Beyond the Games with Helena Orts

Helena Orts, Jenny Gnirke and Mike Axe
  • 5.0 (1)
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Join host Helena Orts, a former junior Olympic basketball player, as she sits down with female Olympians to explore what happens after the glory of the Games. From the mental and emotional challenges of retirement to rebuilding identity and purpose, these athletes share the highs, lows, and everything in between. Featuring top medalists from both the Summer and Winter Olympics, Beyond the Games gives listeners a rare look at what really happens to your favorite Olympians once the spotlight fades.

Episodes

  1. Two-time Olympian and Founder of Athletes' Soul Myriam Glez

    Apr 7

    Two-time Olympian and Founder of Athletes' Soul Myriam Glez

    For the season finale of Beyond the Games, we sit down with Myriam Glez, whose Olympic journey is anything but linear.  A two-time Olympian in synchronized swimming, Myriam competed for France at Sydney 2000 and later for Australia at Beijing 2008. In between, she made the difficult choice to step away from the sport to attend business school — only to return years later and make it back to the Olympic stage.  We talk about identity, reinvention, and what it takes to walk away and come back. Now the founder of Athletes' Soul, Myriam is helping other athletes navigate life after sport.  A powerful, full-circle conversation to close out the season. Check out Athletes' Soul: https://www.athletessoul.org/

    42 min
  2. Paula Weishoff: Three Olympics, One Legacy

    Mar 31

    Paula Weishoff: Three Olympics, One Legacy

    In this episode, we're honored to be joined by a true volleyball legend, Paula Weishoff. Paula is a three-time Olympian who competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Games, where she won silver in her hometown, the 1992 Barcelona Games, where she earned bronze, and the 1996 Atlanta Games. A trailblazer in women’s sports, Paula helped bring women’s volleyball into the American mainstream and paved the way for generations of athletes.  Paula opens up about the sacrifices it takes to compete at the highest level — and how, after retiring from the court, she’s continued her legacy by giving back to the game as a professional coach.

    29 min
  3. Paralympian Lauryn DeLuca

    Mar 17

    Paralympian Lauryn DeLuca

    Today’s episode is a little different and incredibly important. We’re joined by Lauryn DeLuca, a Paralympian in wheelchair fencing, for an honest conversation about what it really means to compete as a disabled athlete.  Lauryn opens up about the unique challenges she faced on her path to the Paralympics, the emotional and identity struggles that came with retirement, and how she’s now using her voice to advocate for the Paralympic movement and greater recognition for these elite competitors.  It’s a powerful episode about the Games that are too often overlooked, and the athletes whose stories deserve to be heard.

    28 min
  4. Bronze Medalist Kimberly Vandenberg

    Mar 10

    Bronze Medalist Kimberly Vandenberg

    On this episode, we’re joined by Kimberly Vandenberg — better known as Kim Swim — an Olympic medalist who reached the pinnacle of her sport when she won bronze in the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But as Kim shares with us, the medal was only the beginning.  In this episode, Kim opens up about what it really means to redefine success after the Games: shifting her goals, navigating life as a mother, and building her thriving coaching business, Kim Swim Studios. From elite athlete to entrepreneur, Kim is proof that reinvention is its own kind of victory — and her story is one you won’t want to miss. Check out Kim on IG: https://www.instagram.com/kimswim/?hl=en Or her website: https://www.kimswimstudios.com/

    30 min
  5. Rhythmic Gymnast Or Svetlana Tokaev

    Mar 3

    Rhythmic Gymnast Or Svetlana Tokaev

    This episode tells the extraordinary story of Or Svetlana Tokaev, a rhythmic gymnast who competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Her journey begins in the former Soviet Union, where she and her family faced religious discrimination that ultimately pushed them to immigrate to Israel. Against all odds, Or rose to the top of her sport and achieved her Olympic dream — but what happened after retirement is something she never could have prepared for.  In a shocking twist, Or found herself detained by U.S. border patrol, launching a completely unexpected chapter in her life.  Stay tuned for one of the most surprising Olympic journeys you’ll ever hear. Follow Or on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ortokaev/?hl=en Or her website: https://orstpro.com/

    40 min
  6. Silver Medal Cyclist Dotsie Bausch

    Feb 24

    Silver Medal Cyclist Dotsie Bausch

    In this episode, we chat with Olympic silver medalist Dotsie Bausch, whose path to elite track cycling was anything but typical. Dotsie opens up about her unlikely rise to the top, her unforgettable experience winning silver at the 2012 London Olympics, and her role in Netflix’s The Game Changers. After retiring from competition, she didn’t slow down — she redirected her passion into founding the nonprofit Switch4Good, where she continues to advocate for athletes to fuel their performance through a plant-based lifestyle.  Check out Dotsie at her website: https://dotsiebauschusa.com/ or IG: https://www.instagram.com/veganolympian/?hl=en

    38 min
  7. Luge Star Kate Hansen

    Feb 17

    Luge Star Kate Hansen

    On this episode of Beyond the Games, we’re joined by Winter Olympian and luge star Kate Hansen, whose path to the Olympics started almost by accident. What began as a reluctant win quickly became an all-consuming pursuit, costing her a “normal” high school experience as she pushed her body—and emotions—to the limit on her way to competing at the Sochi Olympics. After retirement, Kate reinvented herself once again, becoming a major voice of the sport as a broadcast host. We chat with Kate about the sacrifices required to chase greatness in a lesser-known sport, and how those years ultimately shaped the woman she is today. Follow Kate on IG: https://www.instagram.com/k8ertotz/?hl=en

    43 min
  8. Bronze Medalist Tasha Danvers

    Feb 10

    Bronze Medalist Tasha Danvers

    British Olympic medalist and world-class hurdler Tasha Danvers shares her journey beyond the track. In this episode, Tasha opens up about the mindset that led her to bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the backlash she faced after announcing her pregnancy, and the challenges of redefining herself after retirement. From mental health advocacy to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Tasha reveals how she found purpose, power, and a second act beyond the Games. Follow Tasha on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tashatheolympian/?hl=en And check out her website: https://tasha360.com/

    1h 5m
  9. Introducing Beyond the Games Podcast

    Feb 6

    Introducing Beyond the Games Podcast

    When you watch the Olympics, do you ever wonder what happened to the athlete you were once so invested in?  Coming soon, Beyond the Games explores what happens after the medals—when elite female athletes step off the world’s biggest stage and into an entirely new life. Featuring Olympians from swimming to lesser-known sports like judo and luge, with voices ranging from hurdler Tasha Danvers to volleyball legend Paula Weishoff.  Beyond the Games premieres February 10, 2025.

    1 min
  • 9 Episodes

About

Join host Helena Orts, a former junior Olympic basketball player, as she sits down with female Olympians to explore what happens after the glory of the Games. From the mental and emotional challenges of retirement to rebuilding identity and purpose, these athletes share the highs, lows, and everything in between. Featuring top medalists from both the Summer and Winter Olympics, Beyond the Games gives listeners a rare look at what really happens to your favorite Olympians once the spotlight fades.

Information

  • Creator
    Helena Orts, Jenny Gnirke and Mike Axe
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean