Episode 568 - Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics Opening Ceremony & Days 1-7 Review

Jens Luraas Oftebro was one of the faces of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, securing a record-equalling sweep of the Nordic Combined events in Italy to bring his total Olympic medal count to five, including four gold medals. It was a crowning achievement for the Norwegian, who, at just 25 years old, has gone on to establish himself as one of the greatest athletes the sport of Nordic Combined has ever seen. But how did he get involved in such a unique sport? What does it take to get to the very top of it? And just how does Norway continue to be so dominant in everything winter-related, and at the Olympics in general? In this epic chat, we learn all of this and more from Jens, as well as finding out about some pretty unique honours he received in the wake of his success in Milano Cortina, and hearing his thoughts on what losing its place at the Olympics would mean for Nordic combined, something that has sadly since become a reality for 2030. It's an absolutely amazing chat that you won't want to miss!

Earlier this year at the Milano Cortina Olympics, Italian bobsledder Simona de Silvestro became one of the biggest stories of the Games. The accomplished racing driver had already achieved almost everything in motorsport, spending years competing in categories ranging from IndyCar to Supercars in Australia, while also coming tantalisingly close to Formula 1. But one dream had remained unfulfilled: becoming an Olympian. She achieved that goal in 2026, competing in both the monobob and two-woman bobsleigh events at her home Olympics and adding another remarkable chapter to an already stacked resume. We learn from Simona what first sparked her love of speed, what fuelled her long-standing Olympic dream, and how racing the fastest cars on the planet compares to hurtling down an ice track in a bobsleigh. We also find out what it meant to compete at a home Olympics in front of one of the world's most passionate fan bases, whether she has her sights set on another crack at the Games in 2030, and why her career behind the wheel is far from over. It's an amazing chat with an even more amazing athlete that we know you'll love!

An absolutely massive interview coming your way today as we chat with one of Canada’s greatest Olympians and the only person in history to win multiple Olympic medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympics, the incredible Clara Hughes. Fresh off the release of her latest autobiography, Clara opens up about some of the incredibly raw and personal stories she shares in the book and explains why it was so important for her to put those experiences out into the world. She also reflects on how being so open about the many challenges she has faced helped shape her during her Olympic career, and how she looks back on those experiences now, many years after her retirement. We also uncover some amazing stories from throughout her career, as well as her special connection to a certain swimming device that gets our hosts quite happy. It’s one hell of a chat with one hell of an Olympian that you simply can’t miss!

Another special bonus episode coming through your speakers today as we take you right into the heart of Brisbane for the official reveal of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic emblems! We bring you all the excitement, atmosphere, news and behind-the-scenes gossip from a massive night in the future Olympic and Paralympic host city, as well as THREE incredible interviews with some of Australia's biggest Olympic and Paralympic stars! Olympic gold medallist Arisa Trew, Paralympic gold medallist Lucky Patterson and two-time Paralympian Taymon Kenton-Smith join us to share their reactions to the new emblems, their hopes for a home Games in 2032 and plenty more along the way! It's all here in another special edition of Off The Podium, coming to you straight from Brisbane!

WE ARE FINALLY AT THE GREATEST OLYMPICS TO EVER BE AN OLYMPICS! Yes, we’re at the 1920 Antwerp Games to celebrate the iconic Games that are the Games that were the Antwerp Games! Why does Ben love these Olympics so much? What do we even know about Antwerp? Why were these Games so historic on so many levels? What exactly is horse vaulting, and why do we need to bring it back? Are we sad to see the end of tug-of-war? Why did the USA and Canada perform so well while Australia struggled? And which famous Hollywood actress and Nobel Peace Prize winner have direct ties to these Games? There’s so much to unpack from such a legendary Olympics that you’ll have to tune in to find it all out!