Sporting Witness

In 1976, the Austrian racing driver, Niki Lauda, crashed into an embankment at the notoriously dangerous Nurburgring circuit in Germany. As flames engulfed his car, Lauda had to be rescued by his fellow drivers, but somehow survived despite being given the last rites in hospital. Ashley Byrne talks to ex-Formula 1 driver, Brett Lunger, who helped pull Lauda from the wreckage. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production.

PHOTO: Niki Lauda shortly after his accident (Associated Press).

In 2000, four athletes from war-torn East Timor were invited to compete at the Sydney Olympics. One of them was marathon runner, Agueda Amaral, who went from refugee to Olympic finisher in the space of a year. She tells her story to Rebecca Henschke of the BBC Indonesian Service.

PHOTO: Agueda Amaral at the Olympic finish line (Getty Images).

In 1975, Arthur Ashe beat the world number one Jimmy Connors to become the first African-American to win Wimbledon. In 2011, Ashe's friend and agent, Donald Dell, told Louise Hidalgo about that memorable match - and about what else Ashe might have achieved if he had not died young.

(Photo: Arthur Ashe in action at Wimbledon. Credit: Getty Images)

At the 1976 Olympics, the Japanese gymnast Shun Fujimoto horrified the world by continuing to compete in the team event despite breaking his knee during the floor exercise. Determined not to let down his team-mates, Fujimoto braved almost unbearable pain to achieve good scores on the pommel horse and rings, and help Japan to gold. Shun Fujimoto relives his agony with Ashley Byrne. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production.

(Photo: The injured Shun Fujimoto showing off his gold medal. Credit: Associated Press)

The Greek weightlifter, Pyrros Dimas, is a three-time Olympic champion and national hero nicknamed the 'Lion of Himara'. In 2004, an ageing Pyrros faced his toughest challenge when the Olympic Games came to Athens and he was forced to compete with a knee injury. Despite the pain, Pyrros battled to a bronze medal, sparking delirious scenes in the weightlifting arena. Pyrros Dimas talks to Adrian Moorhead. The programme is a Sparklab Production.

(Photo: Pyrros Dimas. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

In 1992, the Danish football team were called back from their beach holidays and invited to play in the European Championship when Yugoslavia began to collapse into civil war. Despite their failure to qualify properly for the tournament, Denmark beat Holland and then Germany to clinch a surprise victory. Will Yates talk to midfielder, John Jensen, who scored one of the Danish goals in the final. The programme is a Whistledown Production.

(Photo: The Danish team celebrate. Credit: Getty Images)

In 1961, Brojen Das, a swimmer from the Ganges Delta, broke the world record for the crossing from France to England at the sixth attempt. The achievement earned him an audience with the Queen and made him a hero in what is now Bangladesh. Farhana Haider introduces Brojen Das's own account and speaks to his daughter, Sanghita Pal.

PHOTO: Brogen Das, still covered in grease after his record breaking swim 1961 (credit: Sanghita Pal)

In 1976, a young and inexperienced American boxing team won five gold medals at the Montreal Olympics, defeating many of their Cuban and Soviet rivals on the way. Now acclaimed as one of the best teams of all time, the US boxers included future world champions such as Sugar Ray Leonard. Ashley Byrne talks to the youngest member of the squad - gold medallist Leo Randolph. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production.

(Photo: Leo Randolph in action at the 1976 Olympics. Credit: AP)

In May 1949, a plane carrying the Torino football team crashed into a mountain near Turin killing 31 people. At the time, "Il Grande Torino" were the dominant team in Italy and Europe, but the club never really recovered from an accident that killed almost the entire squad. Nick Marsh meets Carla Maroso,the widow of one of the Torino players, and life-long Torino fan Gianpaolo Oremezzano.

PHOTO: A commemorative postcard for the Torino players (AP)

In 1980, the newly independent nation of Zimbabwe was invited to enter a women's hockey team at the Olympic Games in Moscow. Despite their unfamiliarity with the pitches - and each other - the players won an unexpected gold medal and were nicknamed the Golden Girls. Claire Bowes talks to Liz Chase, one of the Zimbabwean team.

PHOTO: The Zimbabwean team arrive home to an ecstatic reception (AP).