Flame Bearers

In this episode of Flame Bearers, guest host Dana Mathewson speaks with Italian pro cycling superstar, former road world champion, and multi-stage Giro d'Italia Women winner Elisa Balsamo on navigating the Tour de France Femmes, and what it's like to keep your mind steady when your bike is going full speed. Fun fact: Elisa studied literature in college, and finds both solace and motivation in her favorite books. She shows us that true endurance comes from mental resilience, trusting your team, and cultivating a full life beyond the bike.

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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.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, guest host Dana Mathewson speaks with British wheelchair tennis legend and multi-time Paralympic medalist Lucy Shuker on the US Open, rebuilding her life after a severe spinal cord injury at age 21, learning to maximize her game to compete at the highest level, and shifting away from chasing ranking points to rediscover pure joy after 24 years in the sport. Lucy directly dismantles the misconception that wheelchair tennis is anything less than full-on, hardcore athletic competition, pushes for stronger coverage of women’s wheelchair tennis, and shows us all that true longevity comes from stepping back to appreciate the journey.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Manasi Joshi speaks with Canadian world record holder Danielle Dorris on making her Paralympic debut at just 13 years old, navigating the relentless fatigue of elite training, and learning the vital lesson that it’s okay if you can’t balance every area of life all at once. Danielle reminds us that Paralympians are world-class competitors who work just as hard as any Olympic athlete, and shows us all that long-term excellence comes from competing against your own standards, separating your craft from your personal identity, and learning to listen to what the water tells you.

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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.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Manasi Joshi speaks with Canadian paraswimming icon Katie Cosgriffe on reclaiming her purpose after a life-altering 2021 diagnosis, leaning into the philosophy of turning life's hardest trials into its greatest triumphs, and navigating the relentless mental and physical fatigue of elite training. Katie directly challenges the public's limited understanding and societal misconceptions surrounding invisible disabilities, calling for a narrative shift that recognizes the daily, unseen battles of S10 athletes. Katie reminds us that Paralympians are world-class elite competitors who have earned their place on the global stage, and shows us all that breaking timelines and taking ownership of your own lane begins with the courage to advocate for exactly what you need.

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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. 

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host and Paralympian Manasi Joshi speaks with Canadian paratriathlon powerhouse Leanne Taylor on balancing elite athletic training with the demands of motherhood, leaning into the philosophy of "embracing the chaos" and finding peace in the fact that things do not have to be perfect to be good.  Leanne directly challenges the media’s limited, one-dimensional lens, calling for a narrative shift that celebrates women with disabilities as multifaceted individuals—honoring them not just for their athletic capabilities, but as mothers, employees, and icons. She shows us all that self-care isn't another task in itself, but about finding joy in every moment with her sport, her loved ones, and her adorable son. 

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Manasi Joshi sits down with paratriathlete and emergency medicine doctor Danielle Cummings to talk about navigating demanding hospital training while simultaneously adjusting to life as an elite competitor. She shares the vulnerability of pushing through six and a half years of horrific chronic pain after a rock climbing accident, discovering the vital lesson of taking things "a day at a time," and using paratriathlon as the ultimate space to reclaim her active life. They explore the powerful parallels between managing unpredictable shifts in the emergency room and adapting to the fast-paced disciplines of a multi-sport race, alongside the critical role of financial aid from the Scout Bassett Foundation. Danielle challenges the medical community to listen to adaptive patients rather than viewing amputation as a failure, and pushes the media to focus on athletic achievements rather than purely inspirational disability backstories. 

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host and Paralympian Manasi Joshi sits down with Paralympic trailblazer, mentor, and foundation founder Scout Basset and rising collegiate para-track star and world championship medalist Annie Carey for an illuminating conversation honoring Disability Pride Month. Annie and Scout explore the complex realities of navigating elite sport as para athletes, from Annie’s experiences as a young girl competing against adults to discovering a radically freeing community where she could finally step onto the track without needing to hide or explain her disability. They share the vulnerability of navigating the invisible, lonely, and expensive barriers to reaching the Paralympic stage, as well as the unique psychological transition of moving between a deeply accepting athletic inner circle and everyday college life. Together, they redefine the strict binary of winning and losing, while directly challenging the media to look past an athlete's disability backstory. Scout and Annie call on the fashion, beauty, and marketing industries to normalize representation and embrace women with disabilities as trendy, beautiful, and aspirational icons, reminding us all that we always have the power to take life's imperfect moments and choose exactly what to make of them.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Toccara Ross sits down with foundational American soccer icon and '99 World Cup champion Shannon Mac Millan for a captivating conversation on navigating an intense global spotlight and building the legendary sisterhood that changed women’s sports forever. Shannon shares the vulnerability of her coming out journey, finding an unwavering sounding board in teammate Joy Fawcett, and the mental stamina required to maintain a fierce "game face" while still allowing yourself the raw, emotional space to be human behind the scenes. Together, they dive into the realities of elite locker room culture, the vital role of accountability, and the modern societal pressures currently burning out youth athletes. Shannon directly tackles the persistent stereotypes surrounding LGBTQ+ athletes and allies, details her current global work developing the game with FIFA, and leaves us with an empowering reminder that our greatest power is unlocked when we drop our differences and unite tightly behind a common goal.

In this episode of Flame Bearers, host Janelly Farías sits down with WNBA All-Star, USA gold medalist, and trailblazer Layshia Clarendon for a conversation on Layshia’s complex intersectional journey—navigating life as the first out trans and non-binary player in WNBA history while balancing public advocacy with personal safety and mental health. They share the vulnerability of moving through the "second death" that comes with athlete retirement, the grueling process of learning how to be a human again outside of a rigid sports schedule, and finding the courage to take risks to live authentically. Together, they explore the necessity of collective bargaining where "all boats rise together," the transition into sports media to keep the performance adrenaline alive, and Layshia's mission to eliminate barriers to trans healthcare through their foundation. Layshia challenges the sporting world to look past the statistics and recognize the human before the athlete, leaving us with an important reminder to rest when exhausted, keep up the fight, and know that we are inherently perfect and lovable exactly as we are.

 In this episode of Making It To Milan, co-host [co-host name not stated in transcript] sits down with Paralympic gold medalist and world champion Abby Dunkin to discuss her journey in wheelchair basketball representing [country not stated in transcript]. Abby Dunkin shares her complex experiences navigating the coming out process in a small Texas town while simultaneously adjusting to life with a physical disability following a life-altering medical mistake. She opens up about the vulnerability of hitting rock bottom, discovering that her identity is distinct from her athletic achievements, and using sports to find her authentic self. The conversation explores the critical need to prioritize mental health and highlights the difference between sports teams tolerating queer athletes versus truly embracing them. Furthermore, she challenges the global sporting community to break its silence and prioritize education and safety for LGBTQ+ players worldwide.