Five-time Olympian Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the new president of the International Olympic Committee. She's the first woman and the first African to lead the organization.

What's her story, and how will she shape the Olympics for years to come?  We take a deep dive to find out.

Plus, another chapter in the Milan-Cortina 2026 slidingnovela, updates (and concerns) for LA 2028, and Brisbane 2032 missed the Agenda 2020+5 memo.

Looking for tickets to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics? Another ticket drop happens on April 8, 2025. Paralympic tickets? Always on sale.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thank you to our ongoing contributors and patrons! This show thrives because of our listeners. Want to give back? Learn more here.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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Alison went to the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston and has all of the behind-the-scenes details! Find out what you can't see on TV and how different the skater's performances were in person!

Also check out our figure skating-themed Patreon episode this month! And get more scoop from Figure Skating Champs in our free Substack.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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Book Club Claire is back for our first selection of 2025, which is by a TKFLASTANI! We're reading Beyond Expectations: An Extraordinary Equestrian Journey from Deadly Diagnosis to the Paralympic Games by Sydney Collier with Heather Wallace.

For Sydney, a routine eye exam turned into a diagnosis of a life-threatening rare disease. She's defied all expectations--particularly in terms of lifespan--to become a Paralympian in para dressage. She overcame some pretty touch obstacles to earn her ticket to Rio 2016, and the book discusses how she's famous in the rare disease world and her journey to Rio. 

Follow Claire and Sydney on Insta! 

Also on this episode, a Paris 2024 bullying case goes to trial, lots of news from Milan-Cortina 2026, and the International Olympic Committee has elected a new president! We have our initial thoughts on the new boss of the Olympics.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

We do use affiliate links where possible. If you purchase something through them, we may earn a commission.

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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While the Sydney 2000 Olympics are generally considered to be one of the best Games of all time, yet they still had their fair share of issues, particularly in the gymnastics venue.

In the latest installment of our year-long look back at Sydney 2000, Alison explores the numerous debacles during the gymnastics competitions, including a women's team competition that saw a podium change years later, and an all-around competition that forced a massive change in the vault starting with Athens 2004.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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Sometimes all of the training and preparation in the world doesn't get you to the Paralympic podium. Boccia player Alison Levine experienced that firsthand during the Paris 2024 Paralympics, when tournament bracket design forced her to face the other top player early on in the elimination rounds. Play didn't go her way, and she didn't get the results she wanted.

It didn't get better in the mixed doubles tournament, when she and teammate Iulian Ciobanu lost to Thailand in the bronze medal match.

Even with the disappointment, Alison's Paris experience was, on the whole, a good one. Along with talking about the tournament and how she regrouped after the Paralympics, Alison tells us about life in the Athletes' Village, how accessible design made life a lot easier for a couple of weeks, and the infamous Paris 2024 chocolate muffin.

Learn more about Alison at her website, and follow her on Insta and X.

This week, we're also celebrating one year to go until the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympics! Tickets for the Paralympics go on sale March 6.

We also have another installment of our Milan-Cortina 2026 slidingnovela--this time, with good news! 

Plus, news from the International Olympic Committee, the World Games (with a Games-first event for Chengdu 2025), and an update from Team Keep the Flame Alive.

And finally, this month, we'll have a special feature on our Patreon for all members, free and paying. Check it out and join us there!

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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We catch up with sprinter Kenny Bednarek and learn about his Paris 2024 experience running the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. He did bring home some hardware, but also had many learning experiences (and we're not just talking about dealing with the lack of A/C in Paris). We also look ahead to Kenny's 2025 season and how he's preparing for World Athletics' world championships.

Be sure to watch Kenny's documentary series Road to Gold on YouTube. Also check out his website and follow him on Insta and X.

Also on this episode:

• IT's the vibe, says Milan-Cortina 2026
• The Milan-Cortina coin collection is out
• The "Sabataggio" installment of the Slidingnovela
• Potential sports for French Alps 2030
• An exciting hire for Brisbane 2032 (that devastates Alison)
• Leadership announcements for SLC 2034
• New and continuing sponsors at the IOC - TBach is excited about them!
• News from TKFLASTAN

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thank you to our ongoing contributors and patrons! This show thrives because of our listeners. Want to give back? Learn more here.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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We catch up with our para powerlifter Bobby Body and talk with him about his experience at Paris 2024, including:

• What it was like to compete on the final day of the Games
• Dealing with no-lifts that resulted in a 4th place finish
• What it's like to get Team USA kit when you've got a powerlifter's body--did Bobby hulk out of his ceremonies uniforms?

We also have news from past and upcoming Games, including a Paris 2024 concert and Milan-Cortina 2026 ticket and torch relay news. The Slidingnovela has another installment, and we have a major announcement about the show's future.

Plus, the International Olympic Committee has picked a year for the first eSports Games (not this year), and we have a lot of news from Team Keep the Flame Alive (TKFLASTAN).

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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Runners Cathy Freeman and Marion Jones, two of the stars from the Sydney 2000 Olympics, could not have had more different outcomes to their experiences at these Games.

In this look back at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Alison has the amazing story of Cathy Freeman, who brought Olympic glory to Australia and the Aboriginal people. 

Meanwhile, Jill unravels the complicated story of Marion Jones, who was the first women to ever win five medals in a single Games in athletics. 

Until she gave them back--before the International Olympic Committee decided to strip them from her for doping. And went to prison for lying under oath.

For a full source list and transcript, please visit our website.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Games History Moment with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown is released monthly. In 2025, these episodes explore the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Paralympics. Look for our regular episodes every week, with daily editions during the Olympics and Paralympics.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

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X: http://www.twitter.com/flamealivepod

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Newsletter: Sign up at https://mailchi.mp/ee507102fbf7/flamealivepod

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It's one year to go until the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics! Tickets went on sale today, which means it's time to figure out travel plans--and because Milan-Cortina is really spread out across northern Italy, travel between venue clusters is going to be much more complicated.

Not to worry though. Our Olympics travel expert Ken Hanscom is back to talk about traveling to Milan-Cortina for the Games. He shares:

• What to think about when buying tickets
• Why Milan will be a great host city for the Games
• Where to stay if you can't find a hotel in Cortina
• What the roads are like between the different venue clusters

Follow Ken on X, and learn more about TicketManager on Insta, X and its website.

Besides travel, there's a lot of news from Milan-Cortina, which we dive into. The slidingnovela continues on, with both AP and Reuters articles citing sources that say progress on the new track is going well, but we're not sure what that actually means.

If you're going to Milan-Cortina for the Olympics, please let us know!

This episode also features news from Paris 2024, LA 2028, French Alps 2030, and a visit to TKFLASTAN to check in on our past guests. Many of them of competing right now in hopes of qualifying for Milan-Cortina!

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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Brazilian cross-country skier Bruna Moura joins us to talk about her continuing gritty journey to become an Olympian. A former mountain biker, Bruna took up roller skiing to help her recover from surgery. She found a love for the sport and transferred to snow to achieve her goal of representing her country at an Olympics.

She was supposed to realize her dream in 2022 when she qualified for the Beijing Winter Olympics at the last minute. However, as she was riding to the airport to fly to China for the Games, she was in a horrific car crash, in which she sustained several serious injuries.

That setback hasn’t deterred Bruna from achieving her goal, and she is back on the cross-country skiing circuit trying to earn enough points to qualify for Milan-Cortina 2026. 

We talk with Bruna about how she found her sport and how athletes from underrepresented nations cobble together training, equipment and travel on the cross-country ski circuit. We also discuss her almost-journey to Beijing and how her accident fueled her drive to keep going toward her goal. 

Follow Bruna Moura on Facebook and Instagram!

Our friend Nick Zaccardi wrote a great article about her journey – check it out here!

Also on today’s episode:

The International Olympic Committee has pressed pause on its plans to hold an Olympic Esports Games in 2025. Sports Business broke the story (paywalled), and we talk about what that could mean for the future of the event.

Perhaps the new IOC President will have thoughts on the direction that event should take. This week, the seven candidates meet in Lausanne to present their candidacy to IOC membership.

Plus, we have news from TKFLASTAN, including results for a number of our winter athletes and some great honors for our para archer Matt Stutzman.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!