We're delving into the sport of wheelchair tennis with American Charlie Cooper, who's currently ranked #2 in the world for junior wheelchair singles. He talks with Alison about the sport and his plans to qualify for LA 2028.

Plus, we also talk with Dr. Thomas Rietveld, a researcher at the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport at Loughborough University in the UK. Dr. Rietveld's PhD thesis examined wheelchair tennis chairs, so he answers our burning questions about tennis chairs that we had after Paris 2024.

Follow Charlie on Insta: @charliejcoop

Learn more about the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport here: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/phc/

Milan-Cortina 2026 has unveiled its art posters. This is a set of 10 works (five Olympic, five Paralympic) created by emerging Italian artists. Check them out here: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/milano-cortina-2026-olympic-paralympic-art-posters-revealed

Also, if you're interested in volunteering for the Olympics Closing Ceremony or Paralympics Opening Ceremony, find the application here: https://milanocortina2026.olympics.com/en/news/volunteers-experience-ceremonies-verona

This past week was Olympic Day, and the International Olympic Committee celebrated by officially instating Kirsty Coventry as the new president of the organization.

Plus, we have updates from Team Keep the Flame Alive - TKFLASTAN has been busy!

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.

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

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

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

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

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

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

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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

We're talking technology at the Olympics with Pascal Wattiaux, IT Consultant and former Director of Technology at the International Olympic Committee. He got his start with Olympics technology at Albertville 1992, and most recently he consulted with Paris 2024. He's seen massive amounts of change in technology used at the Olympics--and what it takes to deliver it. He tells all about the tech challenges of an Olympics–and there’s so much that you may have not realized.

Follow Pascal on LinkedIn!

The big news from Milano-Cortina 2026 is that the ice hockey groups and schedules are out. Who from the NHL has already been named to the men's teams? How tough is the women's Group A?

If you want to see the US and Canadian women battle it out ahead of the Games, check out the Rivalry series this fall.

In World Games news, the Chengdu 2025 medals have been released, and we've never seen anything like it!

We also have a ton of news from Team Keep the Flame Alive -- TKFLASTAN has been busy, including Bree Walker's turn on Have You Been Paying Attention?

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.

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

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

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

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

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

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

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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

It's our monthly look back at history--all year long we're looking at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Paralympics.

This month Alison tackles the massive Para Swimming competition, which includes the Paralympics' all-time medal winner Trischa Zorn.

Then we stay in the pool for the Olympic swimming competition, which is just epic, given Australians' love of swimming and their enthusiasm in the stands at Sydney 2000.

There are so many stories that it was difficult to choose just one, but Alison looks at the Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe (aka Thorpedo) and the amazing performance of the Australian men's 4x100m freestyle relay. Get your air guitars ready!

Then we switch over to the wrestling area, where Jill has the story of Canadian freestyle wrestler Daniel Igali's Olympic moment. And it wouldn't be a look back at Sydney 2000 without the biggest upset of them all: Rulon Gardner vs. Aleksandr Karelin in Greco-Roman Wrestling.

Our 400th show is coming up! Join us on Monday, July 14, from 8-10PM ET to celebrate: https://riverside.fm/studio/keep-the-flame-alive-live?t=d094981a869f108e400f

Watch the men's 4x100m freestyle relay: https://youtu.be/HQi9w5nV-L8?si=1rDNyyccZAFYOiAo

Watch Daniel Igali's gold medal match:

• Part 1: https://youtu.be/oDUQQoqeyWw?si=ziYn44BHay17rMaa
• Part 2: https://youtu.be/-yrBlAzTJwE?si=SlXIn_iVui4FNJ_s

Watch Rulon Gardner v Aleksandr Karelin: https://youtu.be/oVT3-wbL8HU?si=-JKqcWlbyTedSb4v

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

Find a list of sources used in this episode here.

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.

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

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

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

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

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

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

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

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