Athletes take over new AIS Win Well Podcast

15 May 2024

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has launched an exciting new podcast series highlighting how Australia’s Olympians and Paralympians are winning well both in sport and in life.

From winning with integrity, finding a sense of belonging and connection in sport, overcoming failure and adversity, the joy of achieving the incredible, and what it means to be an inspiration to Australians, The AIS Win Well Podcast is a unique opportunity to really get to know the athletes who proudly wear the green and gold on the world stage.

Hosted by two-time Olympian Melissa Breen, each week the series will feature two Olympians and Paralympians in conversation, sharing how they win well both in sport and in life.

Breen said: “I'm fortunate enough to have been to two Olympics as part of the Australian Athletics Team and these days, I help tell the stories of the sports and athletes we love as part of the social media team here at the AIS.

“Having trained here at the AIS Campus in Canberra and now working here, I’m in the unique position of being able to understand what makes athletes tick and why winning well in both sport and life is so important.”

AIS Win Well Podcast

Episode 1 – Live now!

Join Wheelchair Rugby legends Chris Bond and Ryley Batt, who are preparing for their fourth and sixth Paralympic Games, as they chat about the legacy of the world champion Steelers.

Batt said: “I want to set an example. I want to play my absolute heart out and show these kids with disabilities like, hey, look at me. Okay, I have a disability, but I'm going to go bloody do this and I'm going to, you know, I'm going to show them what I can do with my abilities and not my disability.”

Episode 2 – available 22 May

Kayak queen Alyce Wood and long-jump champion Vanessa Low had babies just weeks apart following the Tokyo Games, with the pair now both set to star in Paris in what will be their third and fourth Olympic and Paralympic Games respectively.

Wood said: “Suddenly I'm in my career best form and that is 100 per cent down to being a mum.”

Episode 3 – available 29 May

In Episode 3, we meet Australian Sailing’s Olivia Price and Evie Haseldine and learn about how a socially distance walk during COVID-19 lay the foundation for their Paris dream.

Haseldine said: “The Olympics has been my dream ever since I've watched Oliva in 2012. Now that has become a reality and I feel honestly quite privileged. I think we can honestly say that we definitely can go to the Olympic Games, and we can win a gold medal.”

Episode 4 – available 5 June

Two of the Australian Men’s Rowing Eight – Spencer Turrin and Angus Widdicombe – reveal how they keep it all in perspective while competing on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

Turrin said: “I think the biggest thing though is the fact that you've put yourself out there and you've had a crack at it. And that's what you can hang your hat high on. And if you have some, have some hardware at the end of the day. Well, that's even that's even better. But if you don't, you still achieve something awesome and represented you yourself, your family and, and your country.”

Plus many more! The AIS Win Well Podcast will be updated every Wednesday in the lead up to the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games

The Win Well Podcast is produced by the Australian Sports Commission, one of the 51 organisation who has made the Win Well Pledge through Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy (HP 2032+ Strategy).

To learn more about HP 2032+ Strategy and Australian sport’s united vision to ‘win well and inspire Australians’, visit www.winwell2032.au

The AIS Win Well Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts.