Beyond Sport with Fiona Stewart

On average, one woman a week in Australia is murdered by her current or former partner. 10 women a day are hospitalised for assault injuries perpetrated by a spouse or domestic partner. 1 in 3 women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15. These statistics have been pulled from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and tell a shocking truth about domestic violence within our society. Now you're thinking, what's this got to do with sport? Well, this episode's guest is determined to be more than a statistic. Kim O'Riley is a survivor of domestic violence, an advocate for educating sporting clubs and empowering them to take a zero-tolerance approach when it comes to violence. Kim bravely share's her journey, whilst still living with the effects that a former partner has inflicted, in the hope that it can help others. And what I like most, using sport as the tool to do so. A trigger warning for this episode as we discuss some heavy topics such as domestic violence and mental health, if this is something that is distressing for you, please feel to give this one a skip, if you require assistance with this, please check the resources in the show notes, or if you're in Australia call 1800 RESPECT.   https://www.1800respect.org.au/ https://itsneverok.com.au/ - Kim's website https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/victoria-police-interviews-released-following-domestic-violence-attack/e906c3a8-e3c7-48af-91b0-ffceb8457602 - background information

https://linktr.ee/beyondsportwithfionastewart

In this episode we are joined by Mitch James, a former competitive swimmer who found a love for lifesaving, in particular inflatable rescue boat racing. Mitch and I swam at neighbouring clubs once upon a time; however our paths didn't cross until this year, now that we are working together at Life Saving Victoria. In this chat, Mitch takes us through his swimming journey, and how that lead him to the world of lifesaving. We chat about the how competitive pool swimming can help you when out in the ocean rescuing someone, and the link between tumble turns and waves, if you're puzzled don't worry, Mitch gives the best description. Mitch really shows how being involved in the sport of lifesaving can be beneficial for the community, with over 50 lifesaving clubs made up of more than 37,000 members, working together to prevent aquatic related death and injury in all Victorian communities, which I think is pretty special.  As always, you can find all links to things mentioned in the show notes. Lets dive on in to the chat. https://beyondsportwithfionastewart.com/ https://youtu.be/pxBQLFLei70 (speech referenced by Mitch) https://lsv.com.au/

THIS EPISODE IS A MUST LISTEN. My second chat with the incredible Isis Holt, recorded earlier in the year,  we chat mental health and how she prepares for big competitions. If you want more from Isis check out the episode from last year recorded before the Tokyo Paralympics. This episode was recorded in collaboration with INSPIRETEK and doesn't follow the usual format of the podcast, however if you like it please send me a message for more like this.   Check out the websites here https://www.isisholt.com/mtjt https://www.inspiretek.io/ https://beyondsportwithfionastewart.com/  

We are back to the fortnightly interview schedule with Ironman, Glenn Strutt. Glenn started off as a competitive swimmer, however funny enough, our paths didn't cross in the swimming world, it was years later, on a beach at the start of a triathlon. In this episode we hear about Glenn's journey through sport and the rollercoaster that life outside of sport can take you on, but at the end of the day sport can be that tool to help you keep going. With the commonwealth games on right now, and after watching the world championships of so many sports it's a timely reminder that at the end of the day we are all humans going through our own battles and working towards achieving our own goals, no matter what sport you do or level you participate at. Before we dive into the chat, just a reminder to reach out on Instagram or Facebook if you've enjoyed today's episode, or even better, share it with a friend who you think would enjoy it.     https://beyondsportwithfionastewart.com/  

We're going to try something that is a little bit different for this podcast. If you can't already tell from over 70 episodes, I love sport and the power it has to positively impact individuals and the greater community. However, I think it's also important to acknowledge that not everything is sunshine and roses, bringing us to todays episode. I've teamed up with one of the most popular guests, Todd Buschkuehl. Todd is a medical student with lived experience about todays topic. CONCUSSIONS IN SPORT. You can find out more about his journey in sport WAY back in season one, and can find his youtube channel via the link in the shownotes. I don't want to spend too long introducing this subject other than saying that this topic is something we should all be aware of and take seriously, as athletes, as family members, as coaches and as fans. A knock to the head isn't something to be brushed off. The purpose of this episode isn't to provide medical advice, but it's to help get the conversation started and point you in the direction of some resources that could be found helpful. As always, I'd love to hear from you if you've liked this episode or found it interesting, reach out on Instagram or via email. I'd also love that if there's someone in your life who'd benefit from this episode, or any episode, please share it with them. Last thing from me before we get into it, there is discussion about mental health, depression, and suicide in this episode. If you're in Australia you can reach out to organisations like Lifeline or BeyondBlue for assistance.   Sport Australia Concussion Position Statement - https://www.sportaus.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/683501/February_2019_-_Concussion_Position_Statement_AC.pdf Article on Mental Health in children after concussion- Mental health after paediatric concussion: a systematic review and meta-analysis | British Journal of Sports Medicine (bmj.com) Head Check App https://www.headcheck.com.au/ The Australian Sports Brain Bank https://www.brainbank.org.au/

In this episode we talk with Sami Palmer, a world champion tumbler from the UK. Sami talks about what got her started in gymnastics, and what lessons she got from over a decade competing on the international circuit. She's now enjoying her time making an impact on the Australian gymnastics scene and sharing her knowledge and experience with the next generation. I hope you find Sami's energy and passion as magnetic as I did. https://www.samipalmer.com/

A few weeks ago I had the absolute pleasure of chatting to winter Olympian, Bree Walker. Now, Bree started on the track as a junior but she was determined to represent her country and made the switch to bobsleigh. In this episode Bree takes us through her journey and what it's like experiencing all the highs and lows that comes with being an elite athlete, but she also takes us though some of the incredible lessons she's learnt along the way. Coming from Australia where winter sports are not always the most funded or accessible sports to participate in, it's been really interesting having the opportunity to chat with some of Australia's most recent winter Olympians, if you're a snow sport fan make sure you also check out my chat's with Seve De Campo and Jessica Yeaton, after you've listened to this episode with Bree.

I'm a huge believer that sport provides the perfect environment to learn, explore and grow. This weeks guest, Gerard McDermott talks us through his journey through triathlon and more recently track cycling. Gerard shares his lessons and insight into how sport has helped him develop a growth mindset not just whilst in lycra but also in the business context. Hope you enjoy this episode and as always, you can connect via Instagram @beyondsportwithfionastewart, I'd love to hear what you get out of each episode.

Have you ever thought about how sport can help build character and teach you resilience? Well today I'm chatting to Matt Rizzo about the lessons being involved in athletics has taught him. In this chat you'll hear how Matt got involved in athletics and how at 18 years old he became the winner of one of Australia's most famous running races, the 2017 Stawell Gift.   Coming from the same high school, being influenced by some of the same teachers, just a few years apart. It was incredible being able to reflect with Matt on some of the pivotal moments in his sporting journey. A notable shout out goes to one of our teachers Nige Knighton who made a huge impact on both our sporting journeys, there's actually two episodes with Nige back in season two if you'd like to hear some of his wisdom, but for now… lets jump into the chat with Matt.

In this episode, our guest, speedway racecar driver, from Western Australia, Laura Byrnes shares her journey in motor sport. Not only is Laura an absolute delight to speak to, she passionately advocates for participation in motorsport. She shares the message that it doesn't matter your age, gender, height or weight, motorsport and driving is an incredible sport to be involved in. In this episode Laura is generous with sharing the lessons she's learnt along the way and how motorsport has shaped the person she is today. As always, you can find links to any of the things discussed in the episode in the show notes, and behind the scenes content on our Instagram page @beyondsportwithfionastewart. Let's get into the chat with Laura. https://www.redshamrockracing.com/ https://www.miraclebabies.org.au/ https://steelblue.com/au/about/breast-cancer-care-wa/

If you are a regular listener, you may have noticed that the weekly drop of episodes have slowed down, the demands of work and life have taken priority over the last few months, and as organised and on top of things as I try to be… I haven't been able to put the time required to bring you a weekly episode. From now, I'm going to aim for a fortnightly release until life settles down a little, so that I can still get all the important messages across with the time and quality they deserve. There's now over 50 interviews with wonderful people involved in the world of sport for you to go back and listen too. If you have a sport or anyone in particular you'd like to hear from send me a message via Instagram @beyondsportwithfionastewart. Now, let me introduce you to this episode's guest joining me all the way from the United States, Jessica Yeaton, 2 time Winter Olympian for Australia in Cross Country Skiing. Jessica spent her first few years in Dubai before moving to Alaska and discovering the wonderful world of winter sports. In this episode you'll hear how Jess' introduction to the sporting world wasn't just straight into snow sports and how her love and passion for exercise has influenced her life today. That's more than enough from me, let's hear from Jess.   https://jessicayeaton.wordpress.com/

After a week off, I'm so excited to bring you an episode with three time Olympic Swimmer, Alicia Coutts. Representing Australia at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics Alicia came away with 5 Olympic medals, including a gold medal and making Olympic history in the 2012 4x100m freestyle relay. In this episode Alicia talks about her early years in the sport, including what happened on the day of her first swimming competition at seven years old. We chat about the benefits being involved in swimming has given her and the lessons she's learnt along the way. It was an absolute pleasure to chat with Alicia, as a busy mum or three she put time aside in her day to share her journey with us, you may hear a minute or two of her youngest in the background, but push through because it's an important message.

This weeks episode is with a good friend, Robert Keeney. Rob takes us through the world of combat sport, particularly kickboxing, BJJ and MMA, he shares his insights into what sport can teach you and the lessons he has learnt about himself along the way. You'll get to hear what made him want to, in his words, put his pretty face on the line by starting a combat sport and how the love of training has transitioned over to his professional life.

Welcome to part two of my chat with Alana Baldi, if you haven't listened to part one, hit pause and go and listen. You'll get to hear about Alana's journey in sport and how she got involved in volunteering. In this episode Alana opens up and shares the lessons that sport has taught her and gives us an insight into the difference sport can make as a tool for social inclusion, and where she sees it in the future.

Introducing this weeks guest Alana Baldi. Coming from rural Victoria Alana has been involved in the sporting world since she was a kid through athletics and cricket. Not only has Alana been actively involved in sport but she is a huge advocate for sport being used for social inclusion particularly for underrepresented communities. With an extensive sporting volunteer and coaching resume Alana spends her time and effort helping others achieve their dreams in sport. This chat will be split into two parts with part two being released next week. If you haven't already make sure you hit follow wherever you are listening so it can come straight into your library.

This weeks guest is a close to home one, Bec Henderson. I normally introduce guests by their sport, but with Bec she's a multi-dimensional athlete. Bec and I know each other as we grew up swimming for the same swim club, where Bec specialised in the open water events. She then added triathlon to the mix as well as race walking. Debuting at her first Olympics last year in the 20km racewalk. In this episode we delve into the benefits of training for multiple sports as well as an insight into some of the nutrition and training studies that go on behind the scenes with high performance athletes. I've always admired Bec's balanced attitude when it comes to sport and training and it was a pleasure to take a bit of a trip down memory lane with her. Just a reminder, if you're liking these episodes to hit follow or subscribe wherever you are listening. If you're feeling extra generous I'd love it you shared it with someone who you think would also enjoy it. You don't need to be a sporting expert to gain something from these chats.    FIND US ON INSTAGRAM @beyondsportwithfionastewart

I had the absolute pleasure of being joined by this weeks guest, Australian swimmer, Sally Hunter. I had a bit of a fan girl moment when Sal agreed to come onto the podcast, as I grew up watching her achieve so many things during the decade she represented Australia in the pool, including competing at two Olympics, two Commonwealth games, and multiple world championships. But Sally's journey in swimming hasn't stopped there, after retiring in 2016 she has been coaching as well as mentoring and advocating for young athletes in the world of sport. Before getting into the interview, I wanted to mention that after recording Sal and I had a chat about how to navigate getting back in the pool after retiring but not being able to face it. The advice she gave me was to get rid of any expectations, not count laps or time yourself – which as a competitive swimmer these things are all pretty much second nature. But a few days later, guess who found themselves back in the pool and getting out with a smile on their face looking forward to the next time. I know it's easier said than done, but it's a piece of advice I had to pass on. https://www.sallyhunter.com.au/ https://otlr.org.au/

