The Pool Room with Tony Armstrong

We all knew that one kid in PE class that was good at every sport they tried. Well, Peter Mullins was that kid. He was sport-obsessed and had a natural ability to pick up new skills like it was nothing. So much so, that Peter became a champion athlete in many of them, earning him the unofficial title of Australia's greatest all-rounder. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 1980 Olympics in Moscow were defined by controversy, even before the Games had begun. More than 60 countries had staged a boycott. But it also had a direct impact on competition. The men’s triple jump was fiercely contested but the results were hotly disputed, and would change the rules of the event for good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia loves its athletes, especially our women's Olympic swimming team. As is now tradition, they're quickly labelled “ours”. Our Shane. Our Libby. Our Arriane. But where did it all begin? Meet Mina Wylie and Sarah “Fanny” Durack, the Australian women who dived into the history books more than 110 years ago.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shane Kelly is one of Australia's cycling greats. Throughout his incredible career, he won it all. Everything, that is, except for a gold medal at the Games. Considered the greatest cyclist in the world in 1996, one split second mistake in Atlanta set Shane up for a life lesson in failure, and how to overcome it. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pistol shooting is a sport that takes a very particular set of skills. But for Karoly Takacs, a sergeant in the army, it came naturally. He was so good that he dominated national championships and had set his sights on his ultimate goal: to win a gold medal. That was until a tragic accident during an army training exercise threatened to destroy his sporting dream. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has always been a sporting nation, but the green and gold wasn't always synonymous with winning. This is the story of how our greatest failure on the world stage gave rise to new a generation of athletes and put Australia on the path to Games glory.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States absolutely dominated the 1904 Summer Games in St. Louis, claiming over 200 medals. Their closest competitors, Germany, won just 15. But it turns out, some of those medals attributed to the USA weren't actually won by Americans. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Games in Sydney was full of memorable moments for Australia, like Cathy Freeman's 400m Gold, and Ian Thorpe's dominance in the pool. But for one athlete, it's a Games they'd rather forget. Jane Saville was on the brink of a historic result for her country, competing in front of a home town crowd, when everything changed in an instant. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a small town in the north of France, stands a statue - a monument honouring a fallen hero. A plaque carries the name of a soldier, but this isn't a regular war memorial. It recognises a once forgotten Australian champion athlete who embodied sportsmanship and made history. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don’t miss Find and Tell, the search for the next generation of Australian storytellers. Think of it like one of those TV talent shows... but for podcasting!

You'll hear from four Australians as they go head-to-head to Find and Tell unique and interesting stories from around the country, based on a new theme each episode.

Follow along each Wednesday as host Jamila Rizvi decides which storyteller will take home the grand prize and be crowned the Find And Tell champion.

Search Find And Tell on your podcast app or click here!

Meet the storytellers at findandtell.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.