, reflective, and an incredible insight into one of Australia’s biggest swimming stars, and one chat you won’t want to miss!

It's been a few months since we brought you a classic Games review episode, and what a way to come back! In this episode, we go over the history of the “forgotten” 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens, as we uncover just what these Games were about, why they happened, and why they’ve turned out to be so influential on the modern Olympic Games. We also meet the stars of these Games, including Canadian marathon runners and walkers, American track stars, and a Greek weightlifter with arms that truly need to be talked about. Plus, we explore why a certain figure from Olympic history is to blame for these not being considered a “real” Olympics, and why perhaps that needs to change. It's one episode for all the history buffs to sink your teeth into, so get listening and don’t miss it!

We always love covering a sport we’ve never explored on the show before, and today is one of those days. For the very first time, we dive into table tennis with two-time Australian Olympian Heming Hu, who takes us through his incredible career and Olympic experiences. Heming opens up about how he got involved in the sport, why more people should give table tennis a go, and just how demanding it is both physically and mentally. He also shares how he overcame key mental demons to remain at the top of the sport in Australia. On top of that, Heming explains how he’s remained a viral sensation in his post-Olympic career and delivers some unbelievable impersonations that you truly have to hear to believe. It’s an incredibly raw, open, and honest chat and one you won’t want to miss.