On the final episode of this series of SportSpiel we cross into the world of Muay Thai and speak to recently-crowned WBC world champion Ellie Harber. That victory was the 12th title claimed by the 18-year-old from Watford in a variety of martial art disciplines and was her first success in an adult tournament, which saw her win four fights in four …

This episode of SportSpiel is a very special one, as we delve into an important subject that is still in its infancy in terms of understanding – becoming a mum during your athletic career. Taking part in the discussion is long-time friend of the podcast, British Trampolinist Laura Gallagher, as well as England and GB Hockey star Jo Pinner who have …

Scotland Rugby’s vice-captain Helen Nelson is one of the most crucial individuals in the squad. With 55 appearances for the national team to her name she’s been a vital cog as the team looks to progress and improve – striving for bigger goals each time. With the latest edition of the Women’s Six Nations soon to get underway – with Scotland playing …

Aged just 20, Lilli Ives Campion is widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in English women’s rugby. And if it hadn’t been for one seemingly innocuous moment, she might never have even tried the sport to start with. Ever since then Lilli has gone from strength to strength within the game, making her Premiership Women’s Rugby debut for Lo…

Despite being in her early 20s, Liv Thomas has already experienced a lot in her sporting career. The GB and England lacrosse midfielder had to wait two years for her England debut, thanks to the Covid pandemic, but after finally earning that first cap she would go on to win a World Cup bronze in triple overtime. But the difficulties would rear thei…

Don’t die wondering – that’s Laura Siddall’s motto – and it’s a phrase you can see applied to so much of her life as a pro athlete. Laura now is a hugely successful British triathlete but her path into professional sport came relatively late in life. While sport was always important growing up she would go on to do a degree in Mechanical Engineerin…

Isla Mackenzie is on a mission – to inspire the next generation as she chases her dream of being a racing driver. Her early life is world’s away from what it looks like now. She grew up on a dairy farm on the Isle of Lewis, in the Scottish Outer Hebrides and she was driving anything she could as soon as she was old enough to reach the pedals – be i…

Ben Gallagher is a remarkable individual. After serving in the British Army for over 16 years, his life was turned upside down in 2019 when he was shot numerous times on active duty. Ben would sustain blast and fragmentation injuries to his upper torso and arms as a result of that incident – and without a doubt his body armour saved his life. What …

Beth Gill is one of Britain’s – and the world’s – leading canoeists. In 2022 she became C1 short course Marathon World Champion and she’s hoping to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the C2 500m Sprint. Remember, while there’s been women’s kayak events, women’s canoeing events only first arrived at the Olympics for Tokyo 2020. But there’s …

British weightlifter Mercy Brown has been on an extensive journey in her sporting career. But the comeback is very much on. The 26-year-old Londoner is an exciting talent and secured gold in the 2022 British Weightlifting Championships. But, unfortunately, her year didn’t pan out as expected despite that promising start and indication that the pote…

Brendan Creed has discovered a lot about himself since he first represented his country back in 2017. By his own admission he is a massive perfectionist, but he used to let it ruin his game. Dealing with mistakes has been a key change in the England and GB Hockey star and he has worked closely with his team psychologist on his journey. But that has…

After leaving school at the age of 18, Lauren Torley had barely touched a rugby ball. But fast-forward to now and things are very different. Few will have predicted that just five years later she would have represented England at a home Commonwealth Games and been named as one of the most exciting prospects around – but that’s exactly what has happ…

Netball used to be one of the most important things in Nat Panagarry’s life – but that has all changed. Last year Nat’s wife Katie was diagnosed with stage four clear cell cancer and life as they knew it was turned upside down. Suddenly playing netball for England and Loughborough Lightening paled into insignificance for Nat compared to what she an…

British track cyclist Milly Tanner has had a whirlwind last few years, and she’s determined to leave her mark. The 24-year-old switched from swimming to cycling back in 2017 through UK Sport’s talent transfer programme ‘Discover your Power’ – a gruelling process in itself as you’ll hear in this SportSpiel interview– but she hasn’t looked back since…

Cricketer Fi Morris has learned a lot at the age of 29. From making her county championship debut at the age of 14, to top scoring for her team in the first ever women’s Hundred final, there’s plenty to celebrate. But it has been far from an easy ride for the all-rounder. An incident in her early 20s led to a severe decline in her mental health and…

London Dynasty Cheer has grown exponentially in a ridiculously short time, and Joanna Haeger and Grace Lowe are key parts of that. This week’s podcast guests are the directors of LDC, as well as being athletes and coaches at the cheerleading club, and what began as a project in 2020 is now unrecognisable. With the initial aim of recruiting 23 athle…

Linn Sandstrom is one of the most determined individuals you will ever meet in sport. Currently ranked ninth by the WBA, the boxer has won three straight title fights – the WBC Australasia Title, WBA Asia Title and most recently the WBA inter-continental title won in October last year. In her words she is on a mission to never be “mediocre or avera…

British Olympic runner Amy-Eloise Markovc has plenty to be proud of over the last two years of her career. The 27-year-old became European indoor champion for the 3000m back in 2021, made her Olympic debut in Tokyo, came fourth in the 5000m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and she also broke the British two mile record in 2021 too. That’s just a brie…

The SportSpiel podcast is back with a brand new series of podcasts, starting from Tuesday, January 24, 2023. It’s been a busy last year for the pair of us, thanks to work, life and everything in between. But we’ve always wanted to get the podcast back up and running and now we have with a new schedule. Starting from January 24th we will be releasin…

Alasdair Hooper hosts the latest episode of SportSpiel with rising Scottish cycling star Anna Shackley. The 20-year-old seemingly came out of nowhere back in 2021 when – then aged 18 – she signed for esteemed cycling team SD Worx. Prior to that she had mostly been focusing on the track with the British national programme, winning multiple Scottish …

Alasdair Hooper and Will Moulton host SportSpiel’s Review of the Year 2021. The past 12 months have proven to be another turbulent year as we began 2021 in lockdown and end it with the emergence of Omicron. But from a sporting sense, there was so much to shout about with many fans being treated to moments of greatness. While many events were unreco…

Alasdair Hooper hosts the latest episode of SportSpiel featuring British kiteboarder Aaron Hadlow. While it may be a powerful description, it’s fair to say Aaron is something of a pioneer in his sport. The 33-year-old is a five-time world champion and has been dominant in kiteboarding since 2004. But the transformation the sport has experienced in …

Will Moulton hosts the latest episode of SportSpiel with returning guest - and Paralympic champion - Laura Sugar. For most people the chance to represent your country in just one sport would be enough. But Laura has had the chance to do it across three different events. After playing hockey for Wales, and then transitioning into athletics where she…

Will Moulton hosts the latest episode of SportSpiel with Olympic gold medallist Kate French. The Modern Pentathlon star was part of a historic moment at Tokyo 2020 when her gold medal, along with fellow Brit Joe Choong’s own brilliant win, meant it was the first time a nation had claimed victory in both the men’s and women’s event. The fierce compe…

Modern pentathlete Joe Choong was one of the stars of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The 26-year-old stormed to victory to become the first ever British man to win gold in the Modern Pentathlon. It came after fellow Brit Kate French won gold in the women’s event to make it a truly historic moment – the first time a nation has won both. For Joe that …

Alasdair Hooper hosts the latest episode of SportSpiel with Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Mallory Franklin. The canoe slalom paddler has every right to be recognised for what she has achieved in her sport. In 2018, she became Britain’s most successful female canoeist and she is a former C1 European and World Cup champion. She followed up that Tokyo si…

Alasdair Hooper hosts the latest episode of SportSpiel with former Peterborough United footballer Bobby Copping. Just over a year ago, in July 2020, the Peterborough youngster went up for a routine header in training. He landed and his vision went. He’d suffered a mini seizure and went on to spend four days recovering in hospital. The defender hope…

Will Moulton hosts the latest episode of SportSpiel with GB Wheelchair Basketballer Sophie Carrigill. Ten years ago, at the age of 16, Sophie was involved in a car accident that changed her life forever. She initially struggled with the change to her identity but she has since transformed herself into a motivational, and inspirational, individual. …

Sonny Pike was the wonderkid that had it all. He was the gifted young footballer destined to be a star, until it all came crashing down to earth. His reputation during the 1990s exploded and there was immeasurable hype that came with it. Dutch giants Ajax had swooped on him, he was touted as English football’s Diego Maradona and his legs were insur…

Alasdair Hooper hosts the fifth and final Mental Health Awareness Week episode all about mental health and nature. Joining the podcast for the discussion are GB steeplechaser Iona Lake and Christina Colmer McHugh, the Director of Moodbeam. Considering the last year we have faced, with the ongoing Covid pandemic, many of us have spent more time indo…

Alasdair Hooper hosts the fourth Mental Health Awareness Week episode all themed around mental health and sport in the LGBTQ community. Joining the podcast for the discussion are Karina Murray, of Sporting Pride Ireland, Assistant Editor at Goal, Emma Smith, and also Martin Stark, the CEO and founder of the World Gay Boxing Championships. Of course…

Alasdair Hooper hosts the third Mental Health Awareness Week special episode with commentator Chris Murphy on addiction recovery, depression and Sporting Chance. Chris knows what it’s like to decide to make the unthinkable decision. At the heart of it was a crippling gambling addiction, after first placing a bet at the age of 17, as well as a battl…

Alasdair Hooper and Will Moulton host the second of our Mental Health Awareness Week episodes all about mental health in the media. Joining them are Ryan Conway, The Athletic's Derby County writer, Tommy Wathen, the Sport Social Media Editor for the Mirror, Express and Star, as well as Rebecca Myers of The Sunday Times. Working in journalism and th…

Alasdair Hooper and Will Moulton host the first episode of our Mental Health Awareness Week series on addiction with Russell Pearce and Patrick Foster. Addiction is a major problem in the UK and former Welsh boxer Russell, and former cricketer Patrick, know that better than most having suffered from alcohol and gambling addictions respectively. In …

Alasdair Hooper hosts this episode of SportSpiel with guest Emily Borthwick. The high jumper had quite the debut for Team GB as she starred at the European Indoor championships back in March this year. She recorded a four-centimetre personal best of 1.91 to qualify for the high jump final and finish eight in Europe. But at the heart of that insane …

Alasdair Hooper hosts the latest episode of SportSpiel with 2018 MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings. In this wide-ranging chat the motocross star takes us through his childhood and the horrifying crash that derailed his 2020 season. Herlings was the red-hot favourite for last year’s MXGP world championship title but it all changed in September wh…

Will Moulton hosts the latest episode of SportSpiel with Saracens and England star Zoe Harrison. In a wide-ranging interview with the Women's Six Nations now underway, Zoe discusses her experiences of playing rugby at school and getting one over the bullies in recent years. From her perspective one vital piece of advice is to not take any notice of…

T38 sprinter Sophie Hahn has already achieved so much by the age of 24. Back in 2018 her gold medal in the T38 100m at the Commonwealth Games meant she became the first female track and field athlete to win the grand slam - namely holding gold medals in the same event from the Paralympics, World Championships, European Championships and also the Co…

Katie Milner is one determined racing driver making waves in motorsport. She is the first female to be on the McLaren Driver Development Program, was the first female Junior Saloon Car Champion in 2016 and she also won the inaugural British Women Racing Drivers gold star driver award. But, as she has moved up through the motorsport ranks, questions…

Deaf footballer Fil Kamps has had quite the career. He’s competed for Great Britain at the World Cup, the Deaflympics and he is also a British Deaf Football Cup, English Deaf Football Cup and English Deaf Football League winner. That’s a lot of success to enjoy, and to be proud of, for the now 27-year-old. Turning out for his country in particular …

Alasdair Hooper and Will Moulton host a special episode of SportSpiel all about Time to Talk Day. Joining the show to mark the day - held on February 4 - are British Olympic trap shooter Georgina Roberts as well as England and Northampton Saints rugby star George Furbank. Brought to you in association with The Mintridge Foundation and the Royal Agr…

Alasdair Hooper hosts the first SportSpiel episode of 2021 with Northampton Saints and England full-back George Furbank. The last 12 months have been quite the ride for the 24-year-old. Just under a year ago - January 20, 2020 to be exact – he received his first call up to the England squad for the Six Nations before making his debut against France…

Alasdair Hooper and Will Moulton host SportSpiel's Review of the Year 2020. The past 12 months have proven to be a year like no other - as major sporting events were cancelled and our lives were completely altered - but one constant has been the enjoyment of sport in our lives. For many of us it has kept us going and there have still been some fant…

Will Moulton hosts the latest episode of SportSpiel with GB Hockey stars Emily Defroand and Tess Howard. Like many athletes both Emily and Tess were gearing up towards Tokyo 2020, along with the rest of the GB Hockey team - a competition that would be the pinnacle of their careers. Of course, the global pandemic had other ideas with the Olympic Gam…

Changing Lives FC are a football team with a story. Every training session, and during every game, you can hear around a dozen different languages – that’s because each member of the squad is a migrant, refugee or asylum seeker. All of them have fled war, terror or they are in desperate search for a better life. They are all young men who would be …

Will Moulton hosts this episode of SportSpiel with We are Girls in Sport founders Caroline Kings and Jo Wimble-Groves. The pair have an identical vision on the importance of sport to girls and that was how We are Girls in Sport was born in early 2020. The global movement looks to share the stories and remarkable achievements of girls and women in e…

Will Moulton hosts this latest episode of The Women's Football Diary with Leicester City midfielder Remi Allen. In her third appearance on the podcast Remi reflects on the last few months as she returned to Leicester City 10 years after leaving the club where she first came through. Much has changed since then as Leicester are now a full-time profe…

Alasdair Hooper hosts the latest episode of The Women's Football Diary with Aston Villa defender Anita Asante. The England international, and former Arsenal and Chelsea player, is one of the most successful players around but her journey has coincided with plenty of personal realisations along the way. Right now she is homing in on the norm, or rat…

Alasdair Hooper and Will Moulton host a special discussion episode on body image in women's sport, in association with The Mintridge Foundation and Limitless. Joining us to pick apart the issue and share their own experiences are Olympic gold medal-winning Great Britain hockey captain Kate Richardson-Walsh as well as England Rugby internationals Ju…

Alasdair Hooper hosts the fourth episode of The Women's Football Diary with West Ham United defender Maz Pacheco. The USA scholarship system has long been a huge draw for promising women’s footballers in this country – but Pacheco did things her own way. Eleven days after signing for West Ham in the summer, the left-back graduated from Sheffield Un…