Sporting Witness

The world of tennis is mourning the death of the popular Czech player, Jana Novotna, at the age of 49. In 1993, Novotna threw away a huge lead in the women's final at Wimbledon but captured the hearts of tennis fans by breaking down in tears on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent, the tournament's patron. Five years later, Novotna was back on Centre Court, and this time she won. In 2015, she told her story to Kirsty McQuire.

PHOTO: The Duchess of Kent consoles Jana Novotna after her 1993 defeat (Getty Images)

In 2002, a middle-aged mother made history by winning one of the toughest races in the world outright. Pam Reed beat all the elite men competing in the 135-mile Badwater marathon through the desert of Death Valley, California. After her victory was seen by some as a fluke, she responded by defeating all the male runners again the following year. Pam Reed talks to Lissa Cook.

(Photo: Pam Reed after her victory at the Badwater marathon. Credit: Getty Images)

In November 1993, eight fighters from a range of martial arts disciplines took part in the first ever “Ultimate Fighting Championship” in Denver, Colorado. The controversial and often bloody event was a huge success and marked the beginning of one of the world’s fastest growing sports. Ashley Byrne talks to the promoter, Art Davie.

PHOTO: Action from the first Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993 (Getty Images Sport)

Kelly Kulick broke into the men's game in 2006 - she was the first woman to compete on an equal footing with men in the Professional Bowling Association tour. She has been speaking to Adrian Moorhead about her career in bowling.

Photo: Kelly Kulick in action at the Pan American Games in 2011. Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images Sport.

Lynn Hill was the first person to free-climb 'The Nose', the most challenging route up El Capitan, a 3,000ft granite wall in America's Yosemite National Park.

Since her ascent in 1993 only a handful of others have followed in her footsteps. With a career spanning decades, she tells Sporting Witness how in the early days she was told that women wouldn't be able to accomplish the toughest climbs.

In October 1989, the bitter feud between Brazilian Ayrton Senna and Frenchman Alain Prost boiled over onto the track when the two drivers collided in a now infamous edition of the Japanese Grand Prix. The two men were supposed to be team-mates but their barely concealed mutual loathing gripped motor-racing audiences and led to controversy on and off the circuits. Ashley Byrne talks to Italian F1 driver, Alessandro Nannini.

PHOTO: Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1989 (Getty Images)

In 1973, Billie-Jean King made tennis history by winning a challenge match against a former Wimbledon champion called Bobby Riggs. The "Battle of the Sexes" was watched by a global TV audience of nearly 100 million and is credited with improving the credibility of the women's game. The story has now been turned into a Hollywood movie. Billie-Jean King talks to David Sillito.

PHOTO: Billie-Jean King and Bobby Riggs leaving the court (Getty Images)

How the Irish-born footballer, Eamon Zayed, became a folk hero in Iran after scoring three goals in the Teheran derby.

In 1973, O.J. Simpson made American Football history by becoming the first running back to break the seemingly impossible barrier of rushing for 2000 yards in a single season. The record made Simpson a superstar, although it was later overshadowed by off-field scandal. Simon Watts talks to O.J.'s team-mate at the Buffalo Bills, Reggie Mckenzie.

PHOTO: O.J. Simpson in action for the Buffalo Bills in the 1970s (Getty Images).

Nigerian athlete Chioma Ajunwa stunned the world at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Ajunwa returned from a doping ban to compete at the Games as a sprinter. But she was to make history competing in the long jump, for which she had done no training. Alex Last speaks to Chioma Ajunwa about her remarkable comeback.