Sporting Witness

In 1967, Celtic became the first club side in Britain to win the European Cup when they defeated Inter Milan 2-1 in the final in Lisbon. The so-called Lions of Lisbon were all Scots born within a few miles of Celtic's stadium. Simon Watts tells their story using archive from BBC Scotland. PHOTO: Celtic just before the 1967 European Cup final in Lisbon (Getty Images)

In May 1967, the British sailor, Sir Francis Chichester, was given a hero's welcome when he completed an epic solo voyage around the world. Thanks to his frequent reports back to newspapers, the trip inspired millions of people, particularly schoolchildren. Simon Watts talks to Sir Francis Chichester's son, Giles. (Photo: Sir Francis Chichester with well-wishers shortly after finishing his circumn...

In 2007, the British triathlete Chrissie Wellington was the surprise winner of the World Ironman Championship in Hawaii - the first in a series of victories and world records. Wellington only became a professional athlete in her late 20s after giving up a successful career in development. She talks to Lisa Needham. The programme is a Sparklab Production. (Photo: Chrissie Wellington in action in a...

In May 1985, Hong Kong inflicted an unexpected defeat on their neighbours and rivals China in a World Cup qualifying game in Beijing. The disappointed Chinese fans rioted and the Hong Kong team had to flee to the safety of their hotel. They later returned home to a heroes' welcome. Ashley Byrne talks to Hong Kong captain, Lawrence Kee Yu Kam. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production. (Phot...

It is forty years since the international cricket world was thrown into chaos when an Australian media tycoon called Kerry Packer set up his own super league for the world’s best players. In 1977, he brought a brash new form of the game to television, featuring one day matches played under floodlights with white balls, and the players wearing coloured team strips rather than the traditional white...

In 2011, the Japanese Women's football team defied the odds to win the World Cup. It came as a badly needed boost for Japan which was recovering from a devastating earthquake and tsunami. Robert Nicholson speaks to Japan's star midfielder Mizuho Sakaguchi and coach Norio Sasaki. Photo: The Japanese Women's team pose before the World Cup Final match between Japan and the USA in 2011. Credit:Johanne...

In 2007, Simon Beresford became the first runner with Down's Syndrome to complete the London Marathon. Simon has gone on to run several more marathons and raise tens of thousands of dollars for charity. Rebecca Kesby met Simon, his running partner and his parents at their home in the English Midlands. PHOTO: Simon Beresford and running partner, John Dawson (Family Collection)

In 1977, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 - the biggest race in American motorsport. Guthrie, a former aerospace engineer, had faced opposition and scepticism from male drivers and some sections of the press. She talks to Rachael Gillman. (Photo: Janet Guthrie after qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 in 1977. Credit: Getty Images)

In April 1977, Red Rum entered the history books when he became the first and only horse to win Britain's famous Grand National race three times. Red Rum and his trainer, Ginger McCain, became immensely popular figures in the world of racing and beyond. Simon Watts tells their story through the BBC archives. PHOTO: Red Rum in the Grand National winner's enclosure in 1977 (Getty Images)

In the 1990s, the small Italian city of Parma had one of the most successful and entertaining teams in European football, winning several trophies and featuring great players such as Faustino Asprilla, Gianfranco Zola and Guinluigi Buffon. But FC Parma’s glory days were bankrolled by the Italian conglomerate, Parmalat, which later became embroiled in one the biggest corporate scandals in European...

In 2004, the Zimbabwean swimmer, Kirsty Coventry, won the first of two Olympic gold medals at the Athens games. By the end of her career, she would become the most decorated Olympian in African history and a hero in Zimbabwe, where President Robert Mugabe hailed her as a "Golden Girl". Kirsty Coventry talks to Nija Dalal-Small. The programme is a Sparklab Production. PHOTO: Kirsty Coventry in acti...

In 1984, Lucho Herrera, a former gardener from the Colombian mountains, stunned the world of cycling by storming to victory on the most famous climb in the sport, the Alpe d'Huez. It was the beginning of a golden age for Colombian cyclists. Simon Watts talks to Lucho Herrera, and Colombian cycling fan, Matt Rendell, author of Kings of the Mountains. PHOTO: Lucho Herrera on an Alpine stage in the 1...

