World Athletics Official Podcast | Paris 2024 Olympic Games – Episode 3

The third episode of "Inside Track" from the Paris 2024 Olympics features hosts Sonia Richards-Ross and Greg Rutherford engaging with Paralympic sprinter Hunter Woodall and former Olympic pentathlon champion Mary Peters. Woodall discusses his preparation and social media presence with wife Tara Davis-Woodall, emphasizing the importance of off-track recovery. Peters shares her inspiring journey amidst Northern Ireland's troubles and her ongoing efforts to support young athletes through her charity. The episode highlights the enduring impact of sports, the unpredictability of athletic events, and the significance of the Olympic Games in uniting people globally.

• Hosts: Sonia Richard Ross and Greg Raford.
• Focus: Daily podcast from Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
• Previous guests: Seb Co, Steve Crra, Daley Thompson.
• Today's guests: Paralympic sprinter Hunter Woodall and former pentathlon Olympic champion Mary Peters.

• Hunter Woodall and Tara Davis Woodall: Popular Paralympic/Olympic duo.
• Mary Peters: 1972 Olympics pentathlon champion, highly esteemed in UK athletics.

• Sonia discusses her family visiting Paris, including her husband, two boys, and mother-in-law.
• Family plans: Disneyland, track events, sightseeing.
• Importance of family witnessing her achievements post-athletic career.

• Hunter's excitement about the unique energy and atmosphere in Paris.
• Observations of increased patriotism and support for Team USA.

"I've been in Paris a few times and this time is just completely different. Everything is different. The energy is different, the excitement is different. It's so fun walking around the streets seeing people wear USA gear."

• Explanation: Hunter notes the unique and heightened excitement in Paris, emphasizing the supportive environment for athletes.

• Hunter's role in supporting Tara during her preparation.
• Benefits of being in Paris ahead of the Paralympics for acclimatization and preparation.

"Tara's locked in, she's dialed in, she's ready to go. We've done everything we need to this year to be ready for this moment."

• Explanation: Hunter highlights Tara's focused preparation and readiness for competition, showcasing their dedication.

• Hunter's advantage of experiencing the competition environment before the Paralympics.
• Practical benefits of early arrival, such as identifying missing items and optimizing preparation.

"Getting a feeling of that because, you know, International competitions you feel it but when it’s like the week before, you know it’s like okay that’s really right on top of the mind."

• Explanation: Hunter discusses the importance of familiarizing oneself with the competition environment to enhance performance and reduce stress.

• Emphasis on off-track activities like recovery, nutrition, and sleep.
• Impact of these activities on performance consistency and improvement.

"If you do the right things off the track and you get recovered, the training you can do on the track is much more consistent. It stacks much faster on top of each other."

• Explanation: Hunter explains how off-track practices significantly contribute to on-track performance improvements.

• Key areas: Nutrition, recovery, and sleep.
• Simple yet effective strategies like hydration emphasized.

"We’ve been talking all year about getting free points. It doesn’t cost anything to drink enough water every single day so it's like making sure we’re doing the little things."

• Explanation: Hunter underscores the importance of basic yet crucial habits like hydration in athletic preparation.

• Reflection on Tara's experience post-Tokyo Olympics and its influence on her current preparation.
• Hunter's perspective on Tara's drive and determination.

"It’s like a little bit, you know, but like we’ve talked about it so much it’s such a different year this year. Tokyo was, I mean, apart from everything."

• Explanation: Hunter acknowledges the impact of past experiences on Tara's current motivation and preparation, indicating a more focused and determined approach.

• Transition to the next segment with Mary Peters.
• Emphasis on the dynamic and engaging nature of the podcast and its guests.

• Competing without an audience and family support was challenging.
• The focus in previous years was different, as making the Olympic team was a significant goal.

"Tara and I, we run off of a crowd. We love competing in front of people. We love that energy, so that wasn't there. Family wasn't there, that support group wasn't there."

• The absence of a supportive crowd impacted their performance and motivation.

"This year is like our goal the entire year is to make the Olympic team, right? So this year is like this is the end all be all where that year was like a really big bonus at the end of a season."

• The current year's focus is more intense and singularly aimed at making the Olympic team.

• Social media plays a crucial role in their lives, providing financial support and a platform to share their journey.
• They use social media to promote track and field and maintain authenticity in their content.

"We always like joke around of like, man, we're a long jumper and a paralympian. Like, it's not a lot of money in there. So for us to be able to do what we want, live the lives we want, and be able to do this sport full time, it's like we knew there had to be another avenue for us to support ourselves."

• Social media is essential for financial stability and allows them to pursue their sport full-time.

"Getting started on social media was just one, something we love to do, and then two, like something we knew we could use to grow the sport of track and field, which has always been a goal for us."

