The Normal World

annaleid bakker

Life after elite sport comes with its own challenges. On The Normal World, host Annaleid Bakker talks to former elite athletes about life after sport, the process of athlete retirement, the transition from elite sports to everyday life, and the mental health aspects that often accompany this change. Guests share why they left their sport, the obstacles they faced in starting over, and the advice they would give their younger selves. Want to share your story or join the conversation? Email podcast@actuallyanna.com. Music We Are Free by Ikson (intro-outro) https://www.iksonmusic.com The Normal World - Podcast © 2021 by Annaleid Bakker is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1 APR

    Ep 32. The Normal World of Hannah Martin

    In this episode of The Normal World, host Annaleid Bakker interviews Hannah Martin about her elite rhythmic gymnastics and professional ballet career. Hannah started rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 8, when she discovered that the sport embraced her flexibility. She worked her way towards going to the Commonwealth Games and World Championships to represent her country. She talks about leaving the sport at 14 and pursuing her passion for ballet. After graduating from Elmhurst Ballet School, she joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet. We also spoke about the year she was injured and the challenges she faced when she had to rediscover herself outside of ballet. If you're interested in Annaleid's aligned self-leadership coaching program, send her a DM on Instagram: @actuallyannaxo Or check out her newest podcast: Powerful in Balance Make It Happen academy: https://make-it-happen-academy.teachery.co/make-it-happen-academy Hannah's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@hannahmartinRG By sharing her story in this podcast, Annaleid hopes to support other (former) elite athletes or those approaching retirement. She also sees this podcast as a personal healing journey — a way to create something she wishes had existed when she left her elite career behind. Enjoy listening! Want to tell your story in this podcast? Send an email to podcast@actuallyanna.com with "Podcast" in the subject. ------------------------ Music used in the intro and outro of this podcast is We Are Free by Ikson https://www.iksonmusic.com The Normal World - Podcast © 2021 by Annaleid Bakker is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1hr 8min
  2. Ep. 31 The Normal World of Kathryn Morgan

    01/12/2025

    Ep. 31 The Normal World of Kathryn Morgan

    In this episode of The Normal World, host Annaleid Bakker interviews Kathryn Morgan about her professional ballet career. Kathryn shares how she fell in love with ballet through her passion for classical music. When she was 9 years old, she saw the Nutcracker danced by New York City Ballet, and she knew, this is what I want to do. She talks about how she joined New York City Ballet at the age of 17 and progressed to being promoted to soloist. After an illness forced her to step away from dancing, she made a return to the stage at age 31, performing as a soloist with Miami City Ballet. She also reflects on her transition to life beyond ballet and how she is currently rediscovering herself.  If you're interested in Dream Life Designers (Annaleid's life coaching program), send her a DM on Instagram: @actuallyannaxo KM and friends: https://www.kmandfriends.com/ Kathryn's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kathryn_morgan By sharing her story in this podcast, Annaleid hopes to support other (former) elite athletes or those approaching retirement. She also sees this podcast as a personal healing journey — a way to create something she wishes had existed when she left her elite career behind. Enjoy listening! Want to tell your story in this podcast? Send an email to podcast@actuallyanna.com with "Podcast" in the subject. ------------------------ Music used in the intro and outro of this podcast is We Are Free by Ikson https://www.iksonmusic.com The Normal World - Podcast © 2021 by Annaleid Bakker is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    46 min
  3. Ep. 30 The Normal World of Anicka van Emden (Dutch)

    01/11/2025

    Ep. 30 The Normal World of Anicka van Emden (Dutch)

    In this episode of The Normal World, host Annaleid Bakker interviews Anicka van Emden about her elite judo career.   Anicka shares how she discovered the sport through her brother, who was taking judo classes. She shares it felt like having extra PE classes, but then in the dojo.   She spoke about how her athletic journey evolved from training just once a week to ultimately winning a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. We also discussed her life after retiring from the sport and how she was able to transition so smoothly, thanks to the interests and passions she maintained outside of judo.   If you're interested in Dream Life Designers (Annaleid's life coaching program), send her a DM on Instagram: @actuallyannaxo   By sharing her story in this podcast, Annaleid hopes to support other (former) elite athletes or those approaching retirement. She also sees this podcast as a personal healing journey — a way to create something she wishes had existed when she left her elite career behind. Enjoy listening!   Want to tell your story in this podcast? Send an email to podcast@actuallyanna.com with "Podcast" in the subject.      ------------------------   Music used in the intro and outro of this podcast is We Are Free by Ikson https://www.iksonmusic.com   The Normal World - Podcast © 2021 by Annaleid Bakker is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  4. Ep. 29 The Normal World of Dias Gnanapragasam (Dutch)

    11/08/2025

    Ep. 29 The Normal World of Dias Gnanapragasam (Dutch)

    In this Dutch episode of The Normal World, host Annaleid Bakker interviews Dias Gnanapragasam about his elite judo career. Dias shares how he discovered his passion for the sport and found out very quickly that he had a talent for judo. He talks about the challenges he faced during his judo career, eventually leading to a loss of joy in the sport. He spoke about choosing for himself when quitting his elite career and how he, after many years, finally feels like he can put it all behind him. This episode explores his journey towards the normal world and redefining his identity beyond life as an elite athlete. If you're interested in Dream Life Designers (Annaleid's life coaching program), send her a DM on Instagram: @actuallyannaxo By sharing her story in this podcast, Annaleid hopes to support other (former) elite athletes or those approaching retirement. She also sees this podcast as a personal healing journey — a way to create something she wishes had existed when she left her elite career behind. Enjoy listening! Want to tell your story in this podcast? Send an email to podcast@actuallyanna.com with "Podcast" in the subject. ------------------------ Music used in the intro and outro of this podcast is We Are Free by Ikson https://www.iksonmusic.com The Normal World - Podcast © 2021 by Annaleid Bakker is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
  5. Ep. 28 The Normal world of Annebel van der Knijff

