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PODCAST

Keep the Flame Alive

Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You"ve found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz, for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes, coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don"t find anywhere else. Tune in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We"re your cure for your Olympics Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

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All Episodes

52:21

Utah 2034 Update with Catherine Raney-Norman

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/04/23

While we still have Winter Olympics and Paralympics on the brain, we take a look at what's going on with Utah 2034 with Catherine Raney-Norman, Utah 2034's vice president development and athlete relations. Catherine is a 4x Olympic speed skater who transitioned into development work after retiring from competition. Given that Utah 2034 can't go after sponsorship deals until after LA28, it has created an innovative funding program called Podium 34. For the first time in Olympic history, private

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48:10

Female Athlete Protection and LA28 Updates

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/04/16

The International Olympic Committee has released a new policy on the protection of the female (women's) category in Olympic sport, which calls for gene screening for all female athletes. We talk about what this entails, what it could mean for sports, and whether or not we, as two women, feel protected. If you want to read the policy for yourself, you can find it here:

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17:43

Cortina 1956 Winter Olympics: Torch Relay and Opening...

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/04/09

Step back in time to Cortina 1956! We're back with another Olympics history episode, looking at the torch relay and Opening Ceremony for the Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 Winter Olympics. These two events were vastly different than what we saw at Milano Cortina 2026, and we compare 1956's short torch relay (partly on wheels and never in Greece) and short Opening Ceremony that for the first time was broadcast to the world on TV--and featured a major gaffe. Listen to find out what went down and the

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01:23:12

Post Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics Call in show

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/19

The Milano Cortina 2026 cauldron might be out, but our community still has a lot to say about these Games! Hear what the listeners thought about a spread out Paralympics and the amazing sports that we watched. And there might be a feed beef or two. Plus, Alison gives an update on her friend Eric Heiden, and Jill reports on the late 1980s downhill skiing scene in Northern Indiana. Thank you for being part of this podcast and community and for making the Olympics and Paralympics more fun than we could

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55:16

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day 9

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/16

The Paralympic flame has been extinguished, and sadly, the Games of Milano Cortina 2026 are over. However, there was still plenty of action on the final day of competition! Thanks to your support of our Grande Finale 150 campaign, we went to Milano to watch the para ice hockey medal games, both of which were the icing on the cake (especially in terms of record attendance) of a great Paralympics. Sports on today's program: Para Alpine skiing Para cross-country Para ice hockey Finally, the Closing

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38:57

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day 8

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/14

We're at the penultimate day of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics, and it was our last day in Cortina. Time to say good-bye to many friends we've met and fit in one last cultural moment. In terms of sports, we some some exciting competitions. In para Alpine skiing, the women battled rain and shifting light conditions to finish out their Paralympics with the slalom competition. We also saw most of the gold medal wheelchair curling match, which went down to the wire and had a nail-biting

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01:06:51

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day 7

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/13

Coming to you from Piazza Roma in Cortina d'Ampezzo, it's Day 7 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics. Alison went to para snowboard to see TKFLASTAN crush it in the banked slalom. Jill had a cultural moment (and a blood pressure check) and saw some wheelchair curling before going up to Tofane to watch para Alpine. On that ride up the mountain, she made a big mistake. Meanwhile, Alison got to celebrate some medals with Team USA athlete families and got some good intel along the way. Plus,

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42:22

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day 6

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/12

It's Day 6 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics, and the snow is holding up for a few more competitions. Jill went to para Alpine skiing for the women's giant slalom, while Alison went to wheelchair curling for mixed team play. Luckily, their time in Cortina allowed for a little cultural exploration because what they each stumbled upon was really good. Plus, we recap the rest of the day's sports action, and Jill finds that Giacomo in the Morning takes a surprising turn. Suprise! A new day

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49:29

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day 5

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/11

It's Day 5 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics, and the running theme of the Games seems to be, "It's getting hot," as the snow gets slushier in the heat. Athletes are using coded language (and sometimes not-so-coded) to express just how tough the snow conditions are, and how hard it is to compete under them. Jill and Alison went up to Cortina today for the medal round of mixed doubles wheelchair curling, which had amazing gameplay in both matches. Did Team Keep the Flame Alive's Steve Emt

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55:53

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day 4

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/10

It's Day 4 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics! Alison survives another Giacomo in the Morning experience to get to para Alpine skiing for (part of) the combined event. She also watched TKFLASTAN's Steve Emt and Laura Dwyer battle Korea in the semifinals of the mixed doubles wheelchair curling tournament. They've made it to the medal rounds, but what color are they playing for? Meanwhile, Jill had the six-hour commute to watch two periods of para ice hockey, but they were good ones, as

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55:00

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day 3

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/09

Day 3 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics was a struggle in transportation. Jill scored a massive win by getting to the para Alpine competition, but thanks to the not-well-thought-out transportation schedule, saw 1.5 of 6 classes. Still, it was a massive achievement for Keep the Flame Alive that we've finally made it to a Para Alpine competition! Things got better at the last round robin session of wheelchair curling, where TKFLASTANI Steve Emt and Laura Dwyer gave Team China its first loss of

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42:30

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day 2

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/08

It's Day 2 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics, and we head back up to the mountains for the finals of para snowboard, then into Cortina for some wheelchair curling. Plus we got an up-close look at several medal ceremonies, which meant we got an up-close look at the podium people outfits, and we have thoughts. Did Alison survive the bus ride? How did our fearless podcasters fare on the janky stairs at the para snowboard park? Hit play to find out! Sports on today's program: Para biathlon Para

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51:20

MIlano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day 1

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/07

Day 1 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics starts off with a wild (and nauseating ride) that does not end well for Alison, but she does get to an exciting day of wheelchair curling. Meanwhile, Jill made a questionable choice going up into the mountains, but got some interesting intel and took a gondola ride (and we know that gondola rides can end badly). We'd like to give a big shout out to our donors who got us to Milano Cortina, as well as our patrons who keep our flame alive throughout the

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48:53

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day 0

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/06

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics is officially underway! We've got the scoop from the Opening Ceremony from our inadvertent live show, complete with guests! We'd like to give a big shout out to our donors who got us to Milano Cortina, as well as our patrons who keep our flame alive throughout the Olympic and Paralympic quad. If this show helps you enjoy the Games more, please consider sending a financial contribution to ensure the show can continue through LA 2028. Find out more at

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48:52

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day -1

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/05

It's Day -1 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics, and we've made it up to the mountains! We've got the details of our trek to Cortina d'Ampezzo and our first foray to the Cortina Curling Stadium (which also involves a case of "Accesso Denied" and a surprise blood pressure check) to see TKFLASTANI Steve Emt and teammate Laura Dwyer in their second match of the wheelchair curling mixed doubles tournament. Plus, we tool around Cortina to see what the scene will be like once the Paralympic cauldron is

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38:49

Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics: Day -2

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/03/04

We're back in Italy and ready for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics to start! Between the Games, Alison went back to the States for some much-needed rest. Jill went to Lausanne, Olympic city, where she spent some time at the Olympic Museum and explains why it's a must-visit. After a long and surprising travel day, Jill made it to Venice, where TKFLASTAN House will be for the Paralympics. She also got to visit the Team USA processing center, which is a magical experience for their Paralympians.

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01:30:24

Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics: The Listeners Speak!

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/02/26

The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic cauldron might be out, but we're still keeping the flame alive! We talk with listeners about their favorite moments from these Winter Olympics. Don't forget that the Paralympics are coming up soon! Daily coverage starts Wednesday, March 4. Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the independent voice that we provide, please consider supporting us today. Go to http://flamealivepod.com/support to learn about our one-time and

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53:03

Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics: Day 16

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/02/23

Sadly, it's time to say good-bye to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. We had a few more competitions to start the day, with Alison seeing the nail biter that was the men's ice hockey gold medal final, which went to overtime. Meanwhile, Jill went to Verona for the afternoon, with some specific goals to achieve before heading to the nearly 2,000-year-old Verona Arena for the Closing Ceremonies. Sports on today's program: Bobsled Cross-country skiing Curling Freestyle skiing Ice hockey We

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01:02:18

Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics: Day 15

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/02/21

It's the penultimate day of competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and there's mayhem and beauty on the ice and snow. Can anyone stop Johannes Klaebo? Plus, Alison has opinions on finish line marriage proposals. Sports on today's program: Biathlon Bobsled Cross-country skiing Curling Figure skating Freestyle skiing Ice hockey Ski mountaineering Speed skating Keep our Flame Alive! We podcast about the Games all year. If you appreciate the independent voice that we provide, please

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40:59

Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics: Day 14

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2026/02/20

We're getting close to the end of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, which, for those of us based in Milano, means there are some slim pickings for events to see. That doesn't matter though. Jill went to IOC president Kirsty Coventry's end-of-Games press conference, and walked away with something she never thought she'd get her hands on. Alison went to ice hockey and saw the set up for what will be some fantastic medal matches. Meanwhile, Jill went to the last night of short track speed

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