Olympics.com Podcast

Having combined for nine Olympic medals at Paris 2024, American swimmers Kate Douglass and Regan Smith deserved a little rest. The close friends join the Olympics.com [https://olympics.com/] podcast to discuss their downtime - and why they felt like it was so important as they both set goals ahead of LA 2028 in three years' time. Among other topics, Douglass details an altered training approach at her collegiate alma mater in Virginia in a chat with host Nick McCarvel, while Smith opens up about her rivalry with Australia's Kaylee McKeown with Andrew Binner - and much more. Both women are set to compete at this month's World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, where the swimming gets underway on 27 July.

Kasra Mehdipournejad wants you to understand something about refugees: "We are someone like you; we're not different," he says on the latest episode of the Olympics.com podcast. "Same, same. We are human." It's a stirring message from the member of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team in taekwondo, who reflects on his Paris 2024 experience with host Nick McCarvel with both World Refugee Day (20 June) and Olympic Day (23 June) top of mind.  Mehdipournejad calls his Olympic debut "something really unique and different," and is already eyeing LA 2028. In the episode, he opens up on what his journey to the Games was like, how he'd like the Refugee Team to be an inspiration around the world and how his partner, Parisa, played a critical role in helping his dreams come true. -- Relevant links * Pau Gasol's full interview with Rafael Nadal from the International Athletes' Forum 2025: https://www.olympics.com/athlete365/news/iaf/tennis-legend-rafael-nadal-surprises-international-athletes-forum [https://www.olympics.com/athlete365/news/iaf/tennis-legend-rafael-nadal-surprises-international-athletes-forum]

British diver Tom Daley was just 14 years old when he made his Olympic debut at Beijing 2008. The now five-time Olympic medallist is a household name in the UK and beyond, and is sharing his story in a new Olympic Channel documentary, '1.6 Seconds.' Daley sits down with Olympics.com producer Scott Bregman to discuss the project, as well as reflect on his nearly two-decade-long career in the water - and how he navigated his biggest moments, including coming out as queer, the passing of his father, body image issues and more. Plus, fellow out Olympian Gus Kenworthy shares how Daley inspired him on his own journey. '1.6 Seconds' is now available on Olympics.com for the U.S. audience. The documentary is set for a wider release on 14 June.

Running is an activity over 600 million people participate in on a regular basis. This week on the podcast, we speak with two world-class runners who compete in vastly different running spheres: Marathoner Desiree Linden and 1500-metre specialist Yared Nuguse. Linden reflects on her decision to move on from marathoning earlier this year - but how she's far from done with running itself. Meanwhile, Nuguse - in our featured interview for the episode - speaks with olympics.com [https://olympics.com] producer Matt Nelsen about how his calm demeanor away from the track helps him on it. And yes, about that epic Olympic men's final last year at Paris 2024, where he claimed bronze.

"We are always going to get other teams' best shots," basketball legend Sue Bird tells host Nick McCarvel on the latest episode of the Olympics.com [https://Olympics.com] podcast. The five-time Olympic champion has been named as the first-ever managing director for the U.S. women at a time when the game has never been more popular. But as the USA has won eight Olympic golds in a row, the rest of the world is getting better - quickly. "We always know people aren't always cheering for us," Bird said of that international challenge. "And that's just a part of putting on that jersey; it's a part the pressure. It's part of what makes it great."