Off The Podium - An Olympics Podcast

A real treat coming down your speakers today as we welcome our first-ever German athletes to the show in the outstanding ice dance duo Benjamin Steffan and Jennifer Janse van Rensburg! The pair join us to reflect on their remarkable careers so far and to share their ambitions as the Milano Cortina Olympic Games draw ever closer. We dive into their individual journeys in the sport, how their paths...

When you think of iconic coaches in freestyle skiing, one name stands above the rest: Steve Desovich. The American enjoyed a successful moguls career of his own in the 1980s, highlighted by a fifth-place finish at the Calgary 1988 Olympic Games, when the event was still a demonstration sport. He later transitioned into coaching — a move that saw him shape generations of champions and lead both Can...

An exciting chat coming down your speakers today as we speak with one of the world’s leading short-track speed skaters, Corinne Stoddard, about her epic rise through the sport and her hopes and prospects for the Milano Cortina Olympics. Corinne opens up about her transition from inline skating to the ice — a move that proved more challenging than many might expect — and what ultimately drove her t...

Ale Loutitt needs no introduction on this show, with the Canadian ski jumping superstar becoming one of our favourite guests through her many appearances over the years. However, a lot has changed since our last chat a year ago. At a Milano Cortina Olympic test event in September, Loutitt tore her ACL, cruelly sidelining her for at least 12 months and bringing her dream of a second Olympic Games i...

Our penultimate Newscast ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics is here, as Ben is joined by Patrick to unpack another huge week of Olympic news and to deliver our second-last sport preview before the Games! We dive into the newly revealed Milano Cortina cauldron and debate whether this new trend of revealing key Olympic elements early is a good thing. There’s also major team news from Australia and...

In the 102-year history of the Winter Olympics, only 16 Australians have won an Olympic medal — and Matt Graham is one of them. At PyeongChang 2018, the moguls superstar pushed the legendary Mikael Kingsbury to the limit, finishing second to claim a historic silver and join his idol and former teammate Dale Begg-Smith as an Olympic medallist in men’s moguls. As he now looks ahead to Milano Cortina...

On a winter February day in Italy in 2006, Duff Gibson made history — becoming the first Canadian to win an Olympic gold medal in skeleton, and the oldest individual gold medallist in Winter Olympic history. The Calgary firefighter did it in spectacular fashion, narrowly edging out teammate Jeff Pain to claim gold and deliver one of Canada’s most unforgettable Olympic moments. In this incredible i...

Biathlon isn’t exactly the most talked-about sport in Australia, but for Darcie Morton it’s not just a career path — it’s a passion. From her beginnings in the Nordic disciplines to carrying on a family legacy in biathlon, Darcie’s journey through the sport is one that deserves to be heard. We dive into her rise through the ranks, what it’s like competing on the world stage in front of crowds Aust...

An incredible interview drops today as we speak with a true icon of freestyle skiing, Peter Judge. A Canadian trailblazer in the sport, Judge not only helped lay the foundations for freestyle skiing as we know it today, but also played a pivotal role in shaping some of its greatest athletes – including having a hand in the rise of Dale Begg-Smith. We dive into Peter’s remarkable journey through th...

USA bobsleigh has a rich legacy of success, and an exciting new wave of athletes ready to carry it forward. Today, we bring you a blend of both past and future in one epic conversation. We’re joined by triple Olympian and Olympic silver medallist Chris Fogt, along with current Team USA athlete Azaria Hill, to dive into their careers and the mentorship shaping the next generation. From how their ro...

South Africa isn’t a nation you’d expect to produce many Winter Olympians—especially athletes with no background in winter sports. But Matt Smith is no ordinary competitor. Known as the “Snowbok,” he only picked up skis three years ago and set himself an audacious goal: qualify for the Olympics in Cross-Country Skiing and fulfil his childhood dream of representing his country on the world stage. A...

With the Milano Cortina Olympics fast approaching, we’re back with all the latest news as the countdown continues! Ben is joined by Raphael to break down everything that’s happened over the past week, including our latest sport preview. We dive into how last weekend’s Olympic ice hockey test event played out, with a special report from the ground by correspondent Brian Pinelli, who was there to wi...

At the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Chris Lillis made history, winning gold in the debut of the Mixed Team Aerials event in Freestyle Skiing. It was the USA’s first Aerials medal in 12 years and a defining moment in a family legacy that’s been building for over a decade. In this epic chat, Chris takes us through his journey in the high-flying world of Aerials — from his beginnings in upstate New...

In 2024 and 2025, Canadian Skeleton racer Hallie Clarke made history by becoming the first-ever Skeleton athlete to win both the Junior and World Championships in the same year. Her stunning World Championship performance also saw her crowned the youngest World Champion in the sport’s history. In this episode, we chat to Hallie about her remarkable rise through the ranks of one of the fastest and...

It’s that time of the week once again for your Olympic NEWSCAST, as we welcome back everyone’s favourite British expert, Alex, to break down all the biggest stories from the week and deliver our latest sports preview! We discuss the newly revealed designs for the Brisbane 2032 stadium and debate whether they hit the mark, while also exploring why the firm behind them brings some serious Olympic cr...

Michael Milton is Australia’s most decorated Winter Paralympian, winning half of the country’s gold medals in Winter Paralympic history across five Games from 1988 to 2006, and even competing in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in cycling. Nearly two decades after retiring, Michael announced in late 2025 that, at the age of 52, he’s making an extraordinary comeback to the sport that made him a househol...

At the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, Alex Bilodeau made history as the first Canadian to win Olympic gold on home soil. His breakthrough sparked an avalanche of medals that saw Canada top the gold-medal table at those iconic Games. Bilodeau wasn’t finished either, and in 2014 he became the first Olympic freestyle skier to successfully defend an Olympic title. Combined with his outstanding World Champio...

It’s a new year and a new week, which means another NEWSCAST is hitting your speakers today! Ben is joined by Colin and Jamie for a full-house episode covering the latest Olympic news and another sports preview as we inch ever closer to the Milano Cortina Olympics. We break down the newly named USA and Canada teams for the men’s Ice Hockey tournament in Milan and debate who has the stronger lineup...

When it comes to the debate over New Zealand’s greatest Olympian, one name rises above the rest: Lisa Carrington. The kayak sprint superstar has rewritten the record books with eight Olympic gold medals and one bronze, showcasing unmatched skill, power, and longevity on the world stage. In this episode, we’re thrilled to sit down with the Kiwi icon herself to dive into her incredible journey — fro...

What a year 2025 has been! From some of the most amazing guests we’ve ever had to a run of entertaining and informative episodes, it’s been a bumper year of content for Off The Podium. To celebrate an incredible 2025, we’re closing out the year with our latest BEST OF episode — a full-year rewind featuring a snippet from every new episode that came through your speakers over the past 12 months! It...

Our final Newscast of 2025 is here, and we welcome Connor back to the show to break down all the latest Olympic news and deliver our newest Olympic sports preview ahead of Milano Cortina. We discuss whether the lack of snow in Italy could become an issue less than two months out from the Games, and share our thoughts on the idea of rotating Winter Olympic hosts between permanent zones in the futur...

You know our show’s obsession with a certain 2006 Olympic moguls champion, but what about the other medallists from Torino? Today we chat with silver medallist Mikko Ronkainen about THAT final, his incredible career, and of course, Dale Begg-Smith. Mikko takes us through how he first got into the sport, what freestyle skiing was like in Finland in the late ’80s and early ’90s, and how his internat...

Earlier this year, Rosie Fordham made history as the first Australian to medal at an international cross-country skiing event, claiming silver at the Under-23 Nordic Junior World Championships in Italy. At just 23, she’s firmly on the map as one of the sport’s rising stars. But how did her journey begin? Why did she choose a sport that gets so little attention in Australia? And what has driven her...

Another week, another Newscast, as we welcome Alex back to the show to run through all the latest Olympic news and bring you our newest sport preview ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics. We dive into the announcement of a major name performer for the opening ceremony and debate how their music could actually work across certain winter sports. We also chat medal designs, team uniforms and British...

A special episode drops today as we explore the world of Olympic hospitality ahead of the Milano Cortina Winter Games. Joining us is Paul Caine, President of On Location, to reveal what goes into creating these premium experiences, from what’s on offer, to how they elevate the way fans watch the Olympics. We dive into the cost, the growing demand, and why this side of the industry is booming. It’s...