Keep the Flame Alive

While you wouldn't think para swimming is much different from able-bodied swimming, the Paralympic classification system makes it a more complex sport to follow. Classification helps level the playing field (although we learn here that it's not the most perfect system), but the diversity of swimmers and abilities means that there are a lot of classes in this sport. Case in point, our three guests for this episode.

We talk with Jessica Long, 5x Paralympian; McKenzie Coan, 3x Paralympian; and Olivia Chambers, Paralympic hopeful about para swimming, nuances of their classifications, and how the Paralympics has changed over the years.

Follow Jessica, McKenzie and Olivia on Insta! Jessica and McKenzie also have websites to check out for more information. The 2024 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials will be on June 27-29, 2024 in Minneapolis.

There are less than 50 days until the start of the Paris Olympics, and to celebrate that milestone, the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee adorned the Eiffel Tower with the Olympic rings. We have that news and more from Paris 2024.

In our TKFLASTAN update, we have news from:

• Wheelchair rugby player Chuck Aoki
• Artistic swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau
• Beach volleyball player Kelly Cheng
• Rugby coach Ben Ryan

And Jill has a full report from the Katie Moon Pole Vault Classic, where she got to see TKFLASTANI Katie Moon vault from about 12 feet away!

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

We're exploring team sports on this episode of Keep the Flame Alive. At Paris 2024, there will be 11 purely team sports: artistic swimming, basketball, basketball 3x3, beach volleyball, football, handball, hockey, rowing, rugby sevens, volleyball, and water polo. Athletes don't just have to be in top physical shape, they also have to work well with their teammates in order to achieve success. As we read in If Gold Is our Destiny, if players can't come together and play as a team, they're going to fall apart.

At the Team USA Media Summit in April, we talked with a number of team players who are ready to make their contribution in order to achieve victory and stand atop the podium, and we bring you those interviews here (links to follow them on Insta):

• 3x3: Jimmer Fredette, Canyon Barry, Dylan Travis, Kareem Maddox
• Field Hockey: Abby Tamer and Kelsey Bing
• Rugby Sevens: Perry Baker
• Football (Soccer): Emily Sonnett

We also have news from TKFLASTAN and:

• Beach volleyball player Kelly Cheng
• Wheelchair fencer Ellen Geddes
• Speed skaters Erin Jackson and Ryan Shane
• Equestrian Phillip Dutton
• Pole vaulter Katie Moon - Get your ticket to the Katie Moon Pole Vault Classic!

Be sure to show your TKFLASTAN pride at Paris! Get your Keep the Flame Alive gear here.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://mailchi.mp/ee507102fbf7/flamealivepod

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

We've been mesmerized by the last week of the World Games (and not just by how many American Idol contestants have come from Alabama), so we've got more of the action from Birmingham 2022, including thoughts on the artistic gymnastics disciplines we wish were in the Olympics, feed replay beefs and what could possibly be the deal with the mascot of the 2025 World Games.

Plus, we open the phone lines to hear from our listeners who watched and/or went, and we learn just how hot it was in Birmingham, what the sumo controversy was like in person, and how World Games compares to an Olympics.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit: https://wp.me/pbRtIx-1Wd

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show:

Tell a friend: http://flamealivepod.com

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

Is the 400m hurdles the event of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, or what?!? We got to see another great day of competition, both with monumental victories and heartbreaking losses.

Today's coverage includes:

• Artistic Swimming - TKF Jacqueline Simoneau showed how the Olympics isn't necessarily about winning medals; it's about doing your best.
• Athletics - Whoa. Just whoa.
• Baseball - We still don't understand this tournament.
• Basketball
• Beach Volleyball
• Boxing
• Cycling - Track
• Diving
• Equestrian - The course that spooked the horses.
• Golf
• Handball
• Hockey
• Marathon Swimming - Where feeding is....interesting.
• Sailing
• Skateboarding
• Table Tennis
• Volleyball
• Water Polo
• Weightlifting
• Wrestling

Plus, our popular segments:

• Where's Marnie McBean?
• What Officiating/Volunteer Roles Would We Want?
• TKFLASTAN Watch
• Fantasy League/Brackets Update
• What's Up with Mike and Maya?

We need your help! For the upcoming Winter Olympics and Paralympics in 2022, we'll have an on-the-ground presence. This will allow us to bring you an Olympics audio experience like no other. But getting to Beijing will be difficult, so we've got a Kickstarter campaign running to help get us there. Please check it out and support our efforts to bring you a better show. Thank you for your support!

Join in the fun - viewing guide, fantasy league, brackets and more at http://flamealivepod.com/tokyo

Text us/Leave us a VM! 208-FLAME-IT (208) 352-6348.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show:

Tell a friend: http://flamealivepod.com

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312069749587022

Newsletter: Sign up at http://flamealivepod.com

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

Hope you had a great Olympic Day! Alison did some sport climbing; Jill did elements of a triathlon, and we both participated on Team Olympic Fever for Team USA's Virtual Race (we're currently sitting in 3rd place--wooo!).

We loved seeing everyone's celebrations -- if you haven't gotten your participation certificate, send us your proof of participation. We'll get a certificate to you!

It's that time of year when the International Olympic Committee members get together for their semiannual IOC Session, and this one was a big one!

First up, the big decision: Who will host the 2026 Winter Olympics? Spoiler alert (in case you haven't heard the celebrations all the way where you are): It's Milan-Cortina.

Jill watched the bid presentations, and boy, did Stockholm-Åre have a sound plan guided by the IOC's New Norm/Sustainability push. However, as Alison pointed out, Milan-Cortina had more support the whole way through, and they had the government guarantees. What do you think matters more to the voting members?

Also at the session, The IOC celebrated its 125th anniversary by inaugurating its brand new headquarters, the Olympic House. Speaking of sustainability, the IOC could not stop talking about how sustainable the building is--and we have to say, it is pretty cool. Check it out here. And check out the fancy guards here.

The additional sports for Paris 2024 are one step closer to being added to the program. They are:

• Skateboarding
• Surfing
• Sport Climbing
• Breaking

While we'll get to experience the first three at Tokyo 2020, Breaking will be a first--and sure, everyone's talking about that dance sport now, but what really grabbed our attention was where the surfing competition could possibly take place.

We've learned many other things during this IOC Session, including:

• The bidding process for hosting the Games will change again
• The IOC has its own broadcasting awards
• AIBA, while not running the boxing tournament at Tokyo 2020, will be putting together the pool of officials. Anyone see a problem there?
• WADA is going through the RUSADA samples they finally got a hold of. It's not going to be pretty.

Tokyo 2020 tickets are on many people's minds right now. Jill and Contributor Ben snagged a few of the ones they requested. If you didn't get everything you want to see, there will be more opportunities. One way to stay on top of them is to subscribe to this bot, which will email you whenever a flash sale occurs.

Also, the U.S. Olympic Committee has officially changed its name to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. This is a big, visible step to becoming a more inclusive organization--hooray!

• Episode 2: Who Wants to Host?
• Episode 41: Wait, What Goes into an Olympic Bid?
• Episode 89: Ken Hanscom on Traveling to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

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