Athletics Life Stories: Recent Episodes
Chris Broadbent
Behind-the-scenes insight and opinion from some of the biggest personalities in athletics and track and field discussing their Olympic experiences, career high points, controversies and everything in between
Host Chris Broadbent downloads his dictaphone of delights featuring interviews with some of the biggest current stars of athletics. Includes Karsten Warholm, Mondo Duplantis, Jazmin Sawyers, Krisjan Ceh, Jakub Vadlejch, Elina Tzengko, Auriel Dongmo, Sasha Zhoya and Silja Kosonen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On a visit to Stockholm's BAUHAUS-galan meeting, we took the chance to interview one of the athletes from the Sweden's golden era in the early 2000s, Olympic high jump champion Stefan Holm. He talks us through his rise through the ranks onwards to four Word indoor titles and his place as the man who has jumped the furthest above his own height ever. We also discuss his love for LEGO and an unlikely new career as a romantic novelist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
One of the most genuine athletes in a generation, Dean Macey was the no-frills decathlete from Essex who captivated British athletics fans at multiple major championships from 1999 to 2006. Frequently battling with injuries and niggles, he grittily fought his way to two World Championship medals and Commonwealth Games gold and just missed out on Olympic medals, finishing fourth in both Sydney and Athens. Macey was just as well known for his straight-talking manner which both the media and fans of the sport lapped up. He is still just as honest and open and takes us behind the scenes with some previously unheard stories behind the successes and near-misses. It wouldn’t be Dean Macey without a liberal sprinkling of industrial language, so this is not a podcast for the faint-hearted. It is – however - pure unadulterated Dean Macey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
She’s the girl who grew up in an impoverished community in East London in the 1980s, but who went on to model for Stella McCartney via representing Team GB at the Olympic Games. Competing as Jo Fenn in her athletics career, her story is one of raw talent, perseverance, heartbreaks and glory on the global stage. Unable to afford her first England Schools tracksuit, the young prodigy had to overcome years of injury struggles before breaking through in her mid 20s where she became the pin-up girl of British Athletics, earning her stripes at Olympic and Commonwealth Games and a superb bronze at the World Indoor Championships over 800m. Multi-talented and comfortable on stage, she worked as a model and as a singer. Her exuberance and effervescence have made her a hugely popular member of the British athletics community among fellow athletes, officials and fans of the sport. Now settled with her young family in New Zealand, Jo talks with typical humour, honesty and - with the odd song thrown in - gives a fascinating insight into her colourful life so far.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
One of the most likable and genuine athletes of his generation, Jason Gardener was a distinct figure in the men’s sprints in the late 90s and early 2000s. There was no braggado, no menace, no strutting, he just went about his business as a quietly effective and efficient medal-winning machine. As his peers were spitting in each other’s lanes, getting into warm up track fights and using every tool to intimidate, Jason describes his approach as being “a silent assassin.” He opens up to tell all about standing out as a dark skinned child growing up in affluent Bath. The ascent to international athletics, the injuries and rivalries and the ongoing satisfaction of winning Olympic gold with team-mates Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis in Athens 2004. You can read more about that monumental sporting moment in “Our Race,” a fantastic book by Trystan Bevan and Ben Mercer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Known for his outspoken views as much as his world-renowned coaching, Dutchman Charles van Commenée left an indelible mark on British Athletics. Firstly as coach to Denis Lewis as she won heptathlon gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and then to Kelly Sotherton as she rose from 59th in the world to Olympic bronze in Athens 2004, under his guidance. He returned to the UK in 2009 to lead the nation’s athletics team to London 2012. And with media scrutiny turned up to 11, he navigated issues such as ‘fatgate’, Plastic Brits and medal hope Phillips Idowu leaving team preparations to Super Saturday and one of the greatest nights in British sporting history. We cover all that and more in this fascinating hour. WARNING - this episode is not for puies, w*ers, clowns, attention seekers and wimps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No stone is left unturned in this interview with three-time Olympic medallist Kelly Sotherton. For many years she carried the flag for British heptathletes, winning Olympic and World bronze and Commonwealth gold. With typical honesty she talks about her relationship with Jessica Ennis and her feelings of jealousy during London 2012. She also opens up about her relationship with coach Charles van Commenee and training partner Denise Lewis and some hilarious behind the scenes anecdotes. She tells us how she regards the drugs cheats who denied her glory in the past, today. She also reveals how she tried out track cycling and kayaking when injuries wrecked her heptathlon career. She also discusses mental health and wellbeing and the issues around transgender athletes in the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From growing up on the breadline on a Dundee council estate where prospects were limited, Liz McColgan rose up to be one of the world’s great long distance runners. As well as winning London, New York and Tokyo Marathons, she was World and Commonwealth 10,000m champion, Olympic silver medallist and broke numerous world records. She speaks with typical candour over her life as an elite athlete, including the incredible highs such as becoming World Champion to the lows of an insect bite ruining her bid for Olympic glory. In retirement she turned to coaching and in summer 2022 her daughter Eilish followed in her footsteps by winning Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham on an unforgettable night. A must-listen episode with an incredible woman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An ebullient character of the UK endurance running scene, Hayley Yelling was a mainstay of the GB & NI cross country team in the early 2000s, twice winning individual gold at the European Cross Country Championships. She also won international vests on track and road including at the European Athletics Championships, Commonwealth Games and World Half Marathon Championships. But she narrowly missed out on the Olympic Games on three occasions, most closely in 2004, when she fell short of the 10,000m time by just 0.14secs. She looks back on her time in the sport, including the highs and lows, being in the same team as Paula Radcliffe, experimenting with hypnosis and the close relationship and rivalry with sister-in-law Liz Yelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For a quarter of a century, Jason Henderson has written about virtually every significant run, jump or throw in the UK and beyond. In 2022, he celebrated 25 years at Athletics Weekly, the sport's leading media title. For the majority of that, he has been the iconic publication's editor, interviewing the biggest names in the sport and reporting from the biggest events and right down to the grass roots. He reveals his favourite events, his favourite interviewees, the big moments that have lived with him and the behind-the-scenes life in what he describes as a "dream job". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A talented footballer and rugby player in his youth, Andy Turner made his mark in sprint hurdling against the odds. Despite no international recognition as a junior athlete, he broke through as a senior, making his major championship debut at the Athens Olympics. He felt out of place, but soon found his feet. And despite losing lottery funding, he eventually became European and Commonwealth champion and a World bronze medallist. Since retiring, he enjoyed success in bodybuilding and boxing. He also fondly remembers his long-time coach Lloyd Cowan who passed away prematurely in 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A central figure in one of the sport's most iconic races of all-time, Donna Fraser was training partner to Cathy Freeman ahead of the Australian's celebrated 400m gold in Sydney 2000, where Donna finished an agonising fourth. Along with three other Olympic Games and a glittering career that included World, European and Commonwealth medals, the Londoner has an inspiring tale to tell from her diagnosis with cancer, the loss of her long-time coach from the disease and her ground breaking work for equality, inclusivity and diversity. In this emotional episode, Donna tells it all in the most inspiring way imaginable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Craig Pickering, former teenage sprint star talks with Chris Broadbent is a searingly honest interview on his sprinting career. Including his rise to prominence, racing Usain Bolt, his headline-hitting rivalry with Dwain Chambers, letting a relay medal slip at the Olympics, winning World bronze, European silver and his switch to bobsleigh. Now settled in Australia, he looks back on his life in international athletics with huge candour.
400m hurdler Dai Greene on a career of highs and lows resulting in gold at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and European Championships. Also on his disappointment at London 2012 and dealing with placing fourth. He talks about his frustration of a hernia operation that has cost him years of his career. He also shares stories on his rivals such as Felix Sanchez, Kerron Clement, LJ van Zyl and fellow Welsh hurdler Rhys Williams, including how the two didn't talk despite being training partners. He gives his take on the modern day 400m hurdlers such as Karsten Warholm.
In a remarkably candid interview, 400m hurdler Eilidh Doyle talks to Chris Broadbent about her athletics career at top level from winning European gold to almost walking away after London 2012. On her domestic rivalry with Perri Shakes-Drayton and three Commonwealth Games medals. On her relationships with coaches such as Malcolm Arnold and Charles Van Commenee. How fellow Scot Laura Muir dealt with some noisy GB sprinters. What she makes of the current state of women's 400m hurdling and why she chose to retire rather than strive for a third Olympic Games.