Share

The Essential Olympic Stories

Tales of sporting endeavour, intrigue and excellence


Latest episode

  • 10. Muhammad Ali: From the Clay of Rome to the Ali of Atlanta

    29:58
    If he achieved legendary status in his sport through bouts against Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton or George Foreman, Muhammad Ali will also always remain indelibly linked to the great history of the Olympic Games, which he marked on two occasions and in two entirely different contexts, almost half a century apart. It was not the Olympics which made Ali “The Greatest”, but his breakthrough role gave the boxer a unique place in Games folklore.The Essential Olympic Stories podcast is brought to you by Eurosport in association with Bridgestone.

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 9. Bob Beamon: The leap of the century

    31:56
    At the Mexico Olympics of 1968, Bob Beamon redefined the boundaries of the possible by shattering the long jump world record with his first jump in the final. The American’s leap of 8.90 metres pulverised the competition and was a staggering 55 centimetres better than the old benchmark. This almost immeasurable record would endure for over two decades.The Essential Olympic Stories podcast is brought to you by Eurosport in association with Bridgestone.
  • 8. Greg Louganis: A leap of faith

    37:37
    Greg Louganis is the greatest diver of all time. First man to win the double double, at the Los Angeles and Seoul Olympics, the American took his discipline to fresh heights. But the legendary Louganis did so while being weighed down by a heavy burden throughout the 80s: his HIV positive status, which he kept a secret.The Essential Olympic Stories podcast is brought to you by Eurosport in association with Bridgestone.
  • 7. John Akii-Bua: A life of glory and tragedy

    43:25
    John Akii-Bua came from nowhere to write a major chapter in athletics history by becoming Uganda's first ever Olympic gold medallist. His victory in the 400 metres hurdles with a world record time in Munich in 1972 saw Akii-Bua rise to prominence. But his destiny oscillated between glory and tragedy, his life coming to an end too early, aged 47 years.The Essential Olympic Stories podcast is brought to you by Eurosport in association with Bridgestone.
  • 6. Dawn Fraser: Eternal glory and sorrow

    41:09
    Invariably seen as the best swimmer of the 20th century and Australia's greatest female athlete ever, Dawn Fraser was the first of only three swimmers in history to win individual gold medals for the same event – the 100-metre freestyle – at three successive Olympics. But behind the unique glory of an indisputable champion lies a personality marked by minor scandal and ineffaceable pain.The Essential Olympic Stories podcast is brought to you by Eurosport in association with Bridgestone.
  • 5. Suffering like never before - How Kerri Strug won unprecedented gold

    32:58
    On July 23, 1996 Kerri Strug became America's golden girl. The gymnast overcame pain to make history for the United States with an unprecedented victory in the all-around team competition at the Atalanta Olympics. While not the most talented of the "Magnificent Seven" her courage saw the tiny 18-year-old become an icon. A quarter of a century on, the sight of Strug being carried to the podium by her coach – into a world of flowers, kisses, and celebrity endorsements – remains etched in the memory.
  • 4. Nadia Comaneci's odyssey and the perfect 10

    35:18
    At the age of just 14, the revolutionary gymnast Nadia Comăneci captured the Olympic imagination by achieving the impossible with a perfect and unprecedented 10 during the Montréal Games. If the Romanian phenomenon stunned the entire world in Canada, her story reached far beyond that magical summer of 1976.The Essential Olympic Stories podcast is brought to you by Eurosport in association with Bridgestone.