CrossFit Games Athlete, Lucy Campbell is a former gymnast, long distance open-water swimmer and current 2nd 'Fittest on Earth'. Lucy made the most extraordinary comeback to CrossFit last year having not long before been told by a surgeon to “find another sport”. She didn’t take no for an answer and instead left no stone unturned in her quest to find a solution to her injury and get back to the top of the sport - heralding the saying that her fans now all know and love: “Find A Way”.

In this interview we talk about:

- Lucy’s background in the brutal sport of long distance open-water swimming.

- Her relationship with the pain cave.

- The story of her battle to find a solution to her wrist pain in order to save her CrossFit career.

- Her phenomenal comeback last season after two painstaking years and being told by one surgeon ‘to find another sport’.

- The importance of social media for sustaining a career financially as an athlete in CrossFit.- Lucy's socials

- What it’s like training and competing at big events with all those cameras on you.

- The biggest difference Lucy sees in training between elite athletes and everyday athletes.

- How she handles things going wrong in competition.

If you enjoy this interview, please leave a rating. Thank you.

#theopponentspodcast #lucycampbell #crossfit #crossfitgames #findaway

Jay Morton is a former SAS Operator and current mountain expedition leader who has achieved the extraordinary feat of summiting Mount Everest TWICE….and the second time very nearly killed him. You may also recognise him from the hit UK TV Show, SAS Who Dares Wins.

In this conversation we speak about:

- What it feels like to summit Everest

- The story of Jay's near death experience on Everest

- The physical training and mindset required to climb a big mountain.

- How to manage altitude

- Jay’s thoughts on personal goals

- Decision making lessons learnt in the SAS

- SAS Selection - the difference between who passes and who doesn’t.

- SAS Selection Interrogation - the TV show version vs the reality

- Jay’s next chapter in life

If you enjoy this podcast I would hugely appreciate if you would help the show grow by leaving a rating. Thank you.

This is one of those stories that puts things into perspective. In 2016 Vic was a bright young talent on the Team GB cycling team. Just months out from the Rio Olympics she suffered a horrific crash at the velodrome which left her with a broken neck, back and pelvis. In this interview, Vic tells the story of what happened that day, and the 752 days of intense rehabilitation and recovery that she went through to not only walk again, but to attempt to re-qualify for the Olympic cycling team. This is a story of sheer determination and unwavering mindset by both Vic and the team around her. In this interview we spoke about: - Vic's journey into sprint cycling and early successes- The crash- The early days in hospital and extent of her injuries- 9 incredible months at the Bisham Intensive Rehabilitation Unit. - Embarking on the huge mission of re-qualifying for Team GB- Vic's strategies for coping mentally through her rehab - Vic's 3 pieces of advice for anyone facing a long rehab process- Switching to bobsleigh!- Making the difficult decision to step away from elite sport - Vic's new direction and looking to the future

Sam King ran an astonishing 80 ultramarathons in 80 days, honouring his Mum after she suffered a bleed on the brain and almost died, and raising money for charity, Headway UK. Furthermore, Sam completely overhauled his health - going from inactive, overweight gamer (number 1 at Call of Duty at one point!) to world record breaking ultra runner. If anyone’s looking for inspiration to lock in this New year, this interview should do it!

If you’d like to donate to Sam’s fundraiser for Headway UK, you can do so here: Project 74 - 74 ultramarathons in 74 days | givestar

Sammy tells her story of growing up in elite gymnastics including shocking weight management practices and the dangers of the sport. We also spoke about the loss of identity that elite athletes often feel when they retire from sport, and Sammy's personal journey finding her place in sport again through CrossFit. I'm hugely grateful to Sammy for sharing her story so openly.

In this interview:

- Sammy's journey through elite gymnastics

- The mental and physical toll on young gymnasts

- The feeling of loss of identity after retiring from elite sport

- How Sammy found her new place in sport through CrossFit

- Practical advice on training mindset and self-belief

- Sammy's mantras!

- Advice for anyone leaving a sport

- What the future holds for Sammy

I’d love to hear your thoughts on themes we got into in this interview - let me know in the comments.

And finally, if you like this content please support the channel by following us.

Thank you,

Iona

#TheOpponentsPodcast #Gymnastics #TeamGB #Mindset #IdentityLoss #WomensSport

This is a story about finding your purpose, building resilience and…driving a bobsleigh! Adele is a truly inspiring person who sacrificed everything to pursue her dream of becoming an Olympian. From overhauling her whole life, to redesigning her body composition and training regime with no coach and no budget, to racing with a ruptured ankle ligament during her Olympic qualification season - this is a conversation about pursuing big goals, high performance mindset and why we should all learn to stomach adversity rather than trying to change it. Follow for more deep dives into the mindset of elite performers.

In this episode:

• The story of how Adele scarified her whole life to pursue her Olympic dream
• The extreme sport and demanding lifestyle of bobsleigh
• The importance of finding your purpose
• Mental toughness and how to reframe adversity
• How to become the person you want to be
• Why accountability is so important
• 'Tough love' advice for dealing with challenges and setbacks head on.
• It's NOT about turning lemons into lemonade...

Thank you for watching,

Iona

Kelly’s story is an important lesson that you should take every opportunity that comes your way and that age really is just a number. Kelly first walked into a CrossFit box in her mid thirties - a time in life when many people might think it’s too late to start seriously training in a new sport, especially one as complex and physically demanding as CrossFit. Not Kelly. She very quickly flew up the ranks in competition and not only qualified for the CrossFit Games within just FIVE years, she went on to win SEVEN medals including FOUR golds as a Masters athlete.

Kelly also regularly trains and competes with athletes 20 years younger than her - proving that age really is no barrier to peak performance.

In this conversation Kelly speaks about:

- Her CrossFit journey and incredible achievements

- Starting something new at any age

- How she looks after herself training at such a high level

- Longevity advice for young athletes in CrossFit

- Mental endurance and how she keeps her motivation high year on year

- Kelly's mindset and mantras in competition

- The upcoming changes to the 2026 CrossFit Games season

- Kelly's 3 pieces of advice and the importance of taking opportunities

- How to start CrossFit and work towards a major competition

Thank you for watching,

Iona

Leah is an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Fighter and hugely inspiring human. She grew up facing many struggles, including becoming a single Mum at a young age, however she refused to become just another statistic. So, despite (as she very honestly admits herself) having no natural talent, she trained extremely hard and carved out a hugely successful career for herself in MMA, seeing her become the first female to headline an MMA fight night in Europe AND the first female in combat sports to headline at Wembley! In this conversation Leah speaks about: the sport of MMA and its ruthless demands both in training and competition, having a bulletproof mindset, her 3 pieces of advice to anyone doubting they can chase after their dreams, and what the future holds for Leah. I also got a glimpse into Leah's personal life during a particularly tough time for her. She made the effort to fly to London for this interview despite losing her Grandfather the week before and even being hospitalised herself - a real testament to her character and professionalism . This conversation goes beyond just sporting accomplishments - it’s about discipline, resilience and what it really takes to keep moving forward when the odds are stacked against you.

Weightlifter Holly O'Shea went from beginner to elite athlete in just two years, and she uses some seriously refreshing positive mindset strategies to handle competition nerves. In this interview she shares those strategies including one involving befriending a chair (to be explained)!

We spoke about:

- How to keep calm and handle nerves on the competition floor

- Competitor mindset & self-talk

- How to use structured nutrition as both a physical and mental tool to get through injury recovery

- No nonsense self-care

- Advice for any women thinking of getting into weightlifting

The way Holly talks about training and challenging yourself is contagious. If you’re into weightlifting, mindset, coming back from injury, or just want some motivation to get back under the bar, this one’s for you.

Thank you for watching,

Iona

Liv is a CrossFit Athlete and ICU Nurse. In this conversation Liv speaks about: her personal story and journey into CrossFit, why women should train and not just for the physical, how to train seriously and consistently without getting burnt out, life as a nurse in the ICU and how Liv used her training to get through the horrors of Covid. If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to our channel so that we can bring you more. Thank you for watching.