Off The Podium - An Olympics Podcast

It’s time for another Games review episode as we travel all the way back to the 1904 St. Louis Olympics! If you thought the Paris 1900 Games were wild, strap yourself in — St. Louis is here to claim the crown as the craziest Olympics ever. From another controversial marathon, to one-legged gymnasts you might just recognise from this show, to “Australians” who weren’t quite Australian at the time but have since become Austr...

Ski mountaineering is set to get everyone excited during the Milano Cortina Olympics next year, and one athlete hoping to be among the 18 making history as the sport debuts at the Games is American Arthur Whitehead. Arthur has had a rapid rise through the ranks, discovering the sport during college and using his strong running background to help propel his progress as he pushes toward his Olympic debut. In this great chat ...

As we continue to celebrate 25 years since the unforgettable Sydney 2000 Olympics, we’re thrilled to welcome another gold medallist from those incredible Games, Aussie sailor Tom King. Join us as we dive into his remarkable career and relive memories from those glorious two weeks a quarter of a century ago. We explore why sailing was always the journey he was destined to take and how his Olympic dreams intertwined with tha...

It’s that time of the month again to get into all the latest Olympic news with our newest Newscast, as Connor joins Ben to go over everything that has happened in the past month of Olympic action! We dive into the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the Sydney Olympics and explore why a certain singer returning to the place that made her famous is so incredible. We also catch up on Norwegian ski jumpers, LA 2028 t...

As we continue celebrating 25 years since the Sydney 2000 Olympics, we’re honoured to chat with the incredible Natalie Cook about her memories from that golden time and her remarkable Olympic career. She reflects on those unforgettable 16 days in September 2000, shares why it still brings her joy a quarter of a century later, and reveals how a Sydney nunnery played a vital role in her gold medal win. We also hear which int...

On this day, 25 years ago, the Opening Ceremony for the Sydney 2000 Olympics took place. What better way to celebrate than with our latest OPENING CEREMONY REVIEW episode, looking back at that magical September night a quarter of a century ago! We cover all the highlights: horses, Nikki Webster (yes, Nikki Webster!), stomping, Vanessa Amorosi, giant fish, faulty cauldrons, and, did we mention Nikki Webster? Does it still h...

We’re just days away from the 25th anniversary of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, an event forever etched as one of the most unforgettable moments in modern Australian history. Today, we look back on those glorious 16 days with someone who was front and centre, bringing the Games to over 20 million Australians: the incredible Johanna Griggs! Hear Johanna’s memories of that time, what it was like being the face of the Games in li...

You loved our debut GAMES REVIEW episode last month, and we’re excited to be back with our latest edition diving into the wild world of the Paris 1900 Olympics! What exactly made these Games so crazy? Were they even technically Olympics? Did they feature the most unique and bizarre sports ever seen at the Games? Why did the event stretch on for so long? Did Canada finally decide to show up? Was America still dominating? An...

Australia is no stranger to producing champion moguls skiers, and in Charlotte Wilson, we might just have found the next superstar. Fresh off her debut World Cup season, Charlotte turned heads with a stunning performance that not only earned her a breakthrough gold at the Olympic test event in Italy but also saw her crowned FIS Rookie of the Year. In this inspiring chat, Charlotte opens up about her journey so far, the sec...

For the first time on the show, we’re chatting with an Aussie male bobsledder, and what a story he has to tell! Cameron Scott joins us to share his incredible journey into the sport, how he found himself in the world of bobsleigh, and his dream of representing Australia at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. We dive into his unique path to the ice, the current state of men’s bobsleigh in Australia, and what it will...

We’re back with all the latest Olympic news in our newest NEWSCAST, featuring the amazing Jamie Lyko! This month, we dive into the biggest sporting stories from the past few weeks and explore how key Team OTP members have played a direct role in these events. We also highlight a special Australian event honoring past Olympians and explain why it was such a significant occasion. Plus, get ready for our in-depth speed skatin...

We’re back, sliding into another epic interview as we return to the world of bobsleigh, this time with our very first guest from the Czech Republic, David Bures! In this fascinating chat, we learn how David made the switch from rugby to the bobsleigh track, and what skills he’s been able to carry over from the field to the ice. He explains his position in the sled and just how crucial his role is in making a 4-man sled fly...

It’s the sport the entire winter world is buzzing about ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics and yet, it’s one we’ve never featured on the show. That changes today as we dive into the adrenaline-pumping world of Ski Mountaineering, or "SkiMo", making its Olympic debut next year. Joining us is one of the sport’s biggest stars, Belgium’s Maximilien Drion, to give us the ultimate introduction to this thrilling discipline...

It’s time for another classic OPENING CEREMONY REVIEW, and this week we’re heading back to the last time the USA hosted a Summer Olympics, the 1996 Atlanta Games. Why does the ceremony feel more dated than it should? Why are we all-in on James Bond-style singers at these events? Does Celine Dion just live at the Olympics? Why is the star of this Opening Ceremony not actually Muhammad Ali? What do we think of ramps? And did...

When we last spoke with triple Olympian Jenny Lyons, she was happily retired and embracing life beyond skiing. At the time, we playfully floated the idea of a comeback — something she admitted she’d love to do if the opportunity arose. Fast forward 15 months, and that opportunity has arrived. The Aussie freestyle and alpine skier is now charging towards a potential fourth Olympics in what could be a comeback for the ages. ...

When it comes to the voices of American Olympic coverage, Leigh Diffey is one of the true standouts. The Aussie broadcaster worked his way up from calling local motorcycle races in Queensland, all the way to becoming the voice of track and field at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics for NBC. But for Leigh, it was a journey he never planned — one that started on a completely different path, and somehow took him to the very t...

It’s time for another epic Newscast as we bring you up to speed with everything Olympic-related and continue our preview series of all the sports in the lead-up to the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics! We share our thoughts on the newly unveiled medal designs for the 2026 Games – and why they might look familiar to keen Olympic fans. We also break down the schedule for the LA 2028 Olympics and explore the latest countries en...

Another massive interview coming through your speakers today as we chat with US Paralympic track and field superstar Ryan Medrano about his incredible rise in the sport and his recent experiences at the Paris 2024 Paralympics! We dive into how his time on Survivor—and his connection with a former guest of ours — helped steer him toward the Paralympics, and how he managed to rise through the ranks of track and field so quic...

If you were to look up the words 'Olympic legend' in the dictionary, chances are you would find a photo of Australian cyclist Anna Meares. The four-time Olympian won six Olympic medals across her stellar career, including two gold, and has gone on to become one of the most respected figures in Australian sports administration after her role as the Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team at the Paris Olympics in 202...