At only 15 years old, Alexandre Despatie took his first Olympic dive at the 2000 Games in Sydney. He placed fourth against some of the world's best, but when his excitement was met with media disappointment over a 'missed podium', Alexandre discovered that measuring up to his own standards was the most important thing. The lesson stuck with Alexandre as he went on to win two Olympic silver medals, become a nine time Commonwealth Game champion, and a 37 time Canadian National champion. Listen as he and POV host Anastasia Bucsis discuss avoiding the pitfalls of early success, overcoming disappointment, and knowing when to hang up the towel.

John Fennell has made some tough choices during his career. The Luge athlete is a citizen of both Canada and the United States, and he has competed and trained for both nations. John has unique perspective on the differences between Canadian and American sport culture. He opens up to POV host Anastasia Bucsis about owning his life decisions, and the importance of not letting singular moments of success or failure define a career.

For some athletes, the decision to retire comes fairly quickly - but this was not the case for Benoit Huot. In fact, the famed Paralympic swimmer has been thinking about hanging up his towel for ten years. On this week's Player's Own Voice, Benoit opens up about his long and decorated career in which he won 20 Paralympic medals, was named a Member of the Order of Canada, as well as made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec. Listen as he and POV host, Anastasia Bucsis discuss retirement, how Benoit stayed motivated throughout his storied career, and the continuing growth of the Paralympic movement.

It's been 25 years since Mark Tewksbury won gold at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, but the Calgary born swimmer remains at the heart of the Canadian Olympic movement today. His work as a public speaker and writer have inspired countless athletes, and Mark's voice has been a powerful addition to several athletes' causes, including Olympic reform and advocating for the rights of LGBTQ athletes. Listen as he and POV host Anastasia Bucsis discuss advocacy, LGBTQ visibility in sport, and the future of the Olympic movement.

Caroline Ouellette's hockey career is beyond impressive. The Montreal athlete is one of the very few in history to bring home gold medals from four consecutive Olympic games. Caroline's love of the sport extends far beyond her playing years - she coaches and mentors, and runs a network of hockey camps with fellow player Marie-Philip Poulin. Caroline shares her vision for the future of women's hockey with POV host Anastasia Bucsis, and she also describes how it felt to watch her teammates face off against the USA in Pyeong Chang, while sharing a couch with her partner - former team USA player, Julie Chu.

Player's Own Voice began with a simple goal- to interview world class athletes as human first, and athlete second. With the help of our growing base of listeners, this goal has been a resounding success. And as a thank you, we've compiled some of our favourite moments from the show so far, and included a few clips of what's to come in 2019!

Even though figure skater Paige Lawrence competed at the Olympic level, she has never forgotten the lessons she learned growing up in a rodeo family in rural Saskatchewan. Among these lessons are her formidable work ethic, her resourcefulness, and her motto- 'safety third'. Listen as she joins host Anastasia Bucsis to discuss her difficult decision to retire, the importance of giving back to her small town community, and the artistry of figure skating.

She is undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes to come out of Canada. She's also notoriously shy around the media. Join Players Own Voice host, Anastasia Bucsis, and the Queen of Speed, Cindy Klassen, as they candidly hash-out an extraordinary career, through giggles, and an intimacy that is only found when old teammates reunite... over a piece of chocolate cake.

Desiree Scott is a two time Olympic bronze medalist, Zumba instructor, self-proclaimed "hopeless romantic", and yet, her nickname is "the destroyer". Desiree is undeniably one of the most physical players in the world of soccer, which helped her bring two Olympic bronze medals back to her hometown of Winnipeg. Although Desiree is fierce, she swears she leaves it on the field, and has a laugh when discussing her contrasting dispositions. There are layers to this Canadian midfielder, and Player's Own Voice host, Anastasia Bucsis, peels them back in this light and refreshing conversation.

Kaitlyn Lawes - Canada's first ever back to back Olympic curling champion - has become a world leading athlete in the sport. The two-time Olympic gold medallist won in Sochi 2014 with teammate Jennifer Jones, and won again in the sport's Mixed-Doubles debut in PyeongChang 2018 alongside John Morris. Listen as Kaitlyn and POV host, Anastasia Bucsis chat about The Olympics, their shared love of the ice, and some of the best players in the sport of curling.