Flame Bearers

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Toccara Ross shifts into the fast lane with two-time Team USA Paralympian and world-class wheelchair racer Hannah Dederick. Hannah shares her path from discovering ParaSport Spokane at age 12 to joining the nation’s premier training hub at the University of Illinois. She reveals what it truly takes to compete on the global stage including the high technical demands of balancing sprint speed with marathon endurance, the staggering financial costs of custom racing chairs, and the push for equitable media coverage as she approaches LA 2028.

In this powerful episode of Flame Bearers, host Toccara Ross sits down with iconic Mohawk activist, Pan American Games gold medalist, and Olympic water polo co-captain Waneek Horn-Miller. At just 14 years old, Waneek survived a near-fatal bayonet wound while protecting her younger sister during the 1990 Oka Crisis. Exactly ten years later, she co-captioned the Canadian women's water polo team at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. In this candid conversation, Waneek opens up about turning trauma and rage into athletic fuel, setting boundaries with and refusing tokenism from the media, and realizing we are everything our ancestors wished us to be.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Toccara Ross speaks with professional marathoner, elite running coach, and Olympic Trials qualifier Lauren Hagans. Tune in to hear how Lauren transitioned from an 800-meter middle-distance sprinter at Baylor to winning her marathon debut in 2023, reaching peak fitness at age 40, and proving that women athletes can become more confident, secure, and physically capable with age. Lauren breaks down the discipline of high-altitude training in Flagstaff, Arizona, explaining how to tailor workouts to match the rolling, grueling demands of major races like the New York City Marathon which she’s currently training for. From cultivating mental stamina on 18-mile tempo runs to mastering a calm, relaxed mindset on race morning and navigating the unique dynamic of coaching athletes she competes against, Lauren shares essential wisdom for runners at every level. Her journey highlights the power of longevity, reminding athletes to relinquish tight control, embrace the raw purity of the sport, and cherish every moment on the start line.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Toccara Renee speaks with World Indoor Champion, and Dominica’s historic first-ever Olympic medalist Thea LaFond. Tune in to hear how her background in classical dance and special education cultivated the patience and grace needed to weather years of near-miss podium finishes, trusting the process with her husband and coach to build a world-class training setup from scratch, and pushing through severe injury and personal loss to reach the pinnacle of her sport. As she looks ahead to the future of track and field, Thea shows what true fearlessness and resilience look like, advocates for youth development and resource-sharing across Caribbean sports federations, and proves that representing your home country with unwavering pride can inspire an entire nation and transform lives.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Toccara Renee speaks with dual WNBA champion, All-Star, and Australian Opals powerhouse Sami Whitcomb on embracing an unconventional, non-linear path to basketball, balancing motherhood with a year-round international career, and calling out media agendas to demand authentic storytelling for women athletes. In the wake of the recent FIBA World Cup,  Sami breaks down the art of becoming a "star in your role.”

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Toccara Renee speaks with Olympic middle-distance runner and Kenyan track powerhouse Susan Ejore on discovering her athletic path through US collegiate scholarships, pushing through the exhausting reality of training while looking for sponsors, and championing grassroots resources for young women runners across Kenya. Susan breaks down the serene mental autopilot required at peak speeds, celebrates women-focused platforms like Athlos that elevate track stars on a global stage, and reminds us that owning your strength means fearlessly declaring, "I'm that girl."

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Toccara Renee speaks with Paralympic silver medalist and Team USA wheelchair basketball powerhouse Emily Oberst on transitioning into adaptive sports following a life-altering cancer diagnosis, dismantling systemic barriers for young girls, and pushing global sports media to change the narrative on para athletes. As we look ahead to the IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships and the long runway to the LA Paralympics, Emily breaks down the intense tactical chess match of wheelchair classifications, channels the fire of Team USA’s legendary rivalry with the Netherlands, and reminds us that true success comes from falling in love with the sport.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Toccara Renee speaks with WNBA talent, overseas standout, and Puerto Rican national team star Arella Guirantes on honoring her family's Puerto Rican roots on the global stage, pushing for stronger media coverage and equity for international athletes, and finding ultimate peace in the game by focusing on character over accolades. As we look to this week’s FIBA World Cup where Arella will be representing PR, she shows what world-class, purpose-driven basketball looks like, advocates for greater synergy between U.S. and overseas sports markets, and reminds us all that true success comes from how deeply you touch people's lives along the journey.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, guest host Dana Mathewson speaks with Japanese wheelchair tennis superstar, world number one, and newly minted Career Golden Slam winner Yui Kamiji on capturing her elusive first Wimbledon singles title, adapting to an increasingly powerful era of tennis, and finding mental clarity under intense pressure. Fun fact: To get pumped up before a big match, Yui listens to Eminem's "Not Afraid," and considers staying in high-grade tour hotels one of her favorite parts of traveling. She shows us that true championship performance stems from deep gratitude for your team and holding onto the simple joy of the game.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, guest host Dana Mathewson chats with Dutch wheelchair tennis player Aniek Van Koot, former world No. 1 in both singles and doubles. The two friends and former competitors reminisce about past tournaments, break down the differences between the U.S. Open, Wimbledon and more. Aniek reveals what helps her keep a positive, healthy mindset, and why she hopes more people will not only learn about wheelchair tennis, but also fall in love with it the way she she did.

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Flame Bearers is a women's sports storytelling studio, championing extraordinary athletes and driving conversations around equality, leadership, and high performance. We’ve collaborated with 450+  Olympians and Paralympians from 55 countries—including Hilary Knight, Sue Bird, Caster Semenya, and Amber Glenn— and have earned 28 international awards for capturing raw human journeys of resilience, confidence, and mental health. Through video, podcasting, events, and social media, we spotlight the athlete’s story behind the scoreboards, in her own words.