The Opponents

Iona Roberts

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Conversations with people doing extraordinary things in sport, fitness and life. To help this show grow, please leave a rating! Thank you.

30 JAN

What It Takes To Attempt Everest & The Real SAS Selection - Jay Morton

Jay Morton is a former SAS Operator and current mountain expedition leader who has achieved the extraordinary feat of summiting Mount Everest TWICE….and the second time very nearly killed him. You may also recognise him from the hit UK TV Show, SAS Who Dares Wins. In this conversation we speak about: - What it feels like to summit Everest - The story of Jay's near death experience on Everest - The physical training and mindset required to climb a big mountain. - How to manage altitude - Jay’s thoughts on personal goals - Decision making lessons learnt in the SAS - SAS Selection - the difference between who passes and who doesn’t. - SAS Selection Interrogation - the TV show version vs the reality - Jay’s next chapter in life If you enjoy this podcast I would hugely appreciate if you would help the show grow by leaving a rating. Thank you.

40 min
18 JAN

A Devastating Cycling Accident & Extraordinary Comeback Mission - Vic Williamson (4K)

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

57 min
17 JAN

Running 80 Ultramarathons In 80 Days - For His Mum

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

50 min
20/11/2025

Extreme Demands On Young Gymnasts & Rebuilding Identity After Elite Sport - Sammy Rockett (4K)

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

40 min
06/11/2025

The Extreme Sport & Demanding Lifestyle of Bobsleigh - Adele Nicoll (4K)

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

40 min
17/10/2025

4x CrossFit Games Masters Champion, Kelly Friel - Take Every Opportunity & Have Fun! (4K)

Kelly’s story is an important lesson that you should take every opportunity that comes your way and that age really is just a number. Kelly first walked into a CrossFit box in her mid thirties - a time in life when many people might think it’s too late to start seriously training in a new sport, especially one as complex and physically demanding as CrossFit. Not Kelly. She very quickly flew up the ranks in competition and not only qualified for the CrossFit Games within just FIVE years, she went on to win SEVEN medals including FOUR golds as a Masters athlete. Kelly also regularly trains and competes with athletes 20 years younger than her - proving that age really is no barrier to peak performance. In this conversation Kelly speaks about: - Her CrossFit journey and incredible achievements - Starting something new at any age - How she looks after herself training at such a high level - Longevity advice for young athletes in CrossFit - Mental endurance and how she keeps her motivation high year on year - Kelly's mindset and mantras in competition - The upcoming changes to the 2026 CrossFit Games season - Kelly's 3 pieces of advice and the importance of taking opportunities - How to start CrossFit and work towards a major competition Thank you for watching, Iona

43 min
04/10/2025

The Brutal Physical & Mental Demands Of Being A Pro MMA Fighter - Leah McCourt (4K)

Leah is an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Fighter and hugely inspiring human. She grew up facing many struggles, including becoming a single Mum at a young age, however she refused to become just another statistic. So, despite (as she very honestly admits herself) having no natural talent, she trained extremely hard and carved out a hugely successful career for herself in MMA, seeing her become the first female to headline an MMA fight night in Europe AND the first female in combat sports to headline at Wembley! In this conversation Leah speaks about: the sport of MMA and its ruthless demands both in training and competition, having a bulletproof mindset, her 3 pieces of advice to anyