Show Notes
With the rise of data and artificial intelligence, is sport becoming less human? Katie Smith looks at how key decisions and tactics are made in elite sport by speaking to medal-winning athletes and coaches who have to make big decisions. Go inside a British Athletics relay camp as they prepare for the World Championships in Tokyo this September. After years of dropping batons and disqualifications they were the most successful sprint relay squad at the Paris Olympics, so how have they turned things around? Hear from Olympic medallist Laviai Nielsen, British Athletics relay coach Martyn Rooney and Head of Sprints and Relays Darren Campbell including how they pick a relay team and try to find the winning formula. Also go behind-the-scenes at the Tour de France with Ineos Grenadiers to hear from the riders on how much say they have in team strategy. Geraint Thomas outlines whether he feels cyclists still have their destiny in their own hands and if anything has changed as he approaches retirement. The True Athlete Project discuss athlete welfare, while Open University academic Dr Alex Twitchen shares how the coach/athlete relationship has changed over the years. The Team behind the Team is produced in partnership with the Open University. Team Ineos Grenadiers staff member David Rozman does not feature in this series and he was never interviewed or offered for interview during the process of gathering material for the series. Our production team was unaware of historical doping allegations relating to David Rozman and the 2012 season, which they have since been made aware of following the recording of this series.
More from 5 Live Sport: All About...
Over the past six years, participation levels for Padel in the UK have gone from 15,000 to one million. The number of courts in Britain has risen from just 68 in 2019, to over 2,200 today. So why is it so popular? Does it have a long-term future? And is it at risk of pricing people out, at the expense of other sports? Mark Chapman and Jason Manford try and answer all those questions and more, as they take a deep dive into the UK’s fastest growing sport. To help them answer all those queries are some experts including; Sandy Farquharson, GB Padel coach, Catherine Rose a GB Padel player and seven-time major doubles champion Jamie Murray - who is now an investor in Game4Padel who have 27 venues across the UK. And if you’re still not entirely sure what Padel is – the experts will explain all of that too.
Katie Smith is joined by Wake Up to Money's Sean Farrington and sport finance expert Dr Tom Bason to discuss the rising cost of tickets for major sporting events and subscription costs and ask why this is all happening and what might happen next? A range of guests join the pod including Richard Flint, chairman at Seat Unique - he comes on to discuss how the demand for live events has changed and they speak to psychologist Dr Kayleigh Smith about how the connection between fans and live sport has changed since the pandemic. There’s an interview with Mark Darbon from the R&A - about what it costs to put on a major sporting event, and how they aim to make things affordable. And not only that - Pete Oliver, DAZN’s CEO of growth markets joins the pod - to focus on how a newer streaming service approaches the market, and they will hear the impact from sport fans too.
After returning to Grand Slam doubles action for the first time in four years at this year's US Open, what better time to reflect on the three-decade long careers of Venus and Serena Williams? Earlier this year Russell Fuller sat down with his predecessors as BBC Tennis Correspondent, Jonathan Overend and Iain Carter, to reflect on the Williams sisters’ careers. The trio discuss everything from Venus' rapid rise before the arrival of her sister, to Serena's inevitable dominance & her sometimes spiky relationship with the media. Timecodes 07:21 Anti-climactic finals between them, & suspicion around pre-arranged matches 11:01 Their dominance in the doubles 13:28 Serena wins & holds all four grand-slams, beating Venus in every Final 15:41 Serena's will to win & was she a particularly bad loser? 18:35 Health problems for both sisters in 2011 19:25 Serena's partnership with Patrick Mouratoglou, & chasing the Margaret Court record 24:14 Russell's sole interview with Serena in 2018
Ten years on from Team GB women's historic hockey gold medal at Rio 2016, Eleanor Oldroyd reunites key figures from the squad and coaching team, including Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh, Alex Danson-Bennett, Maddie Hinch and Lily Owsley, to relive one of Britain's greatest Olympic moments. The Duchess of Edinburgh also recalls watching the dramatic final with the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Balmoral. TIMECODES: 00:30 - Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh on the legacy of Rio. 02:40 - Tribute to Craig Keegan. 04:10 - Alex Danson-Bennett joins the show. 12:45 - Danson-Bennett on her retirement from hockey. 14:30 - Kate and Helen on becoming the first same-sex married couple to win Olympic gold. 17:30 - "Helen just screamed at us!" 20:30 - 5 Live commentary of the penalty shoot-out. 22:55 - Interview with Maddie Hinch and Lily Owsley. 28:30 - Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh on the penalties. 29:50 - HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh joins the show. 30:15 - Where did HRH watch the penalties? 31:50 - "Oh for goodness' sake, just go!" 34:20 - The Duchess talks about how GB worked so hard to become Olympic champions. 35:10 - More on the celebrations. 36:15 - Lily Owsley on the party flight home. 38:25 - Where did Elly Oldroyd experience the shoot-out? 39:10 - Where did HRH's love of hockey come from? 41:26 - More on the legacy of that Olympic triumph.
Tennis Correspondent Russell Fuller sits down with BBC TV's Lead Commentator for the past 23 years, Andrew Castle. Andrew reveals the Top 5 favourite men's singles finals that he's commentated on, listening back to his commentary from each one and reminiscing on his Wimbledon memories. He also discusses how this year's final between Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner will be his last working for the BBC.