Olympipod: Recent Episodes
Olympipod
A biweekly podcast about the world's greatest quadrennial multi-sport extravaganza brought to you by below-average international athlete Chris O'Reilly and above-average international nonathlete Ruth Fitzpatrick.
We will be your one-stop pod guiding you through all 32 Olympiads as well as a couple of non-Olympiads.
Ruth joins us from Olympisme, A History of the World and takes us on a journey to the past, present and future of the games, while we also discuss naughty Australians, a Tahitian hero, dramatic handball, squeeky clean Chinese medals and new entries to the Olympibook.
Ruth has made it to Paris, so it's a walk-and-talk episode around La Concorde as we reflect on her whirlwind 36 hours, the Olympibook and other ramblings.
Does Ruth have a passport? Yes. Can you pole vault over a giraffe? Maybe. Will we talk about the last time Ireland's experienced such a successful Olympics? No.
Chris reports from Paris. Ruth reports from Dublin.
It's Day 8(ish) of the #Paris2024 Olympic Games.
It's day 6 of the #Paris2024 Games. AND CLONMEL IS ON THE MEDAL TABLE.
Ruth reports live from the official County Town of the Olympipod, and Chris reports the other place.
Day 2.5 of the #Paris2024 Games, and the Olympipod have ANOTHER bonus pod out??? It's a true quadrennial sporting event miracle.
Ruth names more small towns in Ireland, and Chris keeps it international.
We have three cancellations, and a callback to St. Louis 1904 Games.
Day 1 of the #Paris2024 Games draws to a close, but the unofficial Olympic Podcast of Records was there to save it for posterity.
Chris is in Paris, Ruth is in Clonmel. It's time to Olympipod.
The Olympics hasn't begun! Or hasn't it??
There's only one thing that is for certain - the Olympipod can't be stopped, and that we'll never not have opinions on dressage.
We delve into the impending financial ruin of one of North America's finest cities, erotic Olympic film sequences, Jenner's decathlon domination, East German doping, Nadia's perfect 10s, boycotts and broken knees - all in an hour's work in your latest Olympipod.
The Olympipod arrives to Munich, for what was promised to be "the cheerful Games". These Games, however, would be remembered not for its cheerfulness, but by a horrific terrorist attack that shook the world.
Chris tactfully covers the important events, and Ruth brings stories of dachshunds, drug -takers, and the "Twitch TV".
The latest and most glorious season of the Olympipod has returned! And what a return – Ruth carries an injury into the recording, and has mislayed her notes. Chris brings facts and a chance meeting with an anti-doping officer. There's flops, Swedish beer bans, dislocated knees, and civil rights protests. And just how far can a tortoise jump? Not as far as a man.
Welcome back, to the Olympipod.
With just 504 short days left until the Opening Ceremony of the 33rd Olympiad, Ruth and Chris reflect on the tickets they've already nabbed, and whether they can fit surfing into their schedules. Also! Chris thinks it's a good idea to review each and every Paris Olympic Pictogram! It makes truly riveting listening. Play along on the Paris Pictogram page.
THE OLYMPIPOD IS BACK! After an unannounced and unexpected 10-month haitus, Ruth and Chris have months of out-dated news, misremembered facts, and vague recollections of previously strongly-held beliefs to catch up on.
Will an obstacle course be punched in Paris? Should you arm roller police? How many events could you fit in a pool?
All this and more in our second ever Intercalated Olympipod.
She's back from audio quarantine and now Ruth has opinions about ice hockey and Chris's professional skiing career. Also - what makes a Bøathlon a Bøathlon?
Beijing 2022 is officially the most Olympipod-y of any Winter Olympics. The scandals keep on rolling, and the characters keep on being characters. Also, Ruth and Chris invent some new sports!
A day later than planned, but still incredibly relevant. Especially as the Olympipod remains the only podcast brave enough to discuss Lugenga.
Are there too few people on a curling team? Or too many? How many people could you pile on a luge? Does Ruth have covid? It must be another Olympipod bonus.
Day 4 of the Beijing Winter Olympics is drawing to a close, but Ruth and Chris are here to keep you up-to-date on some of the latest - and late - stories from the slopes, as well as some "live" commentary on the eagerly anticipated Group B clash in the women's ice hockey between Sweden and Denmark.
Later than expected due to an unanticipated SPILL! in the recording room, the Olympipod is back. Canada had a great day. Flags did not. People jumped off big hills, and Ruth and Chris question the wisdom of excluding demonstration events from the Winter Games.
No one could have predicted it... The Olympipod is back for day 2 of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games! New Zealand made history with their first winter gold, the Norwegians were just their asses, and Ruth and Chris wonder if road bowling has made it to Australia. If not, why not?
Beijing 2022 is upon us and the Olympipod is back! And we're asking all the important questions. When is a cauldron not a cauldron? What makes a Moose Biathlon a Moose Biathlon? What kind of oil did American Samoa's flagbearer use to protect him from the cold? We also get round to talking about some sport.
Despite last week's predictions that we would surely find ourselves in Liverpool for 1948... we're back in St Moritz! And there's more controversy than you can throw an icestock at. Shootings, spills, a controversial film - it has it all.
Not even Covid can keep Chris down as the Winter Olympipod breathlessly - more so than usual - takes a deepish dive into Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936. There's beer gardens aplenty, a ballet, and - of course - even more spills. Plus: Liechtenstein gets its first mention!
More bobsleigh spills than you can shake a stick at, speed skating drama and dogs as the Winter Olympics heads to the USA for the first time.
Bobsleigh returns to its ancestral homeland, horses pull skis, and Canada dominates on the water polo pool. Welcome to the slushy fields of St Moritz, 1928.
Ruth and Chris whoosh back into your ears and brings you all the way back to the slopes of Chamonix for the very first Winter Olympipod. And this season looks like it will be an exciting one, with nordic cold shoulders, controversies on the rink, and a real-time discovery on the origins of the bobsled.
Two weeks after the Games concluded, Ruth and Chris sat down to talk about the most memorable moments of Tokyo 2020ne. And two weeks after that... we published our musings for all to hear! We revisit the very best and the very worst people and stories, and even give a little teaser as to what's to come over the next few months for the Olympipod
It's over! It's all over! Tokyo 2020 is over! Ruth and Chris attempt to struggle through their emotions and talk about giant motorised baseball mitts, marathon mischief, large moths, and much much more.
It's the penultimate Olympipod daily bonuses and Ruth has survived her Pfizer. Also: punching horses is bad. Denmark are sad. And some other Olympics happened too.
Day 14 of #Tokyo2020 has drawn to a close, but there's still plenty to discuss: long walks, disgruntled horses, imaginary sports. While Chris takes the reigns of the minipod, when Ruth was found sleeping on the job.
Day 13 of Tokyo 2020 will go down in the history books as the day the Olympipod officially became 75% vaccinated. And other stuff happened too! Stuff at the Olympics!
Day 12! Ruth is excited! She's found some new sports! Also, it was the first day of the multi-discipline events, and the Olympipod is delighted.
Day 11 of #Toyko2020 and it was a day for the history books. Records were smashed. Real Cycling was cycled. Tiny cars went beep beep. And Chris dropped a bombshell.
Day 10 of #Tokyo2020 has been and gone. The Cuban anthem was jaunty. The Greco-Roman existed. And we had some very tragic news from Tokyo.
Day 9 has come to a close, and what a Day 9! Chris - AND Ruth - take the most unbrief of brief look backs at the triumphs and the tragedies of the days events at #Tokyo2020.
We've reached the halfway point, and it turns out Ruth's viewing of BMX freestyle was simply an Olympic fever dream. But mixed relays were not, and she's a big fan. Also - Chris!
Where's the last week gone? To #Tokyo2020, that's where! And to celebrate, Ruth has been left - some might say inadvisably - unsupervised to share some of her thoughts on day 7 of the Olympic Games.
The Microstates shall inherit the earth. Or, at the very least, a couple of Olympic medals. Also - IRELAND WINS GOLD IRELAND WINS GOLD IRELAND WINS GOLD. It all happened on Day 6 of #Tokyo2020
Today Mega-Host Chris is joined by Ruth. She claims it's day 6. It isn't. It's day 5. She's just gone quite mad. It's the Olympics. But she still loves weightlifting, and thinks the 1500m freestyle is too long.
Olympipod's very own Chris joins Ruth to catch up on all the day's action, including horse frolicking, wave riding, and some gigantic tumbles.
Ruth had a sleep. Denmark won gold. People lifted heavy things. Breaststroke is very old. It all happened on Day 3 (ish) of the Games, and Ruth has all (some) of the facts.
Nobody has slept. There's just too much sport. And Ruth has opinions. On the butterfly, knitting, and the Danes.
364 days delayed, Tokyo 2020ne is finally here. Joined by a very special guest - Chris - Ruth takes a look back at Day 1 of the XXXIIth Olympiad, and a look forward to an action-packed Day 2. Big thanks to our wonderful guest sound editor, Tony Groves. Make sure to check out https://t.co/hsP7yHN73T?amp=1 (tortoiseshack.ie) and their amazing selection of podcasts. And don't forget to subscribe to their patreon for extra episodes and content https://t.co/qealm4JSS6?amp=1 (patreon.com/tortoiseshack)
After three attempts, four recording sessions, and multiple creative directors' dismissals, Olympipod XVIII - Tokyo 1964 is finally here. And with heartthrobs, sailing millionaires, weddings, shearings, and murder soccer to look forward to - it was well worth the wait!
Did Rome 1960 change the world? Probably not, though it did give us plenty to talk about with amazing athletes, fierce rivalries and death, played out in a sizzling Italian summer.
Just how friendly were Melbourne's friendly games? Among the blood in the water, cold war antics and torch shenanigans, we find love, legendary athletes and lounging Liberians.
Ready for more from Helsinki? After a fierce rivalry on the football pitch and pure flames on the torch relay, James Ward makes his long-awaited change to the Olympic programme!
The Soviets are here, the arts are gone and superfan James Ward joins us for our longest episode to date. In fact, it was so long and so full of fun, that we decided to split it into two episodes!
Olympic diving finalist Oliver Dingley joins us to share his personal Olympic tales and delve into the first games after World War II, featuring the 'Flying Housewife', the arts competitions' last hurrah and a terrifically terrible basketball team.
While World War II tore the 1940 and 1944 games asunder, two prisoner-of-war camps in Germany kept the Olympic spirit alive with their own games behind the Nazi barbed wire.
We're off to Hitler's Olympics in 1936, the scene Jesse Owen's brilliance and an unlikely friendship, more dodgy refereeing and a festival of nudity on film.
Jill and Alison from the brilliant Keep the Flame Alive podcast join us to talk all things Los Angeles 1932, the games which was well ahead of its time and brought a surprising amount of glamour given it took place in the depths of the Great Depression. Catch our lovely guests every Thursday on https://flamealivepod.com/
Women finally get a shot on the track, it's a swansong for previous heroes while India begin their rise to power in hockey. We have sinking pools, dodgy judging and much more in Amsterdam 1928
24 years after it first hosted the games, the Olympics actually caught the imagination of Paris this time. With flying Finns, angry Rugby crowds and swimming sensations, there is no shortage of fun tales to discover from 1924.
Hero among Olympics nerds and leading authority on the games' history, Bill Mallon, joins us to look back at the most interesting stories from the games organised in a hurry after WWI.
Neither global conflict nor pandemic can stop the Olympipod. The same, unfortunately, can't be said for the Olympics. Ruth and Chris scrape the barrel for facts about the Games that never were, a War Championship which may have been a lie, and an Inter-Allied Games with baseball and grenades.
It’s the summer of 1912 - the sun is shining, the ladies are wearing see-through tops, and the Games have never looked so sleek. With us this week is international Judoka and member of the IOC Sport and Active Society Committee, Laura-Marie Tiidla, who helps us delve into some of the more delectable stories of this thankfully brief Stockholm Olympics.
The Magnificent David O'Doherty joins us to share his unique insights and sporting philosophy as we look back at the 1908 Olympics in London, featuring a trans-Atlantic rivalry, our first truly heroic loser and even more odd events.
It may not have remained in the record books, but we're giving the 1906 Intercalated Olympic Games just treatment with a full episode, delving into sexy Danes, sneaky walkers, proud pole climbers, the original 'ballers' and mismatched wrestlers.
Ultrarunner and lacrosse international Paddy O'Leary is our very first guest on the Olympipod, joining us to speak about St. Louis in 1904, an infamous Olympics best known for its torturous marathon. Among the dreadful moments, we do shine a light on some of the happier stories, while Paddy makes his sport swap - here's the video he spoke about: https://youtu.be/AaXum47XJxs
“It was the worst of games, and – the worst of games” Five months of random sports, swimming in the Seine, athletes not knowing what they were competing in and women! Was this even an Olympic Games? Ruth and Chris investigate.
Ruth and Chris begin their journey back through Olympic history with the first modern games in Athens, delving into the stories and sports which made the 1896 games so unique.