Sporting Witness

Alex Higgins was the two-times World Snooker champion from Northern Ireland whose speedy style of play helped turn the game into a must-watch sport.

But, away from the table, he was a wild boy – whose gambling, drinking and womanising eventually led to his downfall.

He died in 2010 at the age of 61.

Producer Vicky Farncombe uses archive interviews to tell the story of Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins in his own words.

(Photo: Alex Higgins. Credit: Getty Images)

It's 20 years since Mianne Bagger became the first transgender athlete to play in pro golf tournament.

The Danish golfer made history by competing at the 2004 Women’s Australian Open. It was a landmark moment for trans sport and made headlines around the world.

In 2021, Mianne Bagger spoke to Robbie Wojciechowski.

(Photo: Bagger at the 2004 Women's Australian Open. Credit: Getty Images.)

In 2007, 52-year-old Slovenian endurance swimmer Martin Strel became the first person to swim the entire length of the Amazon River.

It took him 66 days to complete and, over the course of his journey, Strel faced threats such as pirates, sharks, and dengue fever. At 3,300 miles, it’s the longest open swim in history.

He shares his experience of the swim with Hunter Charlton. It’s an Ember Audio production for BBC World Service.

(Photo: Martin Strel pictured in London in 2009. Credit: Getty Images)

A bonus episode from the Amazing Sport Stories podcast – The Black 14. Sport, racism and protests are about to change the lives of “the Black 14” American footballers. It’s 1969 in the United States. They’ve arrived on scholarships at the University of Wyoming to play for its Cowboys American football team. It was a predominantly white college. The team is treated like a second religion. Then, the players make a decision to take a stand against racism in a game against another university.

Roberto Duran and Dave Radford were from different worlds.

Roberto, a champion boxer considered one of the greatest to ever step into the ring. Dave, a part-time plasterer in the North of England, boxing in leisure centres and social clubs.

But in 1997, a series of unlikely events saw Dave down his tools, fly to South Africa and fight Duran in front of 10,000 people.

Johnny I’Anson speaks to Dave and his trainer James Walker about that memorable night.

(Photo: The fighters in action. Credit: Walter Dhladhla/AFP/Getty Images)

In 1980, Roland Butcher became the first black cricketer to represent England. It was in a one day match against Australia.

Born in Barbados, his first tour was against his home region of the West Indies.

He’s been speaking to Claire Bowes about his experience and getting caught up in plans for a controversial rebel tour to South Africa.

(Photo: Roland Butcher. Credit: Allsport/Getty Images)

The badminton champion Rajeev Bagga grew up in India, winning deaf and hearing competitions in his home country and abroad.

He has won 14 gold medals at the Deaflympics, which is the second oldest multi-sport and cultural festival in the world after the Olympics.

In 2001, he was named ‘Deaflympian of the Century’. At the 2005 Melbourne Deaflympics, he was given the ‘Champions Award’.

Rajeev won the 1991 and 1992 national badminton championships in India.

He’s been sharing his experiences with Laura Jones, through a BSL Interpreter.

(Photo: Rajeev Bagga with some of his medals. Credit: BBC)

In the 1976 Formula One motor racing season, South African driver Jody Scheckter became the first and only person to ever win a race in a six-wheeled car. Competing against him in Sweden was American Mario Andretti.

In this episode, both former world champions speak to James Pepper about history being made at the Anderstorp circuit.

A Made in Manchester Production for the BBC World Service.

(Image: Jody Scheckter in the Tyrrell-Ford P34. Credit: Hoch Zwei/Corbis via Getty Images)

In 1984, the women's marathon was held in the Olympic Games for the first time.

But to the horror of the crowd in Los Angeles, one of the runners, Gabriela Andersen-Scheiss of Switzerland, entered the stadium in a state of virtual collapse from heat exhaustion.

The 40-year-old ski instructor was not used to the hot Californian climate. She had to hobble her way around the final lap of the race.

The crowd of ninety thousand people in the LA Memorial Colosseum cheered her on as she made it to the finish line.

Andersen-Scheiss tells Ashley Byrne about her ordeal. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production that first aired in 2016.

(Photo: Andersen-Scheiss finishing the race in 1984. Credit: John W. McDonough/ Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

In April 2001, the small island nation of American Samoa took on Australia in the World Cup qualifiers. You could only play for the team if you held an American passport, which automatically ruled out the majority of the American Samoans, leaving them to resorting to picking schoolboys to play for them.

What followed was the biggest defeat in international football – 31-0.

Uma Doraiswamy speaks to goalkeeper Nicky Salapu about how he felt as the 31 goals the goals flew in past him.

(Photo: Nicky Salapu in goal for American Samoa against Australia in 2001. Credit: Darren England/Allsport Getty Images)