The Opponents

This is one of those stories that puts things into perspective. In 2016 Vic was a bright young talent on the Team GB cycling team. Just months out from the Rio Olympics she suffered a horrific crash at the velodrome which left her with a broken neck, back and pelvis. In this interview, Vic tells the story of what happened that day, and the 752 days of intense rehabilitation and recovery that she went through to not only walk again, but to attempt to re-qualify for the Olympic cycling team. This is a story of sheer determination and unwavering mindset by both Vic and the team around her. In this interview we spoke about: - Vic's journey into sprint cycling and early successes- The crash- The early days in hospital and extent of her injuries- 9 incredible months at the Bisham Intensive Rehabilitation Unit. - Embarking on the huge mission of re-qualifying for Team GB- Vic's strategies for coping mentally through her rehab - Vic's 3 pieces of advice for anyone facing a long rehab process- Switching to bobsleigh!- Making the difficult decision to step away from elite sport - Vic's new direction and looking to the future

Sam King ran an astonishing 80 ultramarathons in 80 days, honouring his Mum after she suffered a bleed on the brain and almost died, and raising money for charity, Headway UK. Furthermore, Sam completely overhauled his health - going from inactive, overweight gamer (number 1 at Call of Duty at one point!) to world record breaking ultra runner. If anyone’s looking for inspiration to lock in this New year, this interview should do it!
If you’d like to donate to Sam’s fundraiser for Headway UK, you can do so here: Project 74 - 74 ultramarathons in 74 days | givestar

This is one of those stories that puts things into perspective. In 2016 Vic was a bright young talent on the Team GB cycling team. Just months out from the Rio Olympics she suffered a horrific crash at the velodrome which left her with a broken neck, back and pelvis. In this interview, Vic tells the story of what happened that day, and the 752 days of intense rehabilitation and recovery that she went through to not only walk again, but to attempt to re-qualify for the Olympic cycling team. This is a story of sheer determination and unwavering mindset by both Vic and the team around her. In this interview we spoke about:
Vic's journey into sprint cycling and early successes
The crash
The early days in hospital and extent of her injuries
9 incredible months at the Bisham Intensive Rehabilitation Unit.
Embarking on the huge mission of re-qualifying for Team GB
Vic's strategies for coping mentally through her rehab
Vic's 3 pieces of advice for anyone facing a long rehab process
Switching to bobsleigh!
Making the difficult decision to step away from elite sport
Vic's new direction and looking to the future
If you like this story, please help the show grow by following the channel.
Thank you for watching,
Iona

Sammy tells her story of growing up in elite gymnastics including shocking weight management practices and the dangers of the sport. We also spoke about the loss of identity that elite athletes often feel when they retire from sport, and Sammy's personal journey finding her place in sport again through CrossFit. I'm hugely grateful to Sammy for sharing her story so openly.
In this interview:
- Sammy's journey through elite gymnastics
- The mental and physical toll on young gymnasts
- The feeling of loss of identity after retiring from elite sport
- How Sammy found her new place in sport through CrossFit
- Practical advice on training mindset and self-belief
- Sammy's mantras!
- Advice for anyone leaving a sport
- What the future holds for Sammy
I’d love to hear your thoughts on themes we got into in this interview - let me know in the comments.
And finally, if you like this content please support the channel by following us.
Thank you,
Iona
#TheOpponentsPodcast #Gymnastics #TeamGB #Mindset #IdentityLoss #WomensSport

An Olympian's story full of advice on knowing your purpose, building mental toughness, and reframing adversity so that it works FOR you, not against you. Olympic athlete Adele Nicoll sacrificed everything to pursue her purpose in the brutal, high-risk sport of bobsleigh. Adele is a shining example of seeing goals through and a hugely motivating person to listen to.
In this episode:
The story of how Adele scarified her whole life to pursue her Olympic dream
The extreme sport and demanding lifestyle of bobsleigh
The importance of finding your purpose
Mental toughness and how to reframe adversity
How to become the person you want to be
Why accountability is so important
'Tough love' advice for dealing with challenges and setbacks head on.
It's NOT about turning lemons into lemonade...
Thank you for watching,
Iona