Keep the Flame Alive Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Team USA Wheelchair Basketball player Brian Bell joins us to talk about the ins and outs of this Paralympic sport. Brian has been part of Team USA for the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, both of which were gold-medal-winning performances. Brian and Team USA will be looking for the three-peat at Paris 2024.
Follow Brian on social! He's on Insta and X.
Also, Jill is at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Indianapolis, so she has a full report from Lucas Oil Stadium, where 17,000-20,000 people are packing the stadium to cheer swimmers on in the biggest meet in the country. Read more about it on our blog.
In news from Paris 2024, rain is disrupting water quality in the Seine. Again. The Opening Ceremony finally had a practice of the boat parade. And Korea House will be a go--look for it at Maison de la Chimie.
The International Olympic Committee Executive Board voted to have an official eSports Games. This proposal now goes in front of the IOC Session for a full vote, but we could have another Olympic event on the docket.
In our trip to TKFLASTAN, we hear from:
Track cyclist Mandy Marquardt. Learn about her 5K@ADA Virtual Challenge here. Diver Andrew Capobianco Artistic swimmers Jacqueline Simoneau, Megumi Field, and Daniella Ramirez Swimmers Lydia Jacoby and Bobby Finke Listeners Patrick from Chicagoland and Lorry  
For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.
 
Thank you 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. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

 
Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support
Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod
 
Hang out with us online:
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VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348
 
 

We're getting aquatic on this episode, sharing Team USA Media Summit interviews with all sorts of swimming athletes. We've got (athlete links are Instagram accounts--follow them!):
Water Polo Ben Hallock - Captain of the U.S. Men's Water Polo team. Paris 2024 will be his third Olympics Maggie Steffens - Captain of the U.S. Women's Water Polo team. Paris 2024 will be her fourth Olympics Ashleigh Johnson - Goalie for the U.S. Women's Water Polo team. Paris 2024 will be her third Olympics Swimming Bobby Finke - Olympic gold medalist, 800m freestyle; also swims the 1500m freestyle Lydia Jacoby - Olympic gold medalist, 100m breaststroke Diving Andrew Capobianco - Olympic silver medalist, 3m synchronized springboard Artistic Swimming Megumi Field - duet and team Daniella Ramirez - team  
The naming of the U.S. artistic swimming team included a big surprise, which we get into (along with Caitlin Clark being left off the U.S. women's basketball team). 
In Paris 2024 news, ticket scams abound. Plus, you can eat airplane food at the Air France pavilion (reservations here: https://airfrance.invityou.com/air-france)
LA 2028 proposes adding a sport to the Paralympic program.
The International Olympic Committee is one step closer to officially naming the hosts for the Winter Olympics in 2030 (France) and 2034 (Salt Lake City).
In TKFLASTAN news we hear from:
Wheelchair tennis player David Wagner Karate-ka Tom Scott Sitting volleyball player Lora Webster Former hurdler Dawn Harper-Nelson Former diver Laura Wilkinson Olympics travel expert Ken Hanscom, who was on a digital roundtable with listener David: https://youtu.be/euF71DxdwMw?si=ZEeRLaIE0oCh2XfJ If you're going to U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, look for Jill there!
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. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

 
Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support
Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod
 
Hang out with us online:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod
Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/flamealivepod
Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod
Newsletter: Sign up at https://mailchi.mp/ee507102fbf7/flamealivepod
VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348
 
 

While you wouldn't think para swimming is much different from able-bodied swimming, the Paralympic classification system makes it a more complex sport to follow. Classification helps level the playing field (although we learn here that it's not the most perfect system), but the diversity of swimmers and abilities means that there are a lot of classes in this sport. Case in point, our three guests for this episode.
 
We talk with Jessica Long, 5x Paralympian; McKenzie Coan, 3x Paralympian; and Olivia Chambers, Paralympic hopeful about para swimming, nuances of their classifications, and how the Paralympics has changed over the years. 
 
Follow Jessica, McKenzie and Olivia on Insta! Jessica and McKenzie also have websites to check out for more information. The 2024 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials will be on June 27-29, 2024 in Minneapolis.
 
There are less than 50 days until the start of the Paris Olympics, and to celebrate that milestone, the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee adorned the Eiffel Tower with the Olympic rings. We have that news and more from Paris 2024.
 
In our TKFLASTAN update, we have news from:
Wheelchair rugby player Chuck Aoki Artistic swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau Beach volleyball player Kelly Cheng Rugby coach Ben Ryan And Jill has a full report from the Katie Moon Pole Vault Classic, where she got to see TKFLASTANI Katie Moon vault from about 12 feet away!
 
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. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

 
Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support
Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod
 
Hang out with us online:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod
Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/flamealivepod
Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod
Newsletter: Sign up at https://mailchi.mp/ee507102fbf7/flamealivepod
VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348
 
 

We're exploring team sports on this episode of Keep the Flame Alive. At Paris 2024, there will be 11 purely team sports: artistic swimming, basketball, basketball 3x3, beach volleyball, football, handball, hockey, rowing, rugby sevens, volleyball, and water polo. Athletes don't just have to be in top physical shape, they also have to work well with their teammates in order to achieve success. As we read in If Gold Is our Destiny, if players can't come together and play as a team, they're going to fall apart.
 
At the Team USA Media Summit in April, we talked with a number of team players who are ready to make their contribution in order to achieve victory and stand atop the podium, and we bring you those interviews here (links to follow them on Insta):
 
3x3: Jimmer Fredette, Canyon Barry, Dylan Travis, Kareem Maddox Field Hockey: Abby Tamer and Kelsey Bing Rugby Sevens: Perry Baker Football (Soccer): Emily Sonnett  
We also have news from TKFLASTAN and:
Beach volleyball player Kelly Cheng Wheelchair fencer Ellen Geddes Speed skaters Erin Jackson and Ryan Shane Equestrian Phillip Dutton Pole vaulter Katie Moon - Get your ticket to the Katie Moon Pole Vault Classic!  
Be sure to show your TKFLASTAN pride at Paris! Get your Keep the Flame Alive gear here.
 
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. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

 
Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support
Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod
 
Hang out with us online:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod
Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/flamealivepod
Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod
Newsletter: Sign up at https://mailchi.mp/ee507102fbf7/flamealivepod
VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348
 
 
 

We're hopping on a horse and riding along with Paralympian Beatrice de Lavalette on this episode of Keep the Flame Alive. Beatrice competed for Team USA at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in para dressage, finishing 5th in Individual Championship Test - Grade II - Open) and 6th in Individual Freestyle - Grade II - Open.
We've talked about para dressage for visually impaired riders, so with Beatrice we were able to explore and better understand the sport for para classes that involve missing limbs. We also talk about choosing a horse and how they feel on competition day.
Learn more about Beatrice at her website and follow her on Instagram!
Jill recently went to her a conversation with boxer Morelle McCane, who's qualified for Paris 2024. You can watch that discussion here (which should include a familiar voice during the Q&A).
Also, Jill will be speaking at the Lakewood Public Library on June 5, 2024 at 7pm about Cleveland's Olympic History. Come out and see her!
In Paris 2024 news:
The International Boxing Association is going to pay all athletes who make it to the podium, plus also a little something for 4th and 5th places Microsoft Threat Analysis Center released a report about Russian campaigns to influence the Games The French Interior Ministry thwarted a planned attack on a football stadium Free Opening Ceremonies tickets are being distributed There will be 10 medal reallocation ceremonies at Champions Park to honor athletes all the way back to Sydney 2000 whose results were changed due to doping violations More museum exhibits at the Pantheon and the National Museum of Australia  
In news from TKFLASTAN, we hear from:
Artistic swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau Race walker Evan Dunfee Pole vaulter Katie Moon - get your tickets for the Katie Moon Pole Vault Classic here. Former BMX cyclist Connor Fields Superfan Sarah and Listener Meredith  
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. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.

 
Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support
Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod
 
Hang out with us online:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod
Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/flamealivepod
Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod
Newsletter: Sign up at https://mailchi.mp/ee507102fbf7/flamealivepod
VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348