I'm please to introduce the first guest for 2022, two time Paralympian, Hannah Dodd. Hannah has represented Australia in not one, but two sports, equestrian and wheelchair basketball. Not only has Hannah competed at the highest level in what I'd call polar opposite sports but she's done so with a positive attitude. Hannah mentions something we haven't heard before on the podcast when it comes to resilience, so keep your ears open for that part of our chat. Thanks enough from me, lets get into it.

GET READY FOR SEASON THREE TO DROP INTO YOUR LIBARIES MONDAY 31st JANUARY 2022  

I have the pleasure of introducing you to the final guest for season 2, Lisa Darmanin. Lisa is an Australian Sailor and two time Olympian, bringing home a SILVER medal at her debut Olympics. If that isn't impressive enough, Lisa is also passionate about protecting our oceans and supporting and empowering people, particularly women, to take up the wonderful sport of sailing. I loved having a chat with Lisa about everything from the family sport of sailing and competing with her cousin to how not getting the result you were after isn't a failure at all. I couldn't have asked for better chat to wrap up the interview aspect of the podcast for the year, so lets jump on in.

This episode is going to be a little different from the weekly interview that's been coming into you ears each week for well…almost 9 months straight. You've just got me, for a quick bonus episode chatting to you about expectations.   AIS MENTAL FITNESS PROGRAM https://www.ais.gov.au/mental-fitness-program

This weeks guest is Australian Track Cyclist Gordon Allan. Back only a few months after his first Paralympic Games, Gordon takes us through the interesting way of how he got started in cycling – I'll give you a hint… it had something to do with his friend's mountain bike and a grassy hill. Gordon represented Australia for the first time in Soccer in 2015 before later making his international cycling debut in 2018. Posting a world time record in 2019. In this episode Gordon takes us through some of the mental tricks he's learnt through his time as an athlete and how he implements them into life outside sport. There's a few deep reflections in this chat, and I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed recording.

Today's episode is with a young changemaker in the world of sport, Abbie, the creator of HerWay Magazine. Abbie, who is 11 years old, said a lack of magazines dedicated to female sport motivated her to create one herself. Not only this, but she's donating $1, which is 50% of each sale, to UNICEF'S empowering girls through cricket appeal. Her first issue has been out for a month and the November issue is actually out today, so make sure you head to abbie_herway on Instagram to check out this incredible magazine. With that being said, if you know someone who's doing incredible things through sport, and using their love for sport as a tool for good. I ask you to send them my way, send me a message on Instagram @beyondsportwithfionastewart, I want to hear and share the fantastic ways people are using sport to help their community. In this chat you get a little behind the scenes insight into Abbie's passion of sport and some of her most memorable moments. This is a short and sweet episode but the message behind what Abbie is doing is incredible. https://her-way-magazine.square.site/

Today we are joined by our FIRST international guest all the way from Texas America, Tony Stubbs. In this episode Tony takes us through how he got started in American football and some of the injuries he's had to overcome along the way. Tony is a huge believer in positivity and overcoming obstacles mentally as well as physically and the passion sport gave him for health has transferred over to his professional life through the TTF movement. I'll be the first one to admit that my knowledge on American football is slightly lacking – however it was really awesome to see that although we come from different sides of the world, sport can still have a profound impact on your life. I hope you are feeling left as motivated after this chat as I was whilst recording it.   https://www.toningttfmovement.com/    

Todays episode is with the lovely Gemma Houghton, AFLW player for the Fremantle Dockers. Gemma takes us through how her journey in sport started with running and then onto basketball before making her way to playing AFL. Gemma takes us through the strong sense of community that sport provides helps you get through the good and bad times on and off the field. As well as gives us an insight into how the universe always has a plan. I love that Gemma is out there inspiring kids across the country to get out there and give sport a go. For anyone tuning into the show for the first time, make sure you check us out on Instagram @beyondsportwithfionastewart for special behind the scenes content, I love connecting with listeners and seeing where you are listening from, so take a screenshot and tag me in your Instagram stories. That's enough from me, lets hear from Gemma.

