1. Origins of the Olympics
The Olympics. It’s the most famous sporting event in the world, and the 33rd Olympiad is taking place in Paris right now. But how did it all begin?
It’s a story that takes us back more than 2,000 years. Featuring mythological heroes like Heracles, ancient athletes that became celebrities and the great sanctuary of Olympia in western Greece, home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
In this episode of The Ancients Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Judith Swaddling to delve into the origins of the Olympic Games, uncovering how they were founded and what the earliest Olympics looked like.
2. The Olympic Games with Dan Snow
From Ancient Greece to when it was reborn in 1896, the tournament has nearly 3,000 years of history. Sports historian, Professor Martin Polley from De Monfort University, joins Dan on the podcast to tell the, sometimes surprising, story of the competition. How did it become the international sporting event it is today? How have the games affected global politics and diplomacy? And how is Shakespeare connected to its history?
3. A History of Cheating with the QI Elves
As the 2024 Olympics get underway, Dan is joined by the QI Elves James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski to talk about cheating in sports – why do we do it and how far back it goes (spoiler: a long time!) From the man who jumped into a car during the 1904 Olympic marathon to the Puerto Rican twins who swapped places at the Los Angeles Games long jump, here are some of the most audacious stories.
4. Sportswashing and the Nazi Olympics
Autocracies and democracies alike have long relied on major sporting events to shore up their legitimacy and project their presence on the world stage. But why is sporting prowess so important for consolidating state power and prestige? Is it inevitable, and if not, how do we prevent it? Dan is joined by Jules Boykoff, Professor of Politics and Government at Pacific University, Oregon to talk about all these things, and more.
5. Britain's Forgotten Olympic Heroes
in this episode, we celebrate two great British Olympians of the past Anita Neil and Hugh ‘Jumbo’ Edwards. These are two very different athletes from completely different backgrounds, but each highlights the Olympic spirit at its finest.
Firstly, Dan speaks to a British Olympic pioneer Anita Neil who was the first black woman to represent Great Britain at the games. Anita was an extraordinary sprinter who represented Great Britain at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico and the 1972 games in Munich. Anita and Dan discuss he journey to the Olympics, her experiences there and the struggles she faced trying to compete at the highest level.
Then Dan speaks to Gavin Jamieson about the extraordinary life of Hugh ‘Jumbo’ Edwards. A legend in the sport of rowing he competed in the Oxford Cambridge boat race, won three races at the Henley Regatta and then went on to the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932 where he won two Olympic gold medals in the space of an hour; a record that stills stands today. During the Second World War, he joined the RAF and was a decorated pilot in Bomber Command and later in life became an innovative rowing coach.
Listen to our recent episode examing the history of the Olympics with Professor Martin Polley here.