Thorpedo and the Experiment: Para Swimming, Swimming and Wrestling at Sydney 2000
Release Date: 06/12/2025
Keep the Flame Alive
(Not Olympic Champion) Sarah Hughes of The Runthrough podcast joins us to preview the figure skating competition for Milano Cortina 2026. Who's likely to be on the podium for the pairs, ice dance, men's and women's events? Listen to The Runthrough, which also features Olympians Ashley Wagner and Adam Rippon, on YouTube @TheRunthrough or your podcast app. They're @therunthroughpodcast on Insta. ***KEEP OUR FLAME ALIVE:*** Support our fundraiser to bring you the most fun coverage of the Olympics and Paralympics from Milano Cortina 2026. Learn more and give here: For a...
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John Cushing and Michael Weadock from Anything But Footy join us for a rousing look ahead at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. ***Are you a Milano or a Cortina?*** Let us know by helping us raise funds to cover the production costs of our Milano Cortina 2026 coverage, which includes at least 32 daily episodes (and probably 100+ escapades that only your favorite Olympic and Paralympic aunties can get into). We need your support to make this coverage happen. Please make a contribution here: For a transcript of this episode, please visit . Thanks so much for listening, and...
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Alison interviews 4x Olympic bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor on her long career in the sport and being an athlete/parent. Then Jill and Alison interview U.S. Army World Class Athletes LTC Chris Fogt and SGT Frank Del Duca. Fogt is a former bobsledder turned coach for USA Bobsled. Del Duca is an Olympic bobsled driver looking to qualify for his second Games. Follow our TKFLASTANIs on Insta: Elana Meyers Taylor: @elanameyerstaylor SGT Frank Del Duca: @frankiedelduca LTC Chris Fogt: @chris.fogt Plus, we get into the hockey stadium drama at Milano Cortina 2026 and the surprise announcement of...
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In our final episode on the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Paralympics, Alison is thrilled that the demon chicken has returned to the Paralympic Closing Ceremony. Then Jill looks at the legacy (both good and questionable) of these Games. Were they the greatest Games of all time (at least in 2000)? Listen to find out! Plus, we look forward to the Winter Olympics we'll cover during our 2026 history-themed shows. ***KEEP OUR FLAME ALIVE:*** Support our fundraiser to bring you the most fun coverage of the Olympics and Paralympics from Milano Cortina 2026. Learn more and give here: For a...
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On this episode of Keep the Flame Alive, we have conversations with Olympic speed skater Erin Jackson and Olympic short track skater Corinne Stoddard that we had at the Team USA Media Summit. Follow Erin and Corinne on social: Erin: https://www.tiktok.com/@ErinJacksonSkates Corinne: Alison reports back from a Milano Cortina 2026 talk on branding, where she learned about the thinking that went into the look of these Winter Olympics. We have plenty of news about Milano Cortina, including the , the victory ceremony uniforms, woes about the...
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Book Club Claire joins us for a discussion of Seth Berkman's 2019 book , about the 2018 Winter Olympic Korean women's unified ice hockey team. This story happened during the podcast's lifetime. What did we remember? What was new news? Did we fall for the IOC's unification propaganda? Plus, our Milano Cortina 2026 sliding novela comes to a close and the torch is lit! In other Games news: LA 2028 opened an intent form for those interested in volunteering. Learn more here: ***KEEP OUR FLAME ALIVE:*** Support our fundraiser to bring you the most fun coverage of...
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We're exploring the worlds of Olympic and Paralympic ice hockey this week! First, the women's Rivalry Series between Team USA and Team Canada came through Cleveland. Jill got to attend a practice and the game. Along the way, she interviewed goalie Ava Mc Naughton and defensive player Rory Guilday. Next we have para ice hockey interviews from the Team USA Media Summit, where Alison talked with two-time Paralympic defenseman Jack Wallace, and then we both chatted with three-time Paralympian Declan Farmer and one-time Paralympian Malik Jones. Plus so much news from Milano Cortina 2026 (kits!...
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In our penultimate episode of our Sydney 2000 Games history series, Jill takes a look at the Olympic rowing competition, specifically the women's coxless pairs race, which featured Missy Schwen-Ryan and Karen Kraft from the USA racing for the gold that eluded them at Atlanta 1996, even though Schwen-Ryan was missing something. Watch that race here: Then Alison tries to decipher the fever dream that was the Olympics Closing Ceremony, which you can watch in its full glory here: ***Much like the American coxless pairs team, we're also bootstrapping our way to the 2026 Winter Olympics and...
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Introducing your favorite Olympic Aunties Jill Jaracz and Alison Brown! If you're obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics or just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work, you've found your people. Join us each week--and daily during the Games--for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes, coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. This is why you watch the Games!
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We are sliding down the luge track in this episode, interviewing three women from Team USA's luge team, who are vying to compete at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. First up, singles luger and 2022 Olympian Ashley Farquharson returns to the podcast to explain some of the technical details--and physics--of the sport. Then we talk with women's doubles lugers Sophia Kirkby and Chevonne Forgan. Women's doubles is a new Olympic event, so the pair discuss how this event works. They were also part of the athlete testing group for the new sliding track in Cortina, so they share some insight on how it...
info_outlineIt's our monthly look back at history--all year long we're looking at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Paralympics.
This month Alison tackles the massive Para Swimming competition, which includes the Paralympics' all-time medal winner Trischa Zorn.
Then we stay in the pool for the Olympic swimming competition, which is just epic, given Australians' love of swimming and their enthusiasm in the stands at Sydney 2000.
There are so many stories that it was difficult to choose just one, but Alison looks at the Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe (aka Thorpedo) and the amazing performance of the Australian men's 4x100m freestyle relay. Get your air guitars ready!
Then we switch over to the wrestling area, where Jill has the story of Canadian freestyle wrestler Daniel Igali's Olympic moment. And it wouldn't be a look back at Sydney 2000 without the biggest upset of them all: Rulon Gardner vs. Aleksandr Karelin in Greco-Roman Wrestling.
Our 400th show is coming up! Join us on Monday, July 14, from 8-10PM ET to celebrate: https://riverside.fm/studio/keep-the-flame-alive-live?t=d094981a869f108e400f
Watch the men's 4x100m freestyle relay: https://youtu.be/HQi9w5nV-L8?si=1rDNyyccZAFYOiAo
Watch Daniel Igali's gold medal match:
- Part 1: https://youtu.be/oDUQQoqeyWw?si=ziYn44BHay17rMaa
- Part 2: https://youtu.be/-yrBlAzTJwE?si=SlXIn_iVui4FNJ_s
Watch Rulon Gardner v Aleksandr Karelin: https://youtu.be/oVT3-wbL8HU?si=-JKqcWlbyTedSb4v
For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.
Find a list of sources used in this episode here.
Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!
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Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics.
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