logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2023
40m 18s

Birgit Skarstein: Paralympic role model

Bbc World Service
About this episode

From rowing gold to tackling taboos. Paralympian Birgit Skarstein challenges stereotypes. A gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympics, she campaigns for women’s sport and disability rights.

Up next
Jul 2025
Marit Bouwmeester: Perfection and parenthood
Marit Bouwmeester is the most decorated female sailor in Olympic history, winning medals at four consecutive Games, including two golds. She credits her success to the mental strength she amassed over the course of two decades, committing herself to constant improvement, and succ ... Show More
35m 25s
Jul 2025
Derrick Loccident: A new challenge, a new life
Derek Loccident was a college American football player when, in 2018, an accident changed the course of his life. But despite becoming a below-the-knee amputee, he refused to give up on returning to the football field, and ended up exceeding everyone's expectations. Then another ... Show More
33m 27s
Jul 2025
Monica Puig: Puerto Rican pride
Puerto Rican tennis player Monica Puig wasn't ranked among the favourites for the women's singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Though she was in the best form of her life, she hadn't been seeded in the draw, which contained multiple Grand Slam champions and finalists, including both ... Show More
47m 52s
Recommended Episodes
May 2023
Wheelchair rugby
<p>Kim Chakanetsa talks to two Paralympic wheelchair rugby players from UK and Denmark about competing at the top level in this mixed-gender, adrenaline-filled, high-impact sport – that used to be known as murderball.</p><p>Kylie Grimes is an Paralympic gold medallist, competing ... Show More
27m 51s
Jul 2021
Sporting heroines of history
Multi Gold-winning Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson explores the role of women in sport through history. She looks at some of the milestones in sport for women and acknowledges several people who were pivotal in helping to make sure women were finally recognised – among them Alice ... Show More
27m 25s
Aug 2022
Twin Challenges for the IOC - Transgender Policies & Taliban Negotiations
The International Olympic Committee has met with the Taliban leadership of Afghanistan twice in recent months looking for guarantees men and women will compete in Paris '24. Not everybody believes it is the right approach. And Rugby Sevens gold medalist Ellia Green makes history ... Show More
57m 57s
Jun 2024
Chloe Kim on Olympic Gold Medals, Din Tai Fung Dumplings, and Everything In Between
Evan and Andre are joined by snowboarding two-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time X Games gold medalist, Chloe Kim Chloe opens up about starting in the sport, taking a break to attend Princeton, and her love for exploring new places. And of course her passion for Din Tai Fu ... Show More
46m 16s
Oct 2021
Bad Sport: Gold War
The world of sports and true crime collide in the new Netflix series, "Bad Sport." The show examines the misdeeds of athletes, coaches, officials... and even nations. Episodes include a point-shaving scandal in basketball, a match-fixing case in soccer, an Indycar drug smuggling ... Show More
35m 12s
Nov 2022
The Golden Girls of Zimbabwe
In 1980, the newly independent nation of Zimbabwe was invited to enter a women's hockey team at the Olympic Games in Moscow. Despite their unfamiliarity with the pitches - and each other - the players won an unexpected gold medal and were nicknamed the Golden Girls. In 2016, Clai ... Show More
8m 59s
Apr 2023
Olympian Chaunte Lowe's Ultimate Advice for Students and Success
tail spinning
9m 16s
Feb 2018
Swimmers
Two swimming stars look back on their extraordinary careers and talk frankly about sexism in the sport, how they overcame major challenges to keep competing and how they dealt with their period ahead of a race.Natalie Coughlin is among the greatest female swimmers in history, wit ... Show More
26m 55s