Anything but Footy

The World Para-Swimming Championships is top of our agenda this week on Anything but Footy - your unashamedly Olympic & Paralympic podcast. John is speaking from the London Aquatic Centre which this week witnessed unbelievable success for British Swimming who won over 40 medals. London stepped in to replace Malaysia just six months ago to host the event after the original hosts were stripped of the right.

We hear from multiple Paralympic gold medallist Ellie Simmonds as well as speak with Maisie Summers-Newton who was also amongst the medals this week as well as breaking a world record. As far as the Tokyo Paralympics is concerned, things look very positive for Para GB in the swimming pool.

There's been skateboarding success for 11 year old Sky Brown as well as medal news for Great Britain's para-cyclists and para-canoeists. There's also an update on the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the World Athletics Championships.

We're also joined by Olympic gold medal winning sailor Hannah Mills as we join the launch of her new initiative to tackle single use plastic pollution. Hannah tells us about the launch of The Big Plastic Pledge and Michael outlines what he's aiming to do to back the campaign.

And, we discuss what can be done by world sport to address the issues around concussion. Many sports have had issues where sportspeople have played on even after suffering a concussion, and there's fears this could lead to a serious brain injury.

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British Athletics has named a team of 72 for the forthcoming World Athletics Championships in Doha.The team was officially unveiled at a special event in Battersea. We were there to hear from some of those on the plane.

This week's episode includes interviews with Adam Gemilli, Laviai Nielson, Holly Bradshaw, Miguel Francis, Eilish McColgan, Jodie Williams and Morgan Lake who all look ahead to the championships which begin at the end of September.

We analyse the make up of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team in detail and see where we think the medals will be won to achieve their target of 7. Dina Asher-Smith, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Laura Muir are among those leading the charge.

Plus, there's our usual round-up of all the other talking points from the world of Olympic & Paralympic sport. We cover tennis and the US Open, shooting, modern pentathlon, table tennis, equestrian and canoeing.

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It's been a week of World Championships where gold silver and bronze medals have been handed out showing the world where British athletes are currently ranked.

But it doesn’t really matter if you’re not going to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics next summer - qualify first then focus on your form!

The British rowers have booked 13 spots for 2020 - with 2 golds and 4 bronze medals at the Worlds in Linz - we hear from Emily Ford Polly Swann and Sara Parfet - the womens 4 on their way to Tokyo. Sally Conway added a World bronze to her judo Olympic and European medals - while more success for British sailors in the waters off Japan and the women’s super strong Triathlon competitors.

We round up the latest athletics news and celebrate Libby Clegg who’s back in action just 4 months after giving birth - while Alyson Dixon’s crowned ultra-running world champion!

There’s more equestrian medals, look ahead to skateboarding in Brazil and we even talk footy - because Team GB are going to be competing for gold in the women’s football in Tokyo!

(Rowing Pictures Credit: Nick Middleton)

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Anything but Footy returns for a new term after our summer break.

We're back and this episode comes direct from the British Athletics Championships in Birmingham which has hosted two days of top class track and field as the leading contenders qualify for the World Championships in Doha in September.

We're joined by Adam Gemili who has qualified in the 100m and 200m sprints, plus Eilish McColgan who has a decision to make about what event she will compete in and Holly Bradshaw who will have ambitions for another global medal after becoming British pole vault champion for the seventh time outdoors.

Away from the athletics, it's been a big week for British sailors in Japan and British canoeists in Hungary. Team GB are beginning to qualify quota places ahead of the next Olympic and Paralympic games. British Para-Canoeing have had a great week qualifying in seven out of nine events.

There's news from the EuroHockey, where Team GB will still have work to do if they are to take their places in Tokyo. Both the men's and the women's teams will have to play a qualifier to ensure qualification. Plus, we have badminton, bouldering, equestrian and cycling.

This weekend also saw Team GB host the Nation's Biggest Sports Day - an event to encourage you to get active. Many leading Olympians took part up and down the country and 4 time gold medallist Laura Kenny told Anything but Footy why she has supported the initiative this year and her aims for another golden games in 2020.

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From just one gold medal in Atlanta to second on the medal table in Rio and the impossible - improving the medal haul in the edition after being the host nation - there's now less than a year until Tokyo hosts the 2020 Olympic Summer Games.

In the second of our Summer Special Editions, we examine in detail where Team GB are in terms of medal winning performances with less than 12 month to go. We look at where the medals were won in Rio and the range of different sports that produced that record haul of gold, silver and bronze.

Familiar names like Mo Farah, Andy Murray, Justin Rose, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Greg Rutherford and Nick Skelton all returned from Rio with more medals for their collection. New superstars emerged - the likes of Max Whitlock, Jack Laugher and Adam Peaty all won gold, whilst names like Alistair Brownlee, Nicola Adams, Jason Kenny, Charlotte Dujardin and Laura Trott followed up their London 2012 successes.

So, who will be the starts of Tokyo 2020 for Team GB? Will some of those medal winners from Rio return and do it all over again?

It's time to look into the Anything but Footy crystal ball and point you in the direction of some of the personalities and sports that we think will be making headlines next summer.

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"London 2012 will see the very best of us" the words from Lord Sebastian Coe as he officially welcomed the world back to London for a record third time. Those words seem even more apt 7 years on!

We hope you enjoy our the first of our 'Anything But Footy' summer specials - as much as we enjoyed reminiscing ourselves.

In this podcast, we look-back to the moment in 2005 when those words 'London' were uttered in Singapore, the 7 year ups and downs in preparation, the glorious 17 days of Olympic sport, followed by another fortnight of Paralympic action that changed people's views. Just one real legacy of London 2012.

Our highlights obviously include the greatest day in British sporting history 'Super Saturday' - but also Andy Murray winning on Centre Court, Tom Daley's celebration dive in the Aquatics Centre, the hot GB performances in a blistering velodrome and the first ever female Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams. Plus John's fond memories of the car park in Stratford and Michael's ongoing relationship with the first aiders!

But if we missed your special something tell us - @anythingbutf on twitter or message us at Anything But Footy on Insta/FB.

This is Anything but Footy - the Unashamedly Olympic & Paralympic Sport focused podcast. This is our first summer special remembering the highs lows dramas and celebrations of all things 2012!

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10 days of European Games competition has come to a conclusion in Minsk. There was success for Team GB - especially in boxing and badminton. We look back at the event and what it means one year out from Tokyo 2020. We also talk about how the loss of UK Sport funding for British Badminton seems to have galvanised the team who won 5 medals in Minsk.

Whilst Team GB was playing its part in Europe, the Lionesses continue to play their part on the world stage. Reaching the World Cup semi final stage means that Team GB will now be able to field a women's team at the next Olympics.

And, the Commonwealth will gather again in 2022 in Birmingham. The budget for the next Commonwealth Games was released this week and we discuss the impact for the wider West Midland region. The re-development of the Alexander Stadium also means that the sport of athletics will be hosting their British Championships in Manchester between 2020 and 2022.

Wimbledon is here again too. It's part of the qualification process for the next Olympic Games and as it currently stands big names like Andy Murray, Venus Williams and Roger Federer could all miss out on Tokyo. We also round up British World Cup success in Modern Pentathlon as well as Hockey, Sailing, Triathlon and Cycling.

And, finally the IOC has decided who will host the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. We analyse why Milan got the nod over Stockholm.

Photo credits Lumix UK/Team GB

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The IOC has celebrated its latest Olympic Day. And, in our weekly round up of all things Olympic & Paralympic we also look at two other major multi-sport events which have been making news this week - The European Games and The Commonwealth Games.

We ask where these events stand in terms of elite competition and whether it really matters to spectators whether the level of competition is on a par with that staged at the Olympic Games. Team GB has already won medals in Minsk where the British Archers have begun in great form. Birmingham 2022 announced a number of major plans this week. They shared images of how the revamped Alexander Stadium will look as well as gave more detail on the programme of sport they are planning.

The Paralympic movement received a huge boost too this week as Team USA announced they were bringing their Olympic and Para programmes together. We ask whether the IOC and IPC could ever do the same with the Olympic & Paralympic Games.

Plus, Andy Murray's comeback win at Queens, a new chair at British Athletics, a British Cycling team announcement, the Lionesses continue to progress at The World Cup and wheelchair rugby league, hockey, rowing and modern pentathlon news too.

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Two of Great Britain's sporting superstars face big decisions about their future. Both have achieved more in their respective sports than they possible ever imagined, but both Chris Froome and Andy Murray are at a career crossroads.

Froome will be out of action for at least six months after a horrific training accident left him in intensive care, whilst Andy Murray is due back on court - playing doubles - after hip resurfacing surgery. Will Froome ever get to wear the Yellow Jersey again? Will Murray dominate Centre Court once more?

The European Games start shortly in Minsk. Team GB is sending a team of over 100 athletes. We explain the significance of the event from an athlete point of view and how it's a huge landmark ahead of the next Olympic Games. And, British boxer Frazer Clarke talks to us about his prospects at the event as he aims to realise his Olympic ambition at last.

World class canoeing returned to Lee Valley this weekend for the canoe slalom World Cup. There was plenty of British success and the event delivered by British Canoeing and UK Sport has been a fantastic success. We also round up action from the Diamond League, Women's World Cup, Hockey, Diving and Rowing. There's an update on Birmingham's progress as they prepare to host the next Commonwealth Games and good news, at last, for Goldie Sayers as she's finally set to receive the Olympic medal she was cheated out of back in 2008.

And, as the UK celebrates Father's Day,John and Michael both reflect on how their own Dad's love of sport was so important in shaping the career path they chose - as sports reporters and commentators.

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We know Yorkshire loves it's cycling - but swimming and running returned to Leeds too as the city staged its 4th World Triathlon Series event. A weekend of competition for hundreds of participants and the world’s best tri-athletes! But some serious question marks of two of Britain’s best - Ali and Jonny Brownlee. The double Olympic champion led the way after the bike but had nothing in his legs - and talked about retirement afterwards - not yet but soon - Jonny had a stomach problem. We ask what next? Home girl Georgia Taylor Brown won her first gold with Jess Learmonth third and Non Stanford and Vicky Holland in the top 7. You can hear Rio medalist Holland’s views on how tight it’ll be for qualification for 2020!

Jo Konta had never won a match at French Open but what a run to the semi-final - but did Jo blow it against the 19yo unseeded Marketa Vondrousova? Organisers also panned for poor decisions over scheduling.

After 100 years the IAAF is no more - but don’t worry athletics fans its just been rebranded - hoping to reach out to a new generation. 'World Athletics’ with a WA logo - lets hope it’s not more like W1A! Caster Semenya is back on track after a Swiss court overturned the decision to make her take drugs to lower her testosterone. Dasher remains on top form after coming second in her first 100m of the season - Dina Asher Smith finishing behind the Olympic Champion in Rome.

There’s more medal success for British sailors at Paris 2024 Olympic venue, and further gongs for the new chief of UK Sport

and others in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

We’re unashamedly Olympic and Paralympic sport bias - and we’re on track for Tokyo too!

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