559 episodes

The inside and personal story of the key moments from sporting history

Sporting Witness BBC World Service

    • History
    • 4.7 • 18 Ratings

The inside and personal story of the key moments from sporting history

    Ghana's 'Baby Jet'

    Ghana's 'Baby Jet'

    Alice Annum is Ghana's original 'Baby Jet'.
    She gained the nickname after winning two silver medals at the 1970 Commonwealth Games, for the 100m and 200m sprint races.
    Alice was also the first woman to represent Ghana at the Olympics. Throughout her career, not only did she compete as a runner, she also competed in long jump.
    In more recent years the name 'Baby Jet' has been taken on by former footballer, Asamoah Gyan.
    But Alice knows that she is the original. She tells Gill Kearsley the story of how she got the nickname.
    (Photo: Alice Annum in 2024. Credit: Sally McBratney. Photo: Alice Annum the finish line of the Women's 100-metre event of the 1970 Commonwealth Games. Credit: Daily Express/Archive Photos/Getty Images)

    • 9 min
    The first Venice Cup

    The first Venice Cup

    In May 1974, the Italian Bridge Federation invited a team of American women players to an invitational challenge match against their own women's team.
    Over eight days, the two highly successful teams would compete in the city of Venice for a new trophy dubbed 'The Venice Cup'.
    Originally a one-off event, the Venice Cup continues to this day as a biennial tournament and is held around the world.
    Andrew Edwards speaks to American Bridge life-master Bette Cohn, now in her 90s, about her memories of the competition.
    A Made In Manchester production for the BBC World Service.
    (Photo: The Italian Venice Cup team. Credit: World Bridge Federation)

    • 8 min
    Scouting Liverpool's greatest generation

    Scouting Liverpool's greatest generation

    It's 20 years since the death of the scout responsible for finding some of the greatest players in Liverpool's history.
    Geoff Twentyman joined Bill Shankly's Liverpool in 1967 as chief scout, tasked with overhauling the club's recruitment system.
    Armed with his scouting diary, he unearthed lower league players who would later on go to be world beating superstars, including Kevin Keegan, Alan Hansen and Ian Rush.
    His two decades as chief scout contributed to the most successful period in the club's history - as they won nine titles, six domestic cups and six European trophies.
    In March 2024, a plaque celebrating Geoff along with the rest of 'the boot room boys' was unveiled outside Liverpool's Anfield stadium.
    His son, Geoff Jr, has been speaking to Matt Pintus.
    (Photo: Geoff Twentyman with the European Cup. Credit: The Twentyman family)

    • 8 min
    Alex Higgins: The rock star snooker legend

    Alex Higgins: The rock star snooker legend

    Alex Higgins was the two-times World Snooker champion from Northern Ireland whose speedy style of play helped turn the game into a must-watch sport.
    But, away from the table, he was a wild boy – whose gambling, drinking and womanising eventually led to his downfall.
    He died in 2010 at the age of 61.
    Producer Vicky Farncombe uses archive interviews to tell the story of Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins in his own words.
    (Photo: Alex Higgins. Credit: Getty Images)

    • 9 min
    The first transgender pro golfer

    The first transgender pro golfer

    It's 20 years since Mianne Bagger became the first transgender athlete to play in pro golf tournament.
    The Danish golfer made history by competing at the 2004 Women’s Australian Open. It was a landmark moment for trans sport and made headlines around the world.
    In 2021, Mianne Bagger spoke to Robbie Wojciechowski.
    (Photo: Bagger at the 2004 Women's Australian Open. Credit: Getty Images.)

    • 9 min
    The man who swam the Amazon

    The man who swam the Amazon

    In 2007, 52-year-old Slovenian endurance swimmer Martin Strel became the first person to swim the entire length of the Amazon River.
    It took him 66 days to complete and, over the course of his journey, Strel faced threats such as pirates, sharks, and dengue fever. At 3,300 miles, it’s the longest open swim in history.
    He shares his experience of the swim with Hunter Charlton. It’s an Ember Audio production for BBC World Service.
    (Photo: Martin Strel pictured in London in 2009. Credit: Getty Images)

    • 9 min

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18 Ratings

18 Ratings

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