The Olympics

As the London 2012 Games drew to a close, thousands lined the streets of London to cheer on the Athletes' Parade, including a very excited BBC reporter - Stephen Chittenden. Also present were triathlon superstars, the Brownlee Brothers, who told 5 Live about the impact of public support. David Smith revealed to Sportsweek how rowing saved his life. On Radio 2, Linda Roberts told Chris Evans how she couldn’t wish for any more for he...

Ellie Simmonds stormed to victory after winning two titles and setting two world records. Among her supporters was Steve Simmons, her father who told BBC WM that her victories were not guaranteed. A delighted Aled Davies speaks to Chris Evans the morning after taking gold in the discus. Oscar Pistorius has been the poster boy for London 2012 but after losing the 200m final, he suggested that Brazilian Alan Oliveira had benefited f...

The London Paralympic Games are looking set to be the greatest in the history of the movement but it was a very different story at the first Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960, as Britain's first-ever gold medal winner Margaret Maughan told Peter White in "No Triumph, No Tragedy". In the pursuit of Paralympic gold, some athletes with spinal injuries have resorted to using an illegal technique called “boosting” during which they cause...

Over 2,000 athletes landed in the UK this week for the Paralympic Games including the Canadian wheelchair rugby player David Willsie and New Zealand sailor Jan Apel. In BBC Radio 1's "Against All Odds", Vernon Kay charts the journeys of soldiers injured in Afghanistan and Iraq who are now going for Gold at the Paralympics, including Sam Bowen who had difficulties coping with post-traumatic stress and Major Martin Colclough who coac...

A week before the biggest Paralympic Games ever, Eva Loeffler speaks to Radio 4 about her father Dr Ludwig Guttmann, a German Jewish refugee who started the Paralympic movement. Sprinter Libby Clegg on performing in front of a home crowd and running with a guide during the Games. Are the complex classification categories for disabilities holding the Paralympics back? Para-dressage rider Nicola Naylor and Baroness Tanni Gray-Thomps...

Judo Olympians, silver medallist Gemma Gibbons and her partner Euan Burton, tell Victoria Derbyshire about the public reaction to their victory and losses at the Games. As part of the BBC Scotland series “The Paralympians”, judoka Samuel Ingram speaks about taking bronze in Beijing and competing with his brother at the London Games. Swimmer David Roberts holds 11 Paralympic gold medals, just one less than Baroness Tanni Grey-Thomps...

As London 2012 draws to a close, has the Olympic experience changed the United Kingdom? Kaiser Chiefs’ Ricky Wilson tells Richard Bacon about the last minute preparations for the Closing Ceremony. Olympians Katherine Grainger, Kat Copeland and Kate Walsh relive their first 24 hours after the Games. South African Oscar Pistorius may have broken new ground just by competing in the Olympics Games but he returns to defend his 100m, 200...

Nicola Adams describes the sacrifices she made to make history and win the first Olympic gold medal in women’s boxing. Alistair and Jonny Brownlee talk about their gruelling training schedule and the trials of living together. Colin Paterson from Radio 5 Live visits the Bingley Harriers triathlon club, where the Brownlee brothers have been training, to meet some of their biggest fans. Radio 4’s More or Less team examine the hidden ...

Team GB’s Mo Farah, gold medallist in the 10,000m, receives a surprise phone call from his school PE teacher on Victoria Derbyshire’s 5 Live show and we hear from Andy Murray prior to the Olympics, who told a live audience how he was hoping to put his poor performance in Beijing behind him. Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis take an alternative look at women’s boxing on Radio 4’s The Now Show and 100m champion Usain Bolt’s fellow Jamaican ...

Rowing pair Heather Stanning and Helen Glover end Great Britain’s five-day wait for Olympic gold while BBC Radio 2’s Simon Mayo gets carried away cheering on Team GB’s cycling sprint team. Sir Chris Hoy speaks about the unique design of the London Velodrome where he achieved his fifth Olympic gold medal. Seven-time Olympic medallist Bradley Wiggins speaks to Colin Murray about coping with the pressures of winning. After Chinese swi...

Comedians Rhod Gilbert and Lloyd Langford reflect on the Opening Ceremony of the London Games while singer Alex Trimble speaks about performing during the lighting of the cauldron. Ahead of Rebecca Adlington’s attempt to defend her Olympic 800m freestyle title, she reveals her thoughts on setting world record in Beijing and BBC Radio Nottingham speak to her fans in Mansfield. South African Caster Semenya returns to the Olympics a...

Can David Rudisha dominate the 800 metres and finally achieve Olympic gold after missing out on Beijing through injury. Richard Bacon is joined by Olympian Michael Johnson and guests to discuss what may become the most competitive Olympic 100 meters race ever if Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Tyson Gay all run. As the rift between the BOA and triple jumper Phillips Idowu grows, UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee reveals why ...

After Bradley Wiggins’ historic win of the Tour de France, Team GB cyclist Emma Pooley speaks about going for gold. BBC World Service investigates how top Muslim athletes are coping with the rigours of training and fasting as Ramadan falls over the Olympic fortnight. Tickets for wheelchair rugby or ‘murderball’ as it was originally known sold out in record time but can Team GB capitalise on the home advantage? After six years of pl...

The Olympic Village will be home to 16,000 athletes and officials during the course of the Games but is it all work and no play? Eleanor Oldroyd finds out about the more steamy side of life in the Village. Judo star Ashley McKenzie reveals how his bad behavior nearly saw him miss the Olympics. Six-time Olympian archer Alison Williamson returns to her old primary school in Shropshire, while four-time Olympian Steve Backley tells BBC...

Lord Seb Coe, London 2012 chairman tells BBC 5 Live that Olympic security will not be compromised despite the contractor G4S’s failure to provide sufficient staff. As Britain’s Team Sky lead at the Tour de France, will they be able to recover in just five days to compete at the Olympics? Can Zara Phillips overcome her previous bad luck and make her Olympic eventing debut on her new horse High Kingdom? Radio 4 satirical “The Now Sh...

Among the host of international athletes making their final preparations at the Aviva London Grand Prix is one of the hottest favourites for Olympic gold - Australian 100m hurdler Sally Pearson. How will the international superstars cope with ‘traditional’ British summer weather? Team USA sprinter Carmelia Jeter, world triple jump champion Christian Taylor and former world 5000m champion Bernard Lagat join Eleanor Oldroyd to give t...

Andy Murray and Jonathan Marray weren’t the only British finalists at Wimbledon, Jordanne Whiley also made history as part of the first all-British wheelchair tennis pair to make the final. Team GB hockey star Jonty Clarke explains why he values the public pressure and expectation attached to a home Games. After Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls was named in the British men's basketball squad for the Olympics, BBC Leicester’s John Si...

After the announcement of the Team GB Athletics squad, 18-year old sprinter Adam Gemili spoke his joy and surprise at his inclusion; 800m runner Lynsey Sharp on her controversial selection despite recording only a B qualifying time this season, and hurdler Andy Turner expresses relief after being named in the squad. Breaking records and gaining glory is the aim of every Olympian but who will make history this year? Usain Bolt was t...

Spain maybe European Champions but Britain is looking forward to securing an Olympic gold in the football at the London Games. Team GB manager Stuart Pearce justifies his decision not to pick David Beckham for the squad but not everyone agrees, as former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson tells 5 Live’s Garry Richardson. After the men’s 4x100m relay failed to pass the baton at the European Athletics Championships, Olympian Derek R...