Amazing Sport Stories
BBC World Service
Sport but not as you know it.Forget the champions. Amazing Sport Stories is about courage, underdogs, drama and myths and legends. These are global stories you’ll wish you’d known about and now probably won’t forget. There are other podcasts about gold medals and millionaire superstars. Expect the unexpected. Tales from around the world, all told in mini-seasons and one-off episodes. #AmazingSportStories
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Top 10 Amazing Sport Stories Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Amazing Sport Stories episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Amazing Sport Stories for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Amazing Sport Stories episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Chasing Mountains: Ep 3
Amazing Sport Stories
05/06/24 • 44 min
The mountaineers are climbing the final peaks, and three of them are neck-and-neck. The other two are close behind. They say it’s not a race, but their sense of competition is intense. Can they all make it?
This episode was updated on 17 May 2024, to correct an error in the temperature on the summit of Nanga Parbat.
Tackles and tailenders
Amazing Sport Stories
09/23/24 • 15 min
In 2003, Namibia's Rudie van Vuuren became the first - and, to date, only - man to have played at both the cricket and rugby World Cups. His feat was made all the more impressive by the fact that he was also working full-time as a doctor. His sporting career saw him take on stars like Sachin Tendulkar, Shoaib Akhtar and James Anderson; though Namibia rarely won, he still managed to find some small victories of his own. This is the story of a unique sporting life, and why he's still keeping company with big names away from the pitches.
Chasing Mountains: Ep 2
Amazing Sport Stories
04/29/24 • 45 min
Then there were five. Two super-fast new challengers are powering up the peaks, and the pressure is on. Edurne Pasaban, Gerlinde Katlernbrunner and Nives Meroi have been climbing the world’s highest mountains at a rate of around one a year. With the arrival of the South Korean climbers Oh Eun-sun and Go Mi-young, the stakes are supercharged.
Surfing the ocean’s mountains
Amazing Sport Stories
01/08/24 • 16 min
Looking out from a balcony in Nazare, over slumped, drying wetsuits, you can see it all. The stretch of sand, the salt haze, a spike of cliff and a scarlet lighthouse. Most of all, you can see the waves, a backdrop of bubbling white water and that distinctive churning white noise. This is the story of Nazare, a small town in Portugal where you’ll find the world’s biggest waves, some the size of a 10-storey building. It’s also the story of the people who surf those waves, putting their lives in the ocean’s hands - while also putting Nazare firmly on the map.
Audio scenes have been re-created for your enjoyment. Let us know what you think #AmazingSportStories
Ear wrestlers and high kickers
Amazing Sport Stories
01/15/24 • 13 min
Hundreds of years ago, the Native people of Alaska's coastal whaling settlements had a unique way of communicating when a hunt had been successful. A messenger would run inland and, when within sight, jump and kick both feet into the air. The passage of time has seen that disappear, but once a year the tradition is revived. This is the story of what’s officially known as the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics and those who take part in events like the high-kicks, the ear pull and the seal hop, to preserve a rare part of Alaskan culture.
Audio scenes have been re-created for your enjoyment. Let us know what you think #AmazingSportStories
The unfriendly friendly
Amazing Sport Stories
01/22/24 • 12 min
It’s 1998 and Iran have just played the USA in one of the most eagerly awaited matches of the World Cup in France. Now on the eve of the final, in a building on the Champs-Elysees, two acquaintances – one Iranian, one American – are hatching a plan. They’re hoping to change geopolitics, through football. This is the story how their idea for a simple friendly match would lead to death threats, an FBI decoy and the closure of American airspace.
Audio scenes have been re-created. Let us know what you think #AmazingSportStories
Trailer: The Black 14
Amazing Sport Stories
01/29/24 • 2 min
In 1969 Wyoming, racism is rife and 14 young black American footballers decide to take a stand. But the repercussions will change their lives forever. BA Parker takes us back to America’s turbulent 1960s to explore the injustice suffered by the “Black 14”.
The four-part season is coming soon.
The Black 14: Ep 1
Amazing Sport Stories
02/01/24 • 32 min
Sport, racism and protests are about to change the lives of “the Black 14” American footballers. It’s 1969 in the United States. They’ve arrived on scholarships at the University of Wyoming to play for its Cowboys American football team. It was a predominantly white college. The team is treated like a second religion. Then, the players make a decision to take a stand against racism in a game against another university.
This four-part season includes interviews with eight of the Black 14: Guillermo Hysaw, Ted Williams, Ron Hill, John Griffin, Tony McGee, Joe Williams, Mel Hamilton, and Lionel Grimes.
Content warning: This episode contains lived experiences which involve the use of strong racist language.
Podcast artwork: D8 Promotional artwork: Photography by Stephanie Wolf. Mural by Adrienne Vetter for the Laramie Mural Project.
Audio for this episode was updated on 2 February 2024.
The Black 14: Ep 2
Amazing Sport Stories
02/08/24 • 29 min
After facing racism on the field, “the Black 14” American footballers have made a decision. They’re going to ask the Cowboys’ head coach, Lloyd Eaton, if they can wear black armbands to protest at their next game against the Mormon-run Brigham Young University (BYU). They don’t expect convincing him will be easy. But they’re totally unprepared for his reaction, which will rock their lives forever.
This four-part season includes interviews with eight of the Black 14: Guillermo Hysaw, Ted Williams, Ron Hill, John Griffin, Tony McGee, Joe Williams, Mel Hamilton, and Lionel Grimes.
Content warning: This episode contains lived experiences which involve the use of strong racist language.
Copper Bullets: Ep 4
Amazing Sport Stories
07/08/24 • 34 min
One year after the crash, Zambia awaits the Africa Cup of Nations final. Football writer Ponga Liwewe and superfan Melody Mwala describe the fever-pitch atmosphere of hope in the country. Fast-forward 18 years, and Zambia are preparing for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations final in Libreville, Gabon, near the 1993 crash site. Despite fading on the international scene, Zambia’s run to the final is remarkable. Facing Africa’s best team, Ivory Coast, led by stars like Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure, Zambia’s underdogs have a chance to honour the legacy of the team whose future was snatched away from them. #AmazingSportStories
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FAQ
How many episodes does Amazing Sport Stories have?
Amazing Sport Stories currently has 52 episodes available.
What topics does Amazing Sport Stories cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Personal Journals, Podcasts and Sports.
What is the most popular episode on Amazing Sport Stories?
The episode title 'Trailer: Cursed?' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Amazing Sport Stories?
The average episode length on Amazing Sport Stories is 21 minutes.
How often are episodes of Amazing Sport Stories released?
Episodes of Amazing Sport Stories are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Amazing Sport Stories?
The first episode of Amazing Sport Stories was released on Oct 10, 2023.
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