Today we are joined by the lovely Sarah Walsh. Sarah joined me a few weeks ago when she was in hotel quarantine just after the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Sarah's message is exactly what this podcast about and it was amazing to get to hear her story and the amazing opportunities sport has given her. What I loved most about this chat is that Sarah uses her sporting platform to give back to her community. Lifeline and Limbs for Life are two organisations that Sarah works with that make a huge difference in people's lives. You can find the details of both these organisations in the show notes. Now lets get into the chat with Sarah… https://www.limbs4life.org.au/ https://www.lifeline.org.au/

To celebrate international podcast day TODAY, the 30th September – I have a little bonus for you. Five-ish minutes of some of the most memorable sentences each guest has shared with us, all compiled together. You could probably call it a summary of what this podcast is about. If there's a message that resonates with you, you can go check out our Instagram page @beyondsportwithfionastewart where a special IGTV will have the name and episode number of each of the incredible messages. This is a bit random, but I enjoyed the trip through memory lane making this – so I hope you do too.

We are joined today by Aoife Coughlan, an Australian Olympian in the sport of Judo. You could say that Jodo is in Aoife's blood as her parent's actually met playing the sport and her siblings also participate at an international level. In this chat we talk about her introduction to Judo, and her background of other sports. The highs and lows of being involved in sport and how that's helped her grow as a person. As well as her well balanced perspective as athlete, coach and sport and exercise student. I really loved chatting to Aoife and I hope you gain as much from this chat as I did.

The podcast has been live for a whole year! We are joined by special guest co-host Todd Buschkuehl as he interviews me about the journey so far.   If you want to hear more from Todd, you can find his episode in season 1 episode 10. 

In this weeks episode we are joined by Josh Azzopardi, an Aussie track sprinter who actually came from a footy background. Josh has represented Australia in both OzTag at the World Cup and in Athletics at the under 20 World Championships. In this episode Josh opens about what he loves about athletics and what the ups and downs of the sport have taught him. Coming from an individual sport, I really admire how Josh see's his competitors as more than just competition, but lifelong friends.

Today we are joined by an absolute ray of sunshine Elana Withnall. Lani started off having a dream of competing at the Olympics, after being inspired by Cathy Freeman at the 2000 Olympics. That dream driven her to be involved in 3 sports at a professional level. Starting off in athletics and representing Australia in the Heptathlon before transitioning over to bobsled and then rugby 7s before making her way back to her first love of athletics. Lani is a huge advocate for how amazing sport can be for people and takes us through the incredible journey and major injuries that have lead to her to where she is now. Before we get started I'll leave you with the words of Lani, Live a little more boldly, dream a little more daringly and shine your light a little more brightly. And I hope this chat does exactly that for you.

This weeks episode is with the incredible water polo player, Hannah Buckling. I caught up with Hannah whilst she was in quarantine after returning from her second Olympic Games in Tokyo. Hannah's career in water polo started off with her being a little uncoordinated but flourished as she was stubborn and determined to improve. Hannah has had an incredible career throughout her years as an Aussie Stinger and in this episode she takes us through some of her highs and lows. Hannah touches on an important lesson that sport has taught her, of being compassionate to others and yourself, and I think with what is going on in the world right now it's a timely lesson to hear. that's enough from me, lets hear from Hannah.

Today we are joined by the amazing Sarah Carli, now  that name may sound familiar. Sarah is recently back from competing at the Tokyo Olympics – but her remarkable recovery from a life-threatening freak accident in February, 5 months out from the Olympics, is something that won over hearts all around Australia. You'll hear how Sarah's athletics journey started…all the way to how she found her way to the start line in Tokyo for the 400m hurdles. Something that I really found incredible is Sarah's attitude towards sport, humble and positive Sarah has such an incredible outlook in life and this makes me so happy to be able to share this chat with you.

This weeks guest is the lovely Rhemmy Gibbs. Former competitive swimmer and current distance runner. Rhemmy takes us though how she made the leap from swimming onto distance running as well as some of the highs and lows along her journey so far and what she's learnt from it. Rhem and I have known each other for years, swimming at the same local club and now working together, so I know what a hard worker and beautiful human she is both in and out of the sporting arena. Before we jump on into the episode a quick disclaimer that part of Rhemmy's journey includes her experience with being body shamed. If you find any of this episode distressing you can find resources in the show notes. Let's get into todays episode. https://globalsportmatters.com/health/2019/10/09/body-shaming-athletes-a-form-of-mental-abuse/ https://butterfly.org.au/body-image/body-image-explained/

Hello and welcome to this bonus episode of beyond sport with Fiona Stewart. I'm coming to you today with a special OLYYMPIC DEBRIEF with Aussie long jumper – Brooke Stratton. I virtually caught up with Brooke earlier in the week whilst she was in hotel quarantine after competing at the Tokyo Olympics. Brookey was kind enough to let me ask some interesting questions and gave us a behind the scenes look at what it was like to be at an Olympics that will surly be in the history books. If Brookes name sounds familiar, it's because it's her second appearance on the podcast – so if you don't know her story and the incredible resilience she's shown over the years, you can scroll on back to season 1 episode 6. I'd just like to take this moment to thank everyone who tunes in weekly to these episodes. This week I heard that over the last 18 months Melbourne has been in lockdowns the second longest in the entire world, and with my work being unable to open for so many months, this podcast has given me such a big purpose and frankly a reason to get out of bed in the morning. With that being said, the best way you can support this podcast is to hit subscribe or follow – wherever you are listening from. If you are feeling extra generous then sending it onto a friend or family member or leaving a review would make my day. If you aren't already following us on Instagram (@beyondsportwithfionastewart) – you are missing out on a lot of exclusive content. That's more than enough from me, let's hear from Brooke.

Today we have the pleasure of being joined by Melbourne Vixens netballer, Kate Eddy. Kate takes us through the beginning of her sporting journey of playing netball with her friends as well as the journey for her to make it her profession, including a move interstate to step towards her dream, before making her way back to Victoria and playing with the Melbourne Vixens. Kate's passion for the sport and the love for her team really shines though in this chat, and there is some incredible life lessons that she mentions that everyone could benefit from hearing… I know since recording I've had to remind myself of some of them at times. Kate is so bubbly and down to earth, so I really hope you enjoy listing to this chat as much as I enjoyed recording it.

Hello, and welcome back to beyond sport with Fiona Stewart, I'm coming to you today, during Melbourne's 6th lockdown with an episode that was recorded two weeks ago during lockdown number 5. I don't really have the emotional energy to comment on the politics of the lockdowns. There are so many people that are being effected, but I hope to think that the sporting and fitness community will be able to use the skills they've learnt through sport and physical activity to get them through these tough times. Reach out to your friends and loved ones, move your body somehow…even if it's just for 10 minutes – your mental health with thank you. This weeks guest has an amazing tip of taking recovery seriously, and to prioritise sleep. Speaking of this weeks guest, I should probably introduce him. Jack Gerrard an Australian Swimmer who has not only represented his country in two world championships – but did so whilst studying medicine, and can now call himself a doctor! Jack is incredibly humble and proves to everyone out there, that you can do amazing things both in and out of the sporting arena. In this episode Jack takes us through his early years in the sport and what got him hooked on swimming and the wonderful work he did as Club Captain of his swimming club. It was actually a Swimming Victoria developing young leaders day where Jack and I met, back in 2014 and it's been amazing to watch his achievements both in and out of the pool. Jack recently competed at the Olympic Trials which you can watch on amazon prime, you can find his 100m freestyle swim in the day 4 of finals. That's enough from me, lets hear from Jack.

Welcome to part two of my chat with Maria Alexiadis. In part one Maria takes us through her journey in Karate and how fell in love with the sport, if you haven't heard part one yet… hit pause and go back and listen to it. In this episode Maria takes us through the benefit sport has provided her as well as the lessons she's learnt along the way. Something I really took away from this conversation was that with passion and determination you can really achieve great things, and Maria is such a great example of this. I'd just like to thank friend of the show, Bruce Hyland, for connecting Maria and I. It was his wonderful guest recommendation that made this episode possible. If you have anyone that you know or would like to hear from then you can send me a message on Facebook or Instagram – and we can make it happen. Let's get into todays episode…

If you're anything like me, you've probably been glued to the TV watching the Olympics. I know growing up it was always such an exciting time getting to see all the incredible athletes show what they have got on a world stage. These athletes become hero's to children, they are the reason that they start a sport or continue with a sport. I'm coming to you with a little taster of an episode I recorded with Olympic long jumper Brooke Stratton last year. This was an early episode of the podcast, and I really had no clue of setting up the audio – not that much has changed, but please excuse the sound quality.   I love the fact that Brookey was inspired by watching the Sydney 2000 Olympics and is now about to step onto the world stage for her second Olympics at Tokyo. It really shows what a bit of talent, dedication and hard work can do towards achieving your childhood dreams. I think it's important to acknowledge that it's not always smooth sailing for athletes to get where they are, there's a lot of hard work and obstacles along the way, with Brookey being no exception of this. If you want to hear Brooke's journey before she jumps please check out Season 1, Episode 6. Brooke is jumping tomorrow, Sunday 1st August I'll be cheering her on, and I hope are too.

This weeks guest is Maria Alexiadis, an Australian Karate competitor who competes on the international stage. I had a chat with Maria whilst she was in hotel quarantine after returning from the Olympic qualifiers in Paris. Maria not only competes, but also coaches and is on the Board of Karate Victoria, hoping to make a positive impact on her sport. In this episode you'll hear Maria's journey and the passion and love that she has for her sport.   Carol Cooke's book mentioned at the start of this episode can be found here; https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-force-within-carol-cooke-am/book/9781920785031.html  

 It's official, the Olympics have started!! I'm coming to you today with a little bonus episode, or I guess a soundbite of an earlier episode of season two. With the Australian Women's Hockey team set to play their first game in the Olympic competition tomorrow, the 25th JULY, here's a snippet of my episode with Hockeyroo Steph Kershaw. This was recorded earlier in the year, before the Olympic team selection and I was so stoked when Steph secured her place on the team and making her Olympic debut.   I love that Steph grew up in a family playing hockey and that she still loves the sport to this day. If you want to know a little behind the scenes into a Hockeyroo's life and get to know Steph, you can listen to the full episode, season 2 episode 4, wherever you are listening to this. Wishing Steph and the entire Hockeyroo team all the best over the next few days of competition.

Welcome to part two of my chat with Carol Cooke, in last weeks episode Carol took us through her early years of being a 7 year old with a dream to 40 years later achieving it. If you haven't listened, hit pause and go back and listen to the journey. In this episode Carol takes us through the benefits sport has provided her, the lessons she's learnt and the interesting backstory of how she came to be the founder of the 24 hour mega swim. The 24 hour mega swim is an event I first discovered in 2012, and loved the concept so much that at the age of 16 I started a team and forced 14 of my friends to swim in a relay for 24 hours straight, raising money for MS. Carol takes us through the early days of starting the 24 hour mega swim and some stories of how the money raised has actually changed people's lives. If you're interested in this event, or other events, like racquetball and badminton, mentioned in this episode, you can find the link in the show notes. It was such an honour to be able to speak to Carol about some of her sporting achievements, but also learn more about an event that has been so pivotal in changing my perception on sport.

Today, I'm coming to you with such an incredible guest, someone who has inspired me since I was a teenager for not only her sporting achievements but also what she achieved before she became a Paralympian and World Champion. Carol Cooke started off as a 7yr old who had a dream of representing her country at the Olympics. In this episode Carol takes us through her journey through her early sporting career in Canada, her MS diagnosis and her journey though rowing and then onto becoming a 9 time world champion in cycling. https://carolcooke.com.au/ Carol is truly inspiring, and I couldn't help but ask her more and more questions, so part two will be released next Monday, make sure you hit following so you don't miss the drop of that episode.  

Welcome to part two of my chat with Cam Elliott, the amazing performance coach who looks beyond the athlete to the human standing in front of him. If you have not listed to part one, hit pause and go listen to that now, this episode will be waiting for you when you come back. In this episode we chat about the lessons Cam has learnt along the way as well as an interesting perspective on the future of sport, in particular the place of performance enhancing drugs in sport.

Today we are joined by Cam Elliott a performance coach who looks beyond the athlete in front of him to the human that's behind the athlete. My chat with Cam is split into two parts with this first part exploring what Cam does, how he got into the world of performance coaching and his motivation behind doing it. Before we get started, I'd just like to thank each and every listener for tuning into the podcast, I hope you're not only enjoying the content but also feeling heard with some of the experiences that each one of the amazing guests bring. In saying that make sure you head over to Instagram and give the page a follow @beyondsportwithfionastewart, this is where you can find exclusive behind the scenes content as well as a sneaky picture or two of my Labrador puppy Harry. If you have any feedback, topic or guest suggestions, send it through to me – I'd love to hear from you! Okay, that's enough from me, lets hear from Cam.

Welcome to part two of my chat with Sarah Blackmore, gymnast, gymnastics coach and Ninja Warrior. If you haven't listened to part one, released last week – hit pause and go back and listen to it now! In this episode Sarah share's the wonderful benefits sport has given her as well as the lessons she's learnt along the way. We also gain some insight into her incredible charity events and fundraising efforts. Sarah's energy and passion left me feeling so lit up – so I hope after listening to this chat you feel just as full as I did. Find information about the Paul Lyons Foundation in the link below.  http://ninja.org.au/the-paul-lyons-foundation/

We are joined by the incredible Sarah Blackmore, gymnast, gymnastics coach and Ninja Warrior. Sarah represents everything this podcast is about, using her passion for sport to help positively impact others. My chat with Sarah will be split into two parts, with part two being released next Monday! In this episode we learn about Sarah's start to gymnastics and the work she is now doing as a coach, and in advocating for the future of the sport. As well as getting some insight of how she got involved in the Ninja community. You may have seen Sarah's face, and amazing ninja skills pop onto your TV's last year, and might have even seen her pop up in this year's trailer for Ninja Warrior, which airs this Sunday, 20th June on channel 9.

This weeks guest is Tom Dade, an ultra runner who thrives off challenging himself to push beyond the limits through some extraordinary adventures. Tom and I chatted virtually last week – as we are both in Melbourne experiencing lockdown number 4, about the incredible things that he has achieved at the age of 22, as well as some of the challenges he has faced along the way. Tom's got a strong message to believe in yourself and that you are more capable than what you think, this chat certainly inspired me, so I hope you enjoy this episode. Before we jump in, just a quick warning that we do briefly touch on eating disorders early on in this episode, so if this is triggering for you, please feel free to skip the 6 and a half minute mark. If you do want to learn more or need assistance, there's many great organisations out there, one being the butterfly foundation – where you can find the link to this in the show notes. https://butterfly.org.au/get-support/helpline/ Find Tom on Instagram @tomdade11 

Today we are joined by Australian cross country skier, Seve De Campo. Seve takes us through his early years participating as a junior in cricket and AFL, and how he made his way to cross country skiing and the moment he knew he was passionate about it. I found it really interesting to get an insight to how someone is able to train and compete at an international level in a winter sport when our country, Australia, is known for it's warm weather. Before we get started, this chat was recorded before Melbourne went it's 4th lockdown, so any reference to the freedoms we have might be slightly out of context – but it just goes to show how quickly things can change in the space of a week. For my fellow Victorian's, There's a fair few lessons that Seve was able to share, mixed with a healthy amount of banter. So I hope you enjoy this episode.

This weeks guest is Lindsay Trotter, a member of the speedway racing community. Lindsay started off his motor sport journey racing motor cross before moving to karting and then sprint cars. Now he uses over 40 years of expertise as a crew chief of a team. Dad and Lindsay are good friends and I've known Lindsay for as long as I can remember, so much so that he took me out for a driving lesson whilst I was first learning to drive. I've always admired his passion for motor sport.