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PODCAST

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan

Ashley Cain & Dani Aravich

Flame Bearers is a women"s sports storytelling studio. We tell stories via video production, podcasts, and live events and have supported just shy of 400 world-class athletes from 52 countries.In a landscape where 85% of coverage is dedicated to men and the remaining 15% often highlights a narrow segment of women athletes, we broaden the lens to highlight diverse voices. Why? Because we’re here to inspire the next generation of athletes, centering their stories on their terms. Our mission is to

sports personal journals

All Episodes

25:21

Alexa Moreno (MEX): Vaulting Over the Critics

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/11/09

Alexa is a 2x Olympian (Tokyo and Rio) and the first Mexican woman to win a World Championship Medal. She's one of the 100 most powerful women in Mexico (via Forbes Magazine), yet according to her manager, Frida Martinez, "She doesn't know she's a role model. That's her superpower. She doesn't know she's that big." In this episode we hear about Alexa's tumultuous rode to Tokyo, her recovery after the Games, and her struggles with cyberbullying. As Alexa has spoken out about

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27:27

Diede de Groot (NED): Conquering the Courts & Finding...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/10/26

Diede de Groot has won 31 majors, is the current world No. 1 in both singles and doubles, and achieved a Golden Grand Slam: winning all four major tournaments in a calendar year (2021). She's also a force off the court; Diede advocates for people with disabilities and adaptive clothing. "It's not always easy to find the proper clothing for people with disabilities." As Diede has racked up record-breaking wins, she's become increasingly outspoken about what matters to her. In

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33:59

Sue Bird (USA): Bigger Than Basketball

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/10/13

Sue is one of the most iconic athletes in the world: she's been a professional athlete for 20 years, won 5 gold Olympic medals (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) and has become one of the most outspoken advocates for social change. Further, between her Olympic and FIBA World Cup medals, she holds the most medals of any basketball athlete in the world (male or female). She also holds 4 WNBA and 2 NCAA Championships. In this episode, we focus on Sue's commitment to social change and

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1:12

Season 3 Trailer: Keeping the Fire Burning

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/10/05

Flame Bearers: Keeping the Fire Burning spotlights women Olympians and Paralympians who sought to compete in the Tokyo Summer or Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. In this season, we discuss what happens AFTER the Games, when the fans and cameras go home. We’re going beyond the glamour to see how these women stay focused when the focus isn’t on them. First full episode drops Wednesday, October 12th. Flame Bearers is the first and only global storytelling platform for women

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27:57

Simidele Adeagbo (Nigeria): The Original Sleigh Queen

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/04/06

Simidele (Simi) was the first African and black woman to compete in Skeleton at the Olympics, and more recently, the first African to take home gold at an international bobsled competition: "We don't have the facilities [in Nigeria], and we don't have the equipment, so to know that I was going into that space with a lot of barriers, and to know that I was still able to win was very symbolic. It showed me what was possible." While Simi just missed qualifying for Beijing in the

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23:23

Ukrainian Athletes: What the World Needs to Hear

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/03/23

In light of Russian war on Ukraine, this special edition episode is different than our normal episodes. In an effort to elevate Ukranian voices and the connection between sports and politics, we speak with three elite Ukrainian athletes: Valentina Molchanets (Professional Triathlete and European Champion, Aquathlon, U23), Vita Oleksiuk (Paralympian, Currently #5 in World Paratriathlon ranking, 10th place Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games), and Olena Kryvystka (3X Olympian, 3x World

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15:31

Mihaela Hogas (Romania): Breaking Barriers Through...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/03/09

When Mihaela was 9, she went to a park and saw some kids inline skating. She didn't realize it was actually for the winter sport of speed skating, but she was curious enough to give it a try herself: "In that moment, I decided my life. Here I am 13 years later, still doing it" despite the fact that Romania doesn't have any rinks for her to train on. Mihaela is now her country's fastest female speed skater. In this episode, Mihaela reveals how the life of a professional athlete

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19:34

Kendall Gretsch (USA): 2 Games in 2 Sports Within 6...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/03/02

3x Paralympic Gold Medalist, Kendall Gretsch is one of the only athletes who competed in Tokyo this past summer who is also competing in Beijing. Less than 6 months ago Kendall won gold in Paratriathlon, and she's now one of the Para Nordic favorites in Beijing. In this episode we talk about how Kendall got into para sports, what the postponement meant for her, and her goals for the future. Contributing experts include Emily Allison (Kendall's Roomate) and Patrick Criteser (CEO &

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20:38

Dr. Natalia Siuba-Jarosz (Poland): Being a Doctor &...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/02/16

Dr. Natalia Siuba-Jarosz is an elite Polish Parasnowboarder and Doctor in Radiology. She has gone by Simba ever since her last name was misspelled in grade school, and the nickname stuck. In this episode we hear how Natalia balances both the world's of elite snowboarding and being a doctor, as well as her thoughts on women in the sport. Hint: we need more women. "Now it's changing, but almost all of the coaches from other teams are men...It's hard to be a disabled woman in

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18:52

Valentina Margaglio (Italy): the Skeleton Lioness

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/02/09

Valentina or 'The Lioness' grew up in Italy as a 'very competitive child' with her three sisters and one brother. She describes her heritage as "the perfect mix" of cultures, crediting each of her parents and their respective origins with various parts of who she is today (her Dad is from Italy and her Mom is from the Ivory Coast). Valentina is the first Italian to ever win a Skeleton medal in the World Championships and she’s now poised to dominate the ice in Beijing. In this

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16:50

Aline Rocha (Brazil): Sport as Freedom & Women in...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/02/02

When Aline was 15 years old, she was in a car accident that paralyzed her from the waist down. That said, she says "sport changed my life, not the accident." According to Aline sport gave her wings, the ability to travel, and to meet people from all over the world. In this episode, we speak with Brazilian Paralympic cross-country skier, Aline Roche about her passion for sport, and what it’s like to be the only female para cross country skier from all of South America competing in

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21:08

Mialitiania Clerc (Madagascar): Being the First...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/01/26

Mialitiana (Mia) is the first woman Winter Olympian from Madagascar and her goal is to "inspire all Africans." While she grew up in France with her adoptive parents, a big part of Mia's identity is as a Malagasy, and she wants to be living proof that a black African woman can reach the top in this sport. In this episode, Mia shares what it means to be the first and only Malagasy woman to compete in the Winter Olympics, as well as about her remarkable recovery from her broken tibia

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18:56

Mariama Jamanka (Germany): the Underdog Gold Medal...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/01/19

Reigning Olympic gold medalist, Mariama Jamanka never thought the words 'Olympic Champion' would apply to her, as a relative newcomer to bobsledding and as a member of the former 2nd German sled. In PyeongChang, Mariama and brakewoman, Lisa Buckwitz shattered all expectations, shocking the world by winning gold. In this episode, we speak with Mariama about her underdog gold medal and what it’s like being a woman of color bobsledder. Going into the 2018 Games she kept thinking,

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23:56

Bradie Tennell (USA): Figure Skating & Making the...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/01/12

US Olympic bronze medalist and 2X National Champion figure skater, Bradie Tennell has already made a career out of breaking records…and unfortunately her feet. As of Dec. 31 2021, (just after this interview was recorded), Bradie made the tough decision to withdraw from figure skating Nationals due to her chronic foot injury. Though Bradie’s path to the Beijing Olympics ends here, her journey is well worth celebrating as a fantastic example of her prioritizing herself and her love

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26:35

Акжана Абдикаримова (ROC): The Invisibility of...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2022/01/05

To kick off Season 2, we speak with 2x Russian Paralympian (soon to be 3x), biathlete and wheelchair racer, Akzhana Abdikarmova. She shares what it means to represent the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and sheds light on the invisibility of disability in Russia, how it has evolved, and how it hasn’t over the past 30 years. Akzhana grew up with spina bifida and is constantly looking for ways to inspire local youth with disabilities; that's why she started several Instagram

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33:38

Caster Semenya (South Africa): Who Decides Who's...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2021/11/19

It’s been a while since the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, but we wanted to amplify and celebrate a voice the world missed in Japan. 2x Olympic gold medalist and 3x World Champion runner, Caster Semenya was barred from competing in her events because of her higher than 'normal' testosterone levels. Caster was legally blocked by the International Association of Athletics Federations (now World Athletics) from competing unless she changed her natural body via hormone shots, surgery,

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11:34

Kamila Dosmalova (Kazakhstan): Being the Only Woman...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2021/09/01

Kamila started taekwondo when she was 9 years old and was the only girl on the team; years later, she's still the only woman, this time on Kazakhstan's Parataekwondo Paralympic team. In this episode, we speak with Kamila and her coach, Sultan, with the help of her friend and colleague, Meyept, Manager, National Paralympic Committee of Kazakhstan who translated our conversation live from Russian. In this conversation we discuss what it's meant for Kamila to be the only woman

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27:09

Jessica Long (USA): Perfection, Faith & Paraswimming

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2021/08/18

Jessica Long is one of the most successful athletes in Paralympic Games' history, holding 23 medals with 13 of them being gold. As she heads into her fifth Paralympics, Jessica shares that while her gold medals are "super cool", for her, it's "really about the journey." In this episode, this naturalized American swimmer from Russia shares what it's like to grow up adopted, without legs, and born on a leap year, and how she strived to find perfection as a means to fill what she

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17:33

Ni Nengah Widiasih (Indonesia): Para Powerlifting &...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2021/08/04

At the age of four, Ni Negah Widiasih lost use of her legs at age four due to polio. In Rio she made history, becoming Indonesia's first Paralympic powerlifting medalist. Ni Negah is a firm believer that 'You were born to stand out, to be appreciated and loved for who you are.' According to her, her journey to Tokyo is thanks to the unwavering support of her family and friends. Despite her unique set of challenges, Ni Negah is determined to go for the gold while rolling with the

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26:26

Jacqueline Simoneau (Canada): Artistic Swimming,...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2021/07/21

In this episode, we speak with 4X Pan American Games' gold medallist and soon to be 2X Canadian Olympic Jacqueline Simoneau. At home, she's Jacqueline and in the pool, she goes by Jackie. We hear how her journey to the Olympic pool has been “synchronized” with hard work, a touch of glamour and the loving support of family and friends. We explore how the sport of artistic swimming evolved from the days of vaudeville as well as how gender plays a role in unexpected

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165 results

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