Hard Tackle

Listen to our news commentary podcasts on the go every week. Podcasts have become part of the global media landscape these days. The audio-on-demand format allows many listeners to often do other chores or hobbies, while hearing the shows in the background over headphones or bluetooth speakers Almost every weekday, check out our discussions on Singapore current affairs and social issues, geopoliti...

Two Singaporeans share their experiences working for Red Bull racing. Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  The 2024 Singapore Grand Prix returns on Sept 22 when fans here witness exhilarating action over 62 laps of the 4.94-kilometre Marina Bay Street Circuit. And while the title race between Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and McLa...

ST sports reporters and the SG bronze medalist look back at memorable moments in the Paris Olympics. Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  History was made on Aug 9, 2024, when kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder became Singapore’s youngest Olympic medallist after he clinched a bronze in the Formula Kite event. In this episode, ST's sports r...

Singaporeans who have been to Olympics tell us why it is so important. Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  Whether you are an athlete or a sports enthusiast, it is clear that the Olympics hold a special place in hearts worldwide.  From historic achievements to record breaking feats, the Olympics serve up some unforgettable moments e...

What does it take for parents to nurture an athlete who wants to reach sport’s pinnacle? Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  The Olympics is just around the corner and come July, several Team Singapore athletes will fly the flag for the Republic in Paris. Two of them, kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder and Singapore kayaker Stephenie Chen...

Join in this passionate post mortem of the recently concluded 2023/24 English Premier League season. Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  As the dust settles on another thrilling English Premier League (EPL) season, the post-campaign analysis has begun at the Hard Tackle. ST Sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan and guest co-host Zia-ul...

Diving into women’s football in Singapore Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  In this episode of Hard Tackle, we look at the state of women’s football in Singapore and what the Republic needs to do to improve its standards.  In the Lionesses’ most recent international friendlies, they suffered 3-0 and 8-0 defeats by Bangladesh. Mean...

Did Singapore let its golden boy down in any way? Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  In this episode of Hard Tackle, we delve into the lessons from the recent retirement of Singaporean swimming sensation Joseph Schooling on April 2, 2024, at just 28 years of age. Join ST Sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan and assistant sports editor...

Hear the tough questions posed to our sports stars or authorities in our studio, and how they react. Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  The Straits Times' sports podcast has been around for the past few years, in different formats - from Game Of Two Halves, to Sports Talk, and now...the Hard Tackle. We've found that this format has...

Eight years after his stunning success at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Singapore’s greatest athlete has called time on his career. Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  In this special episode, we bring you an excerpt of assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath’s interview with Singapore’s Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling.  The swimmer...

Can the Lions roar under Ogura? Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. In this episode of Hard Tackle, Deepanraj Ganesan is joined by former Singapore international Noor Ali and Singapore Premier League commentator and Lions fan Zia-ul Raushan to dissect the Singapore national football team’s first two matches under new coach Tsutomu O...

History-making sisters making waves with Olympic relay qualification Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. On Feb 18, Quah Ting Wen, Quah Jing Wen, Letitia Sim and Levenia Sim clocked 4 minutes and 2.88 seconds at the World Aquatics Championships to not just set a new women's 4x100m medley relay national record, they also booked their...

So why do the Lions have yet another Japanese coach? Synopsis: Every fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times dives into a sports topic and tackles the hard questions with its guests on Hard Tackle. In this episode of Hard Tackle, Deepanraj Ganesan is joined by Football Association of Singapore president, Bernard Tan and the newly appointed head coach of the Singapore national football tea...

Love is in the air for these wushu athletes. Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. In this episode of Sports Talk, Deepanraj Ganesan gets into the Valentine’s Day mood and spoke to a sporting couple in wushu exponents Jowen Lim and Vera Tan.  The pair started dating in 2015 and have since gotten engaged. Lim and Tan who had a good yea...

Xabi Alonso is now head coach for Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga. Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. This is a special episode featuring a former Liverpool legend John Arne Riise.  In this episode of Sports Talk, ST's Deepanraj Ganesan speaks to former Liverpool and Norway defender John Arne Riise who says that his ex-te...

Top Singapore sports administrators take the hot seat in our studio. Synopsis: Every fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times dives into a sports topic and tackles the hard questions with its guests on Hard Tackle. In this episode of Hard Tackle, Deepanraj Ganesan speaks to Sport Singapore CEO Alan Goh and Singapore Sport Institute chief Dr Su Chun Wei and quizzes them on what is ahead for...

Standing tall with badminton world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. One Olympic gold, two senior world titles, one Thomas Cup triumph, 27 Badminton World Federation World Tour and Superseries titles, and more than 100 consecutive weeks as world No. 1, there's no men's singles player as dominant as Viktor Axel...

We look at the nation's prospects in sailing, athletics and football. Synopsis: Every fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times dives into a sports topic and tackles the hard questions with its guests on Hard Tackle. As the curtain comes down on an incredible year for Singapore sports in 2023, The Straits Times sports desk is already excited for what’s to come in the year ahead. In this epi...

We speak to national sailor Maximilian Maeder about his year of wins. Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  National sailor Maximilian Maeder has enjoyed a bountiful 2023 where the accolades have kept coming for the kitefoiling star.  The 17-year-old became the first Singaporean nominated for the prestigious World Sailing’s Male Sail...

We discuss if Singapore is capable of hosting a major sporting event. Synopsis: Every fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times dives into a sports topic and tackles the hard questions with its guests on Hard Tackle.   A Fifa World Cup or perhaps a Commonwealth Games being hosted in Singapore in the future, have been discussion points in the last month.   In early October, it was reported t...

He also shares simple lifelong advice for parents and children on how to nurture striker skills at an early age. Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. Not many know their way to goal like Jurgen Klinsmann does. The German football legend has scored goals aplenty on the world's biggest stages and mesmerised fans of Tottenham Hotspur, I...

A rejuvenated Singapore netball team aims to be best in Asia. Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. A new era of Singapore netball arrived on Oct 28 when the Republic ended a 16-year wait to claim its third netball Nations Cup title. The breakthrough win was delivered by a young side filled with potential, with four players in the sta...

In an emotional interview, MMA star Angela Lee champions mental health. Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. The following podcast contains conversations on self harm and suicide. Audience discretion is advised. In a recent article, MMA fighter Angela Lee recently opened up about her struggles with mental health, her attempt to take...

We analyse Team Singapore's performance at the recent Hangzhou Asian Games. Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. After 15 days of competition, Team Singapore came away from the Hangzhou Asian Games with three golds, six silvers and seven bronzes. From Shanti Pereira’s history-making 200m win to the dominant triumphs in sailing, there...

Each follow on the audio apps below and a rating really helps us! Happy listening! Synopsis: A brand new feature is within The Straits Times app, which you can download from the Apple app store or the Google Play store. For those of you who already have it, the latest version update now has a dedicated Podcast Section, where you can listen to our latest incoming show episodes and check out back ep...