In March 2009, heavily-armed gunmen attacked buses carrying the touring Sri Lankan Cricket team and match officials to a game in the Pakistani city of Lahore. Rebecca Kesby speaks to Ahsan Raza, a Pakistani Umpire who was badly injured in the attack, and Chris Broad, the British referee credited with saving his life. PHOTO: Pakistani police patrolling the cricket stadium in Lahore following the 20...

In February 1968, the aboriginal fighter Lionel Rose was cheered by Australians of all races when he won the world bantamweight boxing title. Ashley Byrne talks to Rose's rival and later friend, Noel Kunde. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production. PHOTO: Lionel Rose celebrating his world championship victory in 1968 (Getty Images)

In January 1994, the US ice-skater Nancy Kerrigan was clubbed in the knee shortly after a training session, putting her Olympic hopes in jeopardy. To the shock of America, the plot was traced back to the entourage of one of Nancy Kerrigan's rivals, Tonya Harding. In 2012, Kerrigan's coach, Mary Scotvold, gave her first interview about the attack to Sporting Witness. (Photo: Tonya Harding (left) an...

In the 1980s, punks and squatters in the run-down port district of Hamburg began to adopt the local football team, FC St Pauli. They turned the club into a champion of left-wing politics and created such a good atmosphere at matches that FC St Pauli now attracts supporters from around the world. Results on the pitch are still poor, but on one memorable occasion in 2002, the team beat German giants...

In 1988, Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins made history by becoming the first African-American quarterback to play in the Super Bowl - the biggest sporting event in the USA. Williams overcame injury to lead the Redskins to an unexpected 42-10 win over the Denver Broncos. He speaks to Lisa Needham. The programme is a Sparklab Production. PHOTO: Doug Williams in action at the 1988 Super Bowl...

In the early 2000s, competitive computer-gaming, or eSports, began to take off in South Korea before spreading to the rest of the world. Ashley Byrne talks to e-gamer, Lim Yo-hwan, nicknamed Boxer, one of the biggest names in the new sport. (Photo: An e-gamer taking part in a tournament in South Korea. Credit: Getty Images)

In January 2001, the German driver, Jutta Kleinschmidt, became the first - and only - woman to win the Paris-Dakar rally, one of the biggest events in motorsport. She talks to Simon Watts. PHOTO: Jutta Kleinschmidt celebrating her victory in 2001 (Getty Images)

In 2008, India won its first ever individual gold medal in the Olympics after nearly 100 years of trying. The winner was a rifle shooter called Abhinav Bindra, who received more than 300,000 letters of congratulations from his fellow Indians. Abhinav Bindra talks to Farhana Haider about his obsessive battle for victory. PHOTO: Abhinav Bindra with his Olympic gold medal (Getty Images)

In 1984, Lamine Gueye of Senegal became the first black African skier to take part in the Winter Olympics. The grandson of a prominent Senegalese politician, Gueye founded his country's ski federation and for a long time was the only member. He talks to Tayo Popoola. The programme is a Whistledown Production. PHOTO: Lamine Gueye in action (Getty Images)

The Iditarod dog-sled race runs through 1,000 miles of Arctic wildnerness in Alaska and is regarded as one of the toughest sporting events in the world. In the winter of 1985, Libby Riddles drew international attention to the Iditarod by becoming the first woman to win. She talks to Robert Nicholson. The programme is a Whistledown Production. It was first broadcast in January 2016. (Photo: Libby R...

At the 2012 Paralympic Games, the Dutch wheelchair tennis player, Esther Vergeer, took two gold medals and completed one of the longest winning streaks in sport. By remaining undefeated for more than a decade, Vergeer became a hero in the Netherlands and earned the admiration of all tennis players. She talks to Ashley Byrne. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production. PHOTO: Esther Vergeer a...

At the 1956 Olympics, the Czechoslovak discus thrower, Olga Fikotova, caused a scandal by falling in love with an American hammer thrower called Harold Connolly. Despite winning her country's only gold medal, Olga was treated as a potential traitor by the communist government and her achievements were ignored. A few months later, Harold Connolly visited Prague to marry Olga and take her back to Am...

In 1966, an all-black team went head-to-head with an all-white team for the National College Basketball championship - one of the biggest prizes in American sport. To the surprise of every pundit, the African-Americans of Texas Western College defeated the University of Kentucky, then the number one team in the country. The game is now regarded as breaking down the colour barrier in US basketball....