• Social media helps them grow the sport and share their passion authentically.

• Despite traditional views, they believe social media does not detract from their training.
• They receive advice from previous athletes to enjoy their travels and experiences.

"I feel like we've done the most we've ever done this year, and things are going pretty well. So I'd say that has to be the answer. Don't listen to the old people; they have no idea what they're talking about."

• They refute the idea that social media negatively impacts their training.

"I speak to so many track athletes who came before us or who maybe mentored us as we were coming in the pro circuit, and they're like, man, I traveled the entire world, never got to see any of it."

• They prioritize enjoying their experiences and believe it positively influences their performance.

• Serena Williams' philosophy of doing multiple things resonated with them.
• They feel modern athletes are celebrated for their diverse interests.

"Serena Williams came and spoke with us, and she was talking about that. She was saying that she was so ahead of her time because her father would say the same things, like you got to do multiple things."

• Serena Williams' approach to balancing multiple interests inspires them.

"Nowadays, it's like, you know, you're celebrated for doing more things, and so, you know, people really embrace it."

• The contemporary view supports athletes having varied pursuits.

• They met at a track meet, and their relationship evolved from there.
• They maintained a long-distance relationship through college.

"We met at a track meet. I was running 400 at Simplot games track meet, and I finished the race, and indoor track is raised obviously, and Tara literally walks onto the track at this meet and goes, 'I don't know why, but I just feel like I need to give you a hug.'"

• Their relationship began with a spontaneous connection at a track meet.

"I moved to California Olympic Training Center going into 2017 into college, and she was in LA, and she would drive from LA to Chula Vista to come spend the day with me, spend time with me, we train together."

• Their commitment to each other included significant efforts to spend time together despite the distance.

• They played a game to guess an athlete based on clues.
• The athlete was identified as Lex Gillette, a Paralympian who plays the piano.

"This athlete won their first Paralympic medal at the age of 19." "Paris 2024 is this athlete's six consecutive games." "This athlete can play the piano."

• The clues led to identifying Lex Gillette, highlighting his achievements and talents.

"Lex Gillette! I should have got that as well. I trained with him when you mentioned Chula Vista earlier."

• Recognizing Lex Gillette underscores his prominence in the Paralympic community.

• The guest was thanked and wished well for their future competitions.
• The conversation ended on a positive note, emphasizing support and encouragement.

"Well, thank you so much for joining us. We're wishing you and Tara all the best. We will be at the edge of our seats cheering for you both."

• The hosts expressed their support and excitement for the guest's future endeavors.

• Mary Peters' father built a long jump and high jump pit in their backyard.
• He also built the first-ever cement shot circle in Ireland for her training.
• Peters started breaking Northern Ireland records and trained despite limitations.

"We had a field behind our house and when I was asked to do the pentathlon... my dad built a long jump and high jump pit in the field behind our house."

• Mary Peters' father was instrumental in her early training, building facilities at home.

"He built the first ever cement Shot Circle in Ireland for me to train on and he made the stop board."

• Her father’s support extended to creating necessary training equipment.

• Peters was more interested in sports than academics.
• She was motivated by her older brother to excel in sports.

"I wasn't keen on academics... I was Keener on being out in the sports field and I had an older brother who I wanted to beat in everything he did."

• Her competitive spirit was fueled by a desire to outperform her brother.

• Peters trained during a tumultuous period in Northern Ireland, referred to as "the Troubles."
• She faced dangerous conditions, including bombs and murders nearby.

"I used to get two buses to the track and I never turned back even though there were bombs going off... soldiers were murdered in the apartment next door to me."

• Despite the dangers, Peters remained committed to her training.

"500 people died during 1972 and I was living in that environment... but when you're living through it you just do what you have to do."

• Peters' resilience in the face of adversity highlighted her dedication.

• After winning in Munich, Peters received threats if she returned to Belfast.
• Despite the threats, she returned and was welcomed as a hero.

"The BBC received a phone call to say if I went home to Belfast I would be shot and my flat would be bombed... I said that's ridiculous, I'm only a sports person."

• Peters' determination to return home despite threats underscores her bravery.

"Sport in its true capacity has brought everybody together."

• Her achievements in sports helped unify and inspire people during difficult times.

• Peters believes in the enduring relevance of the Olympic Games.
• She sees the Olympics as a source of inspiration and unity.

"We need our heroes, we need to inspire the Next Generation and it's all about that."

• Peters emphasizes the role of the Olympics in providing positive role models.

"When the world has so much going on and so much negativity, this is a bright spot for the world."

• She argues that the Olympics offer a much-needed positive focus amid global challenges.

• Peters established a charity after the Olympics to support young athletes.
• Her charity helps athletes until they can secure lottery funding.

"I have a charity which I set up after the Olympics which supports all sports until they reach the level where they're able to get lottery funding."

• The charity has supported numerous athletes, including 27 representing Great Britain and Ireland at the current games.

"There's 27 of them that my charity has supported."

• Peters' commitment to giving back and supporting future generations of athletes is evident.

• Peters derives joy from her life as a sports person and aims to inspire others.
• She encourages young people to try various sports to discover their potential.

"I just got such a buzz out of life being a sports person... if I can Inspire the next young people to get out there and try it, unless you try you don't know whether you're going to be good or not."

• Peters' enthusiasm for sports and her desire to inspire the next generation is a central theme in her life.

"You have to try as many things as possible."

• She advocates for exploring different sports to find one’s passion and talent.

• Personal Experience in Various Sports: The speaker played multiple sports including football, badminton, rugby, and cricket.
• Learning from Sports: Emphasizes the unique lessons learned from sports that are not found elsewhere in life.
• Encouragement for Kids: Advises children to try every sport to find the one they love.

"For me, I played football, I played badminton, rugby, a bit of cricket in the summer as well. All of it came back down to just running."

• The speaker's involvement in various sports highlights the importance of athletic diversity.

"What you learn from sport, you can't learn exactly from anything else in life."

• Sports offer unique life lessons that cannot be replicated in other areas.

"Try every single sport going, especially if you're a kid, try them all, find the one that you love."

• Encourages children to explore different sports to discover their passion.

• Unpredictability of Heptathlon: The outcome is uncertain due to the numerous events and potential for mistakes.
• Personal Preferences and Predictions: The speaker expresses a desire for Katerina to win but acknowledges the exceptional skills of Tiam from Belgium.
• Historical Anecdote: Reflects on personal experience winning by a narrow margin.

"If we knew the result, we wouldn't have an Olympic game."

• The unpredictability of the heptathlon adds excitement to the competition.

"Tiam, the Belgium girl, is so exceptional in all of her events and has won two Olympic golds."

• Tiam's exceptional skill set and previous successes make her a strong contender.

"I won by one-tenth of a point... after five events, after two days of competition, it came down to that 10 points out of 4,800."

• Highlights the narrow margins that can determine the outcome in heptathlon.

• Heartfelt Moments: Describes the emotional experiences post-competition, such as being congratulated by competitors.
• Impact of Mistakes: Emphasizes how errors can drastically affect outcomes.
• Personal Bests and Age: Reflects on achieving personal bests at an older age and the unpredictability of sport success.

"The only reason I knew that I'd won the first time was when Heidi Rosendal, the German girl, came and hugged me because she knew I'd beat her."

• Emotional moments and camaraderie in sports are highlighted.

"If you have three no jumps or three no puts in the shot, that's it, over."

• Mistakes can have significant consequences in competitions.

"Got three personal bests in my pentathlon... it was my third Olympics, and I just don't know how it all worked for me, but it did."

• Achieving personal bests, even later in one's career, underscores the unpredictable nature of sports.

• Generational Contrast: Discusses the differences in experiences between current athletes and those from previous generations.
• Technological Advancements: Reflects on the lack of technology in the past, such as waiting for scores to be calculated manually.
• Insight from Past Athletes: Provides historical context and depth to current athletic discussions.

"There were no computers, so you had to wait ages as they totted up with pen and paper the actual scores as well."

• Highlights the manual processes involved in past athletic competitions.

"Lady Peters gave us an insight and look back into so much history."

• The historical perspective adds depth to the understanding of athletics.

• Random Selection Process: Explains that the selection of heats is completely random, leading to potential challenges for athletes.
• Luck in Competitions: Acknowledges the role of luck in achieving success in the Olympics.
• Educational Insight: Aims to educate listeners on the nuances of the sport.

"It is a completely random selection. That's why you can see an Olympic champion in Lane nine in the 100."

• The randomness of heat selection can place top athletes in challenging positions.

"You can be the healthiest, the fittest you have been, everything can be great, but you can have a stroke of bad luck and things don't go as planned."

• Luck plays a significant role in the outcomes of competitions.

• Ideal Locations: Discusses dream locations for competing, such as Tahiti for surfing.
• Cultural and Environmental Appeal: Highlights the allure of specific locations due to their unique culture and environment.
• Personal Experiences: Shares personal anecdotes related to these locations.

"I wouldn't have minded being a surfer in this Olympic Games to being out in Tahiti."

• Tahiti's beautiful environment makes it an appealing location for competitions.

"Can you imagine an Olympic Games in Jamaica, especially track and field where the people love track?"

• Jamaica's passion for track and field would create an electrifying atmosphere for the Olympics.

"I went to Kingston in 2006 to watch the Grand Prix there and it was mind-blowing how good it was."

• Personal experiences in Jamaica highlight the country's vibrant sporting culture.