Keep the Flame Alive

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enMarch 08, 2024

Track Cycling with Olympic Hopeful Mandy Marquardt

This is Episode 326. During Tokyo 2020, we loved watching track cycling, but of course, came up with many questions about the sport. American Olympic hopeful Mandy Marquardt joins us to talk about her specialty, sprinting. We talk about the sprint and Keirin races. We also get into how the bike works, her uniform, and how expensive track cycling shoes can be.

Follow Mandy on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Team NovoNordisk is on Insta and X. Check out her website too!

In Paris 2024 news, it's a mere six months until the Paralympics start, which means that Alison will be watching wheelchair rugby before we know it!

We also have a few details about Olympic Opening Ceremonies and another ticket drop.

Tickets for Team Ireland House have gone on sale, and we have details about what that entails. Also look for activities at the Irish Cultural Centre in Paris.

Plus, a new square to check off if you're playing "What will the media blow out of proportion?" bingo.

In news from TKFLASTAN, we hear from:

Bobsledder Bree Walker
Para shooter McKenna Geer
Pole vaulter Katie Moon
National governing body exec Phil Andrews

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thank you to our ongoing contributors and patrons! This show thrives because of our listeners. Want to give back? Learn more here.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enMarch 01, 2024

Book Club Claire on If Gold Is Our Destiny

Episode 325. Book Club Claire is here to discuss our latest book club selection, If Gold Is Our Destiny: How a Team of Mavericks Came Together for Olympic Glory by Sean P. Murray. This book tells the story of the US men's national volleyball team and its development in its quest for gold at the LA 1984 Olympics.

Haven't read it? Grab your copy through our Bookshop.org storefront (affiliate link)!

Follow Claire on Insta and X!

The Beijing 2022 figure skating team medal situation will continue to drag on for a while: Skate Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee are appealing the reallocated results.

In Paris 2024 news, we learn how the Olympics will affect grain shipments, and how Manny Pacquiao won't be able to contend for a medal. Plus, Poland will have a hospitality house!

Slidingnovela update: Milan-Cortina has started construction on the new sliding venue, with just over 700 days until they host the Winter Olympics. What could possibly go wrong?

In news from TKFLASTAN, we hear from:

Pole vaulter Katie Moon
Bobsledder Bree Walker
Anti-corruption expert Andy Spalding - check out his AFP interview
Para equestrian Sydney Collier - pre-order her book here (affiliate link)
Listener Nick

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enFebruary 22, 2024

GHM: Chamonix 1924: Mountain Climbing Was an Olympic Sport

At the first Winter Olympics, medals were awarded to mountain climbers for scaling the greatest peaks in the world. It wasn't even an actual competition that took place during the Games, but these men got Olympic medals nonetheless.

Alison explains how and why the Olympics awarded medals in Alpinism, including the fact that the team who won this award was truly a mixed-country team, the likes of which we don’t really see very often in Olympic history.

For sources and a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo credit: Project Gutenberg

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Games History Moment with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown is released monthly. In 2024, these episodes explore the first Winter Olympic Games at Chamonix, France in 1924. Look for our regular episodes every week, with daily editions during the Olympics and Paralympics.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enFebruary 20, 2024

Unretiring with Olympic Artistic Swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau

Episode 324. We always love it when a TKFLASTANI comes back on the show! Canadian artistic swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau is back to talk with us about her decision to put medical school on hold for a year and try for one more Olympics. Her road to Paris 2024 goes through Doha and the 2024 World Aquatics World Championships--will her duet be enough to get to her third Olympics?

It's been a big news week for upcoming Games:

Paris 2024 announced its medals (which are epic and may also make you want to have a cupcake) and the opening of one of the few arenas built for these Games.
Milan-Cortina 2026 announced its mascots--are they winners? And what's the deal with their posse The Flo? [Careful here, we get into some weird Tony Orlando and Dawn references]
Brisbane 2032 put the kibosh on a multi-billion dollar construction project--what is happening in Brisbane?!?

We also have news from TKFLASTAN, including word from:

Marathoner Abdi Abdirahman
Speed skater Erin Jackson
Para shooter McKenna Geer
Shooter Kim Rhode
Bobsledder Bree Walker
Cross-country skier Kikkan Randall

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enFebruary 15, 2024

Monobob with Olympian Bree Walker

It's two years until the next Winter Olympics at Milan-Cortina in 2026, so we are in a winter sports mood! Milan-Cortina's slidingnovela (where the sliding events will take place) has us curious about bobsled, so Australian bobsledder (bobsleigher?) Breeana Walker joins us to talk monobob. Bree competed at Beijing 2022 in both the two-woman and the monobob, placing 16th and 5th respectively.

We've wanted to talk about monobob for a while, and Bree sheds some light on the sport for us, including body weight differences between the two events, why you need different sets of runners, and why they call it the lonely sport. Plus, we get into the costs of sleds and runners--you'll be shocked at how much they can cost.

Follow Bree on social @bobsledbree, and check out her YouTube channel and website.

Because it's two years until the next Winter Games, there is a bunch of news from Milan-Cortina, not all of it rosy.

The good news: The NHL is back in the Olympics! They've come to an agreement to have pro players compete at 2026 and 2030, and we are here for it!

The not-so-good news: The sliding track is one construction project we've been focused on, but there are more construction issues happening that could affect other sports and where some athletes sleep.

In Paris 2024 news, French police are investigating the way Paris 2024 CEO Tony Estanguet is paid and whether that is skirting French law in the wrong way.

Final spectator numbers for the Opening Ceremony have been announced--and they're quite a bit lower than originally planned.

Pride House is looking for volunteers, both in-person and remotely. Find more information here.

Tickets for Team NL house are on sale--and it's a pretty good deal! Find them here.

Following up from our Youth Olympic Games coverage, the IOC will announce the next Winter YOG host next year.

In news from TKFLASTAN, we hear from:

Artistic swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau
Curler John Shuster
Shooter Kim Rhode
The Big O (or Owe)
Author Andrew Maraniss--register for his March 5 book launch at Parnassus Books in Nashville here.

For a transcript of episode 323, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo courtesy of Bree Walker.

***

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enFebruary 09, 2024

Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 Week 2 (Episode 322)

The Winter Youth Olympic Games 2024 has come to a close and the digital flame has been turned off. We run through the second week of competition, including feed beefs (or a lack thereof) and results from:

- Alpine Skiing
- Biathlon
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Curling
- Figure Skating
- Freestyle Skiing
- Ice Hockey - including why USA and Canada did not field women's teams in these Games
- Nordic Combined
- Short Track Speed Skating - the mixed relay was a lot of fun!
- Snowboard
- Speed Skating
- Closing Ceremony

It's been a big news week for the Olympics! First off, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) released its ruling on the Kamila Valieva doping situation from the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, which only took 721 days. Valieva will face a four-year ban effective on the date of the doping, December 25, 2021.

That ruling changes the results of the team figure skating competition from Beijing 2022, and the International Skating Union decided that USA would get moved up to gold, Japan up to silver....and Russia would drop down to bronze. We explain how the ISU's decision is possible--and who's not happy because of it.

Paris 2024 announced that it will have random ticket drops until the Games begin in order to sell out its remaining 1+ million ticket inventory.

The end of January brought decision-day for whether the Milan-Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee would commit to building a new sliding track (not IOC-recommended), or if they would put the sliding competitions at a track outside of Italy (IOC-recommended). Guess what they chose? Our slidingnovela lives on!!

In our visit to TKFLASTAN, we have news from:

Curler John Shuster
Speed skater Erin Jackson
Race walker Evan Dunfee
Nordic combined athlete Annika Malacinski
Artistic swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau
Listener David

Also, we unravel a mystery connected with our opening theme--be sure to check that out! [Hint: It involves this race, which is historic for Americans]

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Image courtesy of Gangwon 2024.

***

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enFebruary 01, 2024

Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 Week 1 (Episode 321)

The Olympics always has test events to make sure the venues are in working order and everything is ready to go for the Games. We've got one too--and that's the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) that are taking place in Gangwon, South Korea (and using many venues from PyeongChang 2018!).

Alison has wholeheartedly jumped back into double screening, and her maternal vibe is really coming out for these kids. Jill? Well, she has thoughts about the YOG and is still working through them.

On this episode, we cover Days 1-4, including:

What officiating/volunteer job would we want
Feed beefs -- of which there are many, even though we understand that the YOG are a smaller event
A fantastic Opening Ceremony
Another great Korean mascot
Alpine Skiing
Biathlon
Bobsled
Curling
Freestyle Skiing
Ice Hockey
Luge
Short Track Speed Skating
Speed Skating
Skeleton
Ski Jumping
Snowboard

Plus, Milan-Cortina 2026 delivers another episode in our slidingnovela. Will Italy attempt to build a new sliding track that will be ready to go for the 2026 Olympics and have a legacy plan that's better than what happened to the track built for Torino 2006 (that is no longer operational)?

And World Games: Chengdu 2025 has an opportunity for budding graphic designers. Enter their logo, mascot, and slogan contest! The deadline is February 28, 2024, and you can find more details here.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enJanuary 25, 2024

GHM: Chamonix 1924: The Story Behind the Winter Olympics

How did the Winter Olympics begin? We've got the story for you in our new Games History Moment (GHM) show, which for 2024 will focus on the first Winter Olympics that took place in Chamonix, France, in 1924.

The origin story has drama, competition, backtracking, and throwing people under the bus--which goes to show that the International Olympic Committee has had telenovela-esque situations since its early days.

Alison explores how winter sports were an element in some of the very early Summer Olympics and how World War I impacted the introduction of even more winter sports. The Nordic Games--and its instant success--was also a key factor in how the Winter Olympics came to be, as was a marketing scheme put together by the organizers of the Paris 1924 Summer Olympics.

Sources for this episode:

Olympedia (and the OlyMADMen)
Olympics.org
Diagoras: International Academic Journal on Olympic Studies - Alison cites this article as a good read.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo: Project Gutenberg

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Games History Moment with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown - released monthly. Look for our regular episodes every week, with daily editions during the Olympics and Paralympics.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enJanuary 24, 2024

The Future of Olympic Branding with Terrence Burns (Episode 320)

Sports marketing and sponsorship expert Terrence Burns is back to discuss how sports marketers don’t get the Olympic brand. Terrence is the Owner, Chairman & CEO of T. Burns Sports Group, LLC, which does sports marketing, sponsorship sales/negotiation/strategy, bidding advisory services, and brand & communications development.

Terrence has a wealth of knowledge about the world of the Olympics -- check out his blog for some good behind-the-scenes stories of Olympic bids past. He's also a good follow on X and LinkedIn.

In Paris 2024 news (timely, given our show topic), the International Olympic Committee--and Team USA--have a new sponsor in the form of InBev. This mark's the IOC's first beer sponsor....and as you may recall, Paris 2024 will not be selling alcohol in any stadium. Never fear though, because Corona Cero is here!

The French kit has arrived! Check it out here and see if you agree with our take on it.

The post-Games plans to sell some of the Athletes' Village apartments are not going well--we have the latest on how low the prices are going.

The Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon is starting up this week, and one of its innovations is a digital flame. Jill's thoughts on it turn out to be fightin' words in Alison's world.

And in news from TKFLASTAN, we hear from:

Pole vaulter Katie Moon
Nordic combined racer Annika Malacinski
Bobsledder Josh Williamson
Breakdancer Sunny Choi
Author Andrew Maraniss
Speed skater Erin Jackson

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

international olympic committee

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enJanuary 19, 2024

alison brown

jill jaracz

terrence burns

Road Cycling with Olympian Coryn Labecki (Episode 319)

Olympic road cyclist Coryn Labecki joins us to answer one of our burning questions: How does a road cycling peloton work? Coryn's got answers--and why being short is a useful quality in a race.

Plus, remember that wild race at Tokyo 2020 where Dutch favorite Annemiek van Vleuten thought she had won the gold--until she realized she hadn't? Coryn was in that second breakaway group and saw it all go down. She shares the full story with us!

Check out Coryn's website, and follow her on Facebook, YouTube, Insta, X, and Strava!

Paris 2024 has announced yet another first for the Olympics: Team relays within the torch relay that will showcase Olympic and para sport, as well as the support systems around the Paralympic movement.

The IOC is also hoping for more gender equity at Paris, asking National Olympic Committees to have two flagbearers (male and female), as well as more women in coaching roles. How possible is that? If you haven't listened to our episode with Dr. Michele K. Donnelly, that'll help explain why this is a tough ask.

What's the status of venue construction? A little behind? Or right on time?

We've also got a little news from TKFLASTANIs Connor Fields, Annika Malacinski, and Sean Colahan.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enJanuary 12, 2024

Happy Olympic and Paralympic Year! (Episode 318)

Happy Olympic and Paralympic Year! It's been a while since we've been able to say that phrase, but Paris 2024 is coming, and we couldn't be more excited! This week we've got all the important news about the Summer Games: Hotel taxes, food, the Russian participation situation, and Snoop Dogg. More importantly:

The lottery to get tickets to the TeamNL House is now open. Register here by January 17. If you get selected in the lottery, you'll have 48 hours to purchase your ticket (h/t House Party).
An IOC/Kinomapp partnership lets you exercise on the Paris 2024 courses at home.
We share quite possibly (but never say never) the last installment of the surfingnovela.

The International Olympic Committee published a long article following up on some climate change research it commissioned, which has some concerning news about the future of the Winter Games.

And in our visit to TKFLASTAN, we have news from:

Senator Marnie McBean
Race walker Evan Dunfee
Gymnast Jake Dalton
Author Aime Alley Card

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thank you so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enJanuary 05, 2024

Film Buff Fran on Over the Limit (Episode 317)

It's our last episode of the year! Film Buff Fran joins us with a lively discussion of the 2017 documentary "Over the Limit," which follows Russian rhythmic gymnast Margarita Mamun. Will it be a thumbs-up holiday family film recommendation? Listen to find out!

We also close our year of looking back at the Seoul 1988 Olympics and Paralympics. Our summer Intern Annalee Deabel looked at the legacy of these Games and what they did for the city of Seoul and the country of South Korea.

In TKFLASTAN news, we have updates from:

Skeleton racers Shannon Galea and Brendan Doyle
Para powerlifter Louise Sugden
Speed skater Erin Jackson
Pole vaulter Katie Moon
Wheelchair rugby player Chuck Aoki
Artistic swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau
Nordic combined skier Annika Malacinski
Author Andrew Maraniss

The International Testing Agency is starting re-testing of samples from the Rio 2016 Games. We're hoping its not a repeat of the London 2012 situation.

In Paris 2024 news:

The International Olympic Committee has released guidance on allowing individual Russian and Belarusian athletes at these Games.
Parc de la Villette is going to be hopping with hospitality houses -- we've got info on Archi-Folies' sport pavilions and more details on Club France.
Kit news from the Netherlands!
What would an episode be without another installment of the surfingnovela?

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enDecember 15, 2023

Book Club Claire on Speed Kings (Episode 316)

Book Club Claire is back for our final book of 2023, Speed Kings: The 1932 Winter Olympics and the Fastest Men in the World by Andy Bull. It covers the early days of the sport of bobsledding--and so much more. So much so that Claire's take on it surprised us!

Buy your own copy through our bookshop.org storefront (affiliate link, for which we may earn a commission).

We're winding down our Seoul 1988 history moments. Jill looks at the Closing Ceremony for the Paralympics, which includes a lot of sappy K-pop, a revolving dais and floating Gomdoori.

In TKFLASTAN News we have updates from:

Nordic combined racer Annika Malacinski
Bobsledder AJ Edelman
Slider Brendan Doyle
Speed skater Erin Jackson
Para powerlifter Louise Sugden
Filmmaker John MacLeod
Race walker Evan Dunfee
Former bobsledder Nick Cunningham
Boccia player Alison Levine - vote for her CAN People's Choice award here!

The International Olympic Committee has invited two bids into targeted dialogue for Winter 2030 and Winter 2034. Did our faves make the cut?

Plus, news from Beijing 2022 and Paris 2024 (including a surfingnovela update!).

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enDecember 07, 2023

On Location's Will Whiston on Paris 2024 Hospitality Packages (Episode 315)

You can buy tickets to the Olympics and Paralympics, but then you can also buy "hospitality packages," but what does that really mean? On this episode, we talk with Will Whiston, Executive Vice President of Olympic and Paralympic Games for On Location to demystify "hospitality."

It's On Location's first Games as the International Olympic Committee's official sponsor. Will tells us how that partnership came about, and he also explains some of the different hospitality experiences on offer for Paris 2024. We also look ahead to some of the possibilities for Milan-Cortina 2026 and LA 2028.

We're almost done with our year-long look back on the Seoul 1988 Olympics and Paralympics, so Alison looks back at the Olympic Closing Ceremonies.

In our visit to TKFLASTAN, we have news from:

Boccia player Alison Levine
Wheelchair rugby player Chuck Aoki
Bobbsledder Josh Williamson
Skeleton racers Brendan Doyle and Shannon Galea
Speed skater Erin Jackson
Author Warren Perrin - his GoFundMe is here
Paralympian John Register
Swimmer Mallory Comerford
Wrestler Alex Sancho
Nordic combined racer Annika Malacinski

Paris 2024 has had another ticket drop -- 400,000 tickets this round, all sports, all sessions (except surfing), and ceremonies in a variety of price ranges. And they have a Christmas card if you're giving them for the holidays!

We've also got some travel planning news, particularly around flying in on the day of the Opening Ceremonies (try not to), boating on the Seine ahead of the Opening Ceremonies (won't be possible), and public transport tickets (will be more expensive, but who's surprised?).

Plus, another Paris 2024 boutique, Olympic Truce news (guess which country had a little tiff about it?), another installment of the surfingnovela--with Paris 2024 providing a really long explanation about why they want to replace the existing wooden judges stand with an aluminum version--and the announcement of the first torchbearer for the Olympic Torch Relay! It's getting close!

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo courtesy of On Location.

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enNovember 30, 2023

Lightning Rounds with Author Stephen Lane & Hockey Turf Expert Paul Kamphuis (Episode 314)

It's Thanksgiving in the U.S., which means we've got a helping of Lightning Rounds to serve up with your turkey dinner!

Lightning rounds are a set of five questions that we ask every guest. They're not necessarily lightning fast, as you'll see with one of our guests, and often inspire additional questions. They're one of our favorite features because there are so many different answers there are for the same questions. It shows just how diverse and interesting our TKFLASTANIs are!

Today's episode features author Stephen Lane and hockey turf expert Paul Kamphuis. Stephen wrote the the book Long Run to Glory: The Story of the Greatest Marathon in Olympic History and the Women Who Made It Happen, which we discussed on Episode 303. Paul is the General Manager, Polytan Asia Pacific. Polytan has done the turf for 8 Olympics, including Paris 2024. We talked turf with him on Episode 296.

Don't forget to support our Kickstarter project, which will cover production costs for our 34 daily episodes from the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics!

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Note: Links to products may be affiliate links. We earn commissions through purchases made through them, which helps to fund the show.

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enNovember 23, 2023

Author Aime Alley Card and Olympic Legends The Tigerbelles (Episode 313)

The world of sports has always been captivating, filled with stories of determination, resilience, and triumph. The legendary Tennessee State Tigerbelles are one of those teams that triumphed throughout many Olympics, even with the odds against them.

On this episode with talk with Aime Alley Card, author of the new book The Tigerbelles: Olympic Legends from Tennessee State. Aime's book covers the early years of the Tigerbelles, when Ed Temple became coach of the women's track and field team, through the Rome 1960 Olympics. Through meticulous research and interviews, Aime captures the teammates' voices to not just tell the story of the team, its hard work, and its Olympic triumphs, but she also gives us insight into how these women grew up and the segregation they dealt with at college and traveling around the country for meets.

It's an excellent read--you can get a 20% discount if you pre-order a copy at Rowman.com. Use code LPTIGERBELLES24 [note: we do not receive any compensation for this offer.]

In our Seoul 1988 history moment, Jill tells the story of the North Korean plot to take out the Olympics--and she gets a new nickname!

In our visit to TKFLASTAN, we've got updates from:

Speed skater Erin Jackson
Bobsledder Josh Williamson
Author Andrew Maraniss

In Paris 2024 news, the Paralympic Torch Relay route has been announced. See the details of the short, but fantastic event!

We also officially have a novela for these Games: The surfingnovela! Activists are worried about the metal structure that's planned for the area of Tahiti that will host the surfing competition. Concerns include irreparable damage to the reef and changing the wave itself. Paris 2024 has said it'll comment more at the end of November.

Please keep our flame alive and support our Kickstarter. For Paris 2024 we'll be producing 34 daily episodes coming to you from the City of Lights. That type of coverage isn't cheap, and we rely on listener support to keep our flame alive. Please invest in this coverage today.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enNovember 16, 2023

Irish Winter Olympic Hopeful Brendan Doyle (Episode 312)

What's it like to pioneer a sporting tradition in your country? Irish skeleton racer Brendan Doyle joins us to talk about his efforts as a solo athlete (Ireland currently has no funding for winter athletes) to qualify for Milan-Cortina 2026 and become an Olympian.

Follow Brendan on Insta and X, and check out his website. Brendan has also founded BuildThroughSport, a non-profit that aims to highlight the character-building aspects of sport, show how taking up sport can build positive attributes that can contribute to success in all aspects of life, fund sports organizations and athletes so more people can participate in sport.

In our Seoul 1988 history moment, Alison looks Ireland's participation at these Olympics, including what happened in the boxing ring.

In news from TKFLASTAN, we've got the rest of the results from the Pan American Games, including an impressive medal haul and an Olympic qualifier!

In Paris 2024 hospitality house news, tickets are now on sale for Lotto Belgium House and Team GB House (open to the public for the first time!).

In Milan-Cortina 2026 news, the sliding track situation has truly turned into a novella (it's been so long since we've had one!)--and the IOC has some words for the Organizing Committee on what they should do.

Don't forget that our Kickstarter is live--help us get to Paris to give you the coverage of Paris 2024 that you deserve!

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo courtesy of Brendan Doyle.

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at http://flamealivepod.com

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

enNovember 10, 2023

Cricket in the Olympics with Andrew Nixon (Episode 311)

Cricket is one of the sports that made it onto the program for LA 2028. It's one of the world's most popular sports....except in the US. We've decided to give ourselves a five-year learning curve to understand how the sport works, and to kick off that learning, Andrew Nixon, writer at Cricket Europe, joins us to explain the sport and its colorful, colonial history.

Check out Andrew's piece on cricket's Olympic inclusion, and follow him on Twitter / X and Blue Sky: @andrewnixon.bsky.social.

In our Seoul 1988 history moment, Jill has the story of the men's super heavyweight division in Greco-Roman wrestling, which had an Olympic first--and was the start of an Olympic legend.

In our visit to TKFLASTAN, we have news from:

Shooter Tim Sherry
Race walker Evan Dunfee
Commentator Rob Snoek
Curler John Shuster
Author Andrew Maraniss -- if you have connections to the first Special Olympics at Chicago in 1968, contact him on Twitter / X. You can also contact him through his website.
Para shooter McKenna Geer -- find her family's GoFundMe page here.

We also have news from Paris 2024, including:

More details about those free Opening Ceremonies tickets along the Seine
Protests in Tahiti
Student housing issues
New flights to Paris from Perth

Don't forget to support our Kickstarter that will pay for costs associated with our Paris 2024 coverage.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo courtesy of Andrew Nixon.

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online: