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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

01:00:41

Episode 54: Jason Bryant on Olympic Announcing

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/10/11

MatTalkOnline's Jason Bryant returns to tell us about his adventures as the in-house English announcer for the wrestling competition at the Rio 2016 Olympics. It's a wild journey that goes through Uzbekistan, naturally. Follow Jason on Twitter and his network on Facebook for all the latest in the world of wrestling. We also have a slice of TOFU for you, as well as some insensitivity at a recent sailing test event. Wasn't us! We weren't there! Brand new: Join our virtual water cooler at our Facebook

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43:39

Episode 53: Youth Olympic Games? What Youth Olympic...

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/10/05

Did you know that the 2018 Youth Olympic Games is opening this weekend? Wait a second....there's a Youth Olympic Games? Yep. Jill and Alison spend this episode--and only this episode--talking about why the Youth Olympic Games exists and if it's worth the trouble. Olympic and multi-sport/multi-day event expert Rich Perelman talks them through the YOG and if it's a good thing for the Olympic movement. Rich is also the founder and editor of The Sports Examiner, a thrice-weekly publication that covers

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56:45

Episode 52: The John Naber Swimming Experience

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/09/28

Happy Anniversary to us! That's right--one year ago this week, we launched our very first episode (you want to go back and listen, right?.....Maybe not. We didn't really get into a groove until a few episodes in)! It's been a year of amazing adventures and fascinating Olympic stories, and this week's guest is no exception. We continue what seems to be a Montreal theme this year and sit down with swimming legend John Naber. John was the golden boy of the 1976 Montreal Olympics, winning four gold

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59:17

Episode 51: How Olympic Wrestling Works with Jason...

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/09/20

On this week's show, the dulcet tones of Wrestling Hall of Fame writer, broadcaster and announcer Jason Bryant joins the show to explain the ins and outs of one of the oldest Olympic sports: Wrestling. Plus, Alison hatches a 10-year plan to compete at LA2028. You can find Jason online at Mat Talk Online -- and if you like wrestling (don't you?--or don't you now after listening to this episode?), check out his podcasts. Jason is currently announcing at the Jr. World Championships in Slovakia through

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53:49

Episode 50: Being Sam the Olympic Eagle

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/09/13

Jill is back from the World Olympic Collectors' Fair, and she's got some great stories of touring the LA Coliseum and the LA84 Foundation. She also got to catch up with our Olympin friends, make some new friends and hear some great Olympic stories, like this week's interview with Joan and Sid Marantz. Joan and Sid have been Olympic fans and collectors for decades, and when the Olympics were in Los Angeles in 1984, they both volunteered with the movement. Joan worked in Youth Services helping put

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46:26

Episode 49: How to Build an Olympic Village with Yvan...

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/09/06

It takes a village to house an Olympian, but what does it take to create that village? Yvan Dubois, Director General of the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games and Mayor of the Montreal Olympic Village tells us how it's done. He was one of the first to create the environment that makes the Olympic Village special and contributes so much to the magical experience of the Games. Plus, kudos to Sarah Gascon and the US Women's Handball team for winning their series against Canada for the right to go to the 2019

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01:01:21

Episode 48: Sarah Gascon on Why We Should Play Handball

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/08/30

You asked, we're delivering! In today's Listener Request episode, we scratch the surface on the world of handball. Jill and Alison talk with USA Team Handball captain Sarah Gascon about the sport and what is wrong with America because it doesn't have much visibility in our country (no, seriously--have you seen how exciting this sport is??). Once you've listened to Sarah, you can watch the basics explained by USA Team Handball. You can also watch Team USA compete this coming week at a Pan Am

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01:02:25

Episode 47: Rowing with Olympic Gold Medalist Tessa...

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/08/24

We're on a boat! This week Jill and Alison get a rowing lesson from Rio 2016 Olympic gold medalist Tessa Gobbo, who won in the women's 8 competition. Learn when Tessa found out she was Olympic caliber, what training for the Games was like, how the water in Rio actually was and perhaps pick up some rowing tips. Tessa was honored in New Hampshire with a day in her honor. Tessa Gobbo Day is on September 9. Listen to learn how to celebrate it! DISCLAIMER: OLYMPIC® is a trademark of the United States

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01:09:09

Episode 46: Judo with Jimmy Pedro

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/08/17

You ever have one of those conversations where you just don't want it to end? That's this week's interview with U.S. judo legend Jimmy Pedro. Jill and Contributor Ben Jackson chat with Jimmy about the sport, how it struggles to find its place within American sports/martial arts participation and its relationship with MMA. Plus we learn why 2x Olympic Gold medalist Kayla Harrison decided to start fighting MMA. Plus, the U.S. National Gymnastics Champs is in Boston! Are you around and going to it

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54:50

Episode 45: Samantha Achterberg on Why Modern...

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/08/10

Modern Pentathlon is the Olympics' own sport, developed by the founder of the modern Olympics himself, Pierre de Coubertin. Contributor Ben Jackson interviews 5-time U.S. Senior National Champion Modern Penthathlete Samantha Achterberg on how the sport works and why it's a must-see at the Olympics. Plus, Jill and Alison create their own versions of a modern pentathlon that may or may not be as good as the real thing. Follow Samantha!! She's on: Facebook Insta Twitter Website If you want to catch

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54:29

Episode 44: "Boys in the Boat" with Book Club Claire

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/08/02

We're reviewing our first Olympic Fever Book Club selection, which means Book Club Claire is back! Claire Natsis joins us for a discussion of The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, a moving take on the 1936 U.S. Men's Olympic 8-person rowing team. If you want to watch the related PBS documentary "The Boys of '36," go to its PBS site. It's streaming there, but you might have to be a Passport member to view it (although the trailer and tons of clips are free on that site!). This page also has

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48:43

Episode 43: Exploring Mexico City 1968's Cultural Legacy

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/07/26

We're reporting in from the Podcast Movement conference, where we're learning a ton of ways to improve our show and do more fun things with you, our listeners! Thanks to the listeners who donated during our PyeongChang 2018 donation campaign--some of those funds helped defray the cost of the conference, and we really appreciate your help because this week has been so beneficial to us! Also, welcome to our new listeners whom we met at the conference! This year marks the 50th anniversary of the

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58:14

Episode 42: Montreal's Olympic Legacy

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/07/19

Montreal 1976 is the poster child for how not to build a cost-effective Games. The city went into a ton of debt (note: that's the city--we'll learn in a future episode that the organizing committee didn't go into debt), which infamously took 30 years to pay off. That must mean there are a lot of white elephant stadiums around, right? Not exactly. This week, Jill and contributor Ben Jackson go on a tour of the Olympic Park--or Parc Olympique. Their guide Cédric Essiminy, PR officer at the Olympic

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47:38

Episode 41: Wait, What Goes into an Olympic Bid?

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/07/12

In a nice display of transparency, the International Olympic Committee released its host city contract documentation. We read it so you don't have to--and we definitely understand why cities drop out of the Olympic bidding process. You won't believe what this contract calls for--or maybe you will. One really important thing in the IOC's efforts to lower the costs of hosting the Olympics: It does not yet have a mascot for its "New Norm" program. Maybe we can help them! Plus we've got an update from

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54:00

Episode 40: Synchronized Swimming Is No Joke

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/07/06

Today we're delighted to have Canadian Olympian Jacqueline Simoneau to explain the sport of synchronized swimming (also known as artistic swimming). This sport is no joke - it requires stamina and strength and the ability to take a kick, perhaps to the head. Jacqueline explains it all, the sequins, the hair gelatin, and the amazingly complicated moves like stack lifts, spins and thrusts. It's nothing like that classic SNL sketch. Jacqueline competed in the duet competition with veteran Karine Thomas

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51:40

Episode 39: Twizzling with Olympic Ice Dancer Charlie...

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/06/28

How did we celebrate Olympic Day? Jill and Alison are recovering from their exciting #OFODs and talking about listeners' celebrations. Then it's time to see whether Alison gets all fangirl over one of her favorite Olympians, U.S. ice dancer Charlie White. Together with his partner Meryl Davis, Charlie's won silver at Vancouver 2010 and gold at Sochi 2014 (check out their amazing free dance). He rounds out the medal trifecta with a bronze at Sochi in the team event. Charlie talks with us about the

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43:31

Episode 38: Erin Jackson's PyeongChang & the Canadian...

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/06/21

Jill catches up with phenom U.S. Olympic Speedskater Erin Jackson about her experience at PyeongChang. Then Jill & Alison talk about the Canadian Olympic Committee's brand new Canadian Olympic Experience exhibit at its Montreal offices. Erin's going to be competing at the Inline Speedskating World Championships in the Netherlands soon. Follow along here (in Dutch, but you might be able to parse out something). Or catch up with Erin on Twitter and Insta. You can find out information about the

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48:42

Episode 37: Beijing 2008 Olympian Olya Ovtchinnikova...

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/06/14

Bonjour a Montreal! Jill and contributor Ben Jackson report in from the Montreal 1976 Olympic Village, where they're staying for a few days. They talk about all of things that are holdovers from the Games, as well as some of the quirks of the building. Our guest this week is Canadian Olympian Olya Ovtchinnikova who competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in sabre fencing. In the first part of her interview with Jill, Olya talks about how the sport of sabre works (and why you need to practice watching

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48:00

Episode 36: Paris 1924 vs. Paris 2024

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/06/07

A look back, a look ahead. In 2024, Paris will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the second time they hosted the Olympics. Jill and Alison spend this episode looking at the innovations from Paris 1924 and the parallels between it and Paris 2024. We look forward to what the 2024 Games will bring! (we can only hope it's as good as Alison's rendition of the "Chariots of Fire" theme). Plus, a trivia extravaganza, and we hear your reports from Olympic Day #OFOD! Remember, you can celebrate Olympic Day

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40:09

Episode 35: Emily Cook on Overcoming Adversity

Keep the Flame Alive ·

2018/05/31

Contributor Ben Jackson is back with another part of last fall's interview with 3x Olympic Aerialist Emily Cook. Emily talks about overcoming adversity and returning from injury--and she had a doozy of an injury. Emily also talks about how to stay motivated and how to be OK if things don't go according to plan. Follow Emily on Facebook, Twitter, and Insta! Plus, we debut our Book Club with contributor Claire Natsis. Claire's first choice is the New York Times bestseller, The Boys in the Boat: Nine

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