    18/07/2025

    Ep. 28 The Normal world of Annebel van der Knijff

    In this episode of The Normal World, host Annaleid Bakker interviews Annebel van der Knijff about her elite canoeing career. Annebel shares how she discovered the sport through a summer sports camp, sparking her passion for the sport. She discusses the challenges she faced during her career, which ultimately led to her losing her passion for the sport. Annebel mentioned how she dealt with quitting her elite career, the challenges she faced and moving to the Netherlands. This episode explores her journey, the importance of structure, and how she redefined her identity beyond life as an elite athlete. If you're interested in Dream Life Designers (Annaleid's life coaching program) send her a DM on Instagram: @actuallyannaxo By sharing her story in this podcast, Annaleid hopes to support other (former) elite athletes or those approaching retirement. She also sees this podcast as a personal healing journey — a way to create something she wishes had existed when she left her elite career behind. Enjoy listening! Want to tell your story in this podcast? Send an email to podcast@actuallyanna.com with "Podcast" in the subject. ------------------------ Music used in the intro and outro of this podcast is We Are Free by Ikson https://www.iksonmusic.com The Normal World - Podcast © 2021 by Annaleid Bakker is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
  6. Ep. 27 The Normal World of Babette van Wetering

    01/06/2025

    Ep. 27 The Normal World of Babette van Wetering

    In this episode of The Normal World, host Annaleid Bakker interviews Babette van Wetering about her elite trampolining career. Babette shares how she discovered her passion for the sport through a poster offering free lessons — a moment that sparked a rapid rise, eventually leading her to compete in a world championship. She talks about the challenges she faced, including dealing with 'the twisties' and the difficult transition to everyday life after her athletic career. Although she retired young due to fear of certain skills, Babette remained deeply involved in trampolining as a coach and judge. Babette also balances her love for the sport with a career as a German teacher and mentor for student-athletes. This episode explores her journey, the importance of structure, and how she redefined her identity beyond life as an elite athlete. If you're interested in Dream Life Designers (Annaleid's life coaching program) send her a DM on Instagram: @actuallyannaxo By sharing her story in this podcast, Annaleid hopes to support other (former) elite athletes or those approaching retirement. She also sees this podcast as a personal healing journey — a way to create something she wishes had existed when she left her elite career behind. Enjoy listening! Want to tell your story in this podcast? Send an email to podcast@actuallyanna.com with "Podcast" in the subject. ------------------------ Music used in the intro and outro of this podcast is We Are Free by Ikson https://www.iksonmusic.com The Normal World - Podcast © 2021 by Annaleid Bakker is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min
  7. Ep. 26 The Normal World of Danila Koster (Dutch)

    14/05/2025

    Ep. 26 The Normal World of Danila Koster (Dutch)

    In this episode, I spoke with Danila Koster about her elite gymnastics career. We spoke about how she started her gymnastics career, her road towards the European championships, the twisties and her experience entering the normal world. I hope by sharing this podcast I can help other former elite athletes or athletes who are going to retire. I also hope that this podcast will help me heal in the sense that I can create something I wish were there when I quit my elite career. Enjoy listening! Want to tell your story in this podcast? Send an email to podcast@actuallyanna.com with "Podcast" in the subject.  Are you a former elite athlete in the Netherlands? Don't forget to check out sporttop.nl or the programs of Team NL @work! ------------------------ Music used in the intro and outro of this podcast is We Are Free by Ikson https://www.iksonmusic.com The Normal World - Podcast © 2021 by Annaleid Bakker is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    43 min

  8. 30/08/2024

    Ep. 25 The Normal World of Querijn Hensen

    In this episode I spoke with Querijn Hensen about his elite para swimming career. We spoke about how he started with swimming, his journey towards the Tokyo paralympics and his life after he quit his elite swimming career.  Check out the Dutch Paraclimbing Foundation for more information about paraclimbing. If you're interested in transformational coaching or a self-study about habits, realistic goal setting, and routines, don't forget to check out my website: Actually Anna. I hope by sharing this podcast I can help other ex-elite athletes or athletes who are going to retire. I also hope that this podcast will help me heal in the sense that I can create something I wish was there when I quit my elite career. Enjoy listening! Want to tell your story in this podcast? Send an email to podcast@actuallyanna.com with "Podcast" in the subject.  Are you an ex elite athlete in The Netherlands? Don't forget to check out sporttop.nl or the programs of Team NL @work! ------------------------ Music used in the intro and outro of this podcast is We Are Free by Ikson https://www.iksonmusic.com The Normal World - Podcast © 2021 by Annaleid Bakker is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Life after elite sport comes with its own challenges. On The Normal World, host Annaleid Bakker talks to former elite athletes about life after sport, the process of athlete retirement, the transition from elite sports to everyday life, and the mental health aspects that often accompany this change. Guests share why they left their sport, the obstacles they faced in starting over, and the advice they would give their younger selves. Want to share your story or join the conversation? Email podcast@actuallyanna.com. Music We Are Free by Ikson (intro-outro) https://www.iksonmusic.com The Normal World - Podcast © 2021 by Annaleid Bakker is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    annaleid bakker
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © annaleid bakker
  • Show Website
    The Normal World