What does it take to get to the very top of your game? What kind of personalities thrive in high-pressured environments, and what can we learn from them? This is When Orla Met...a conversation with people from the world of sport, about sport, but it's not just a sports podcast. It's a podcast for anyone interested in stories, in the fortitude and frailties of those who push themselves to the limit. It's a conversation about outrunning demons and finding inspiration in the pursuit of excellence. It's a chance to get to know some of the biggest names and brains in sport along with Orla, and to learn a little more of the motivation, fears and discipline that drives the ordinary to become extraordinary, to become the very best.

S1 Ep1: Welcome to When Orla Met...

When Orla Met…is a conversation with people from the world of sport, about sport, but it's not just a sports podcast. It's a podcast for anyone interested in stories, in the fortitude and frailties of those who push themselves to the limit of human ability. It's a conversation about outrunning demons and finding inspiration in the pursuit of excellence.

It's a chance to get to know some of the biggest names and brains in sport along with Orla, to listen to the stories behind the headlines, and to learn a little more of the motivation, fears and discipline that drives the ordinary to become extraordinary, and to the very top of their game

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Orla sits down for a chat with YouTube cycling star, Juliet Elliott. 


Juliet Elliott is a former pro-snowboarder, Vogue model and bike courier. She's now a multi-discipline bike racer and one of the biggest digital influencers on two-wheels.


In this conversation, we discuss her unconventional route into the world of cycling but also explore broader themes including family life, IVF treatment, and adoption.


Keep up with the latest on twitter and please do leave a review on iTunes!

S2 Ep10: When Orla Met Juliet Elliott

What does it mean to be a woman in the public eye these days, specifically in sport? It’s a question that’s come up in my chats with the likes of Judy Murray and Dina Asher-Smith in previous episodes. 


Sam Quek is someone who has quite a bit to say on the matter. Quek is an Olympic champion hockey player, one of the great success stories in what is a minority, amateur sport. 


When her moment came, Sam found the media more ready to talk about her looks rather than what she had achieved on the hockey field. Is that simply the lot of certain women in the public eye? Or can women be both sexy and sporty, and all the variations in between? We discuss this and more in When Orla Met Sam Quek.


Keep up with the latest on twitter and please do leave a review on itunes!

S2 Ep9: When Orla Met Sam Quek

Rod Ellingworth has been instrumental in some of Great Britain's biggest sporting successes over the past decade. He spotted nourished and coached talents that went on to win 13 World Titles, five Olympic Gold Medals and a Tour de France. This is all in addition to the five Tour de France victories he helped orchestrate in his role of head coach at Team Sky.


In part 2, Rod talks about Project Rainbow and how he built a culture around the team that delivered Mark Cavendish's 2010 World Championships success...

S2 Ep8: When Orla Met Rod Ellingworth - Part 2

Rod Ellingworth has been instrumental in some of Great Britain's biggest sporting successes over the past decade. He spotted nourished and coached talents that went on to win 13 World Titles, five Olympic Gold Medals and a Tour de France. This is all in addition to the five Tour de France victories he helped orchestrate in his role of head coach at Team Sky.


Ellingworth provides insight into how to coach and discipline young athletes while giving them the tools they need to become champions. He cites examples from the formative years of some of the biggest names in the sport: Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas.

S2 Ep7: When Orla Met Rod Ellingworth - Part 1

When Orla Met…Kelly Sotherton is a conversation about the ethical challenges faced by athletes in elite sport. 


Sortherton is one of only five women to have won multiple medals in Olympic heptathlon but did not receive the recognition she deserved until after she had retired when Lyudmila Blonska and Tatyana Chernova were disqualified for doping violations.  


In this podcast, Kelly talks through her frustrations, doubts, and what it was like to finally be awarded the medals she had trained so hard to achieve. She also discusses her attitudes towards doping today and how she thinks young athletes should be protected in the future.

S1 Ep1: Welcome to When Orla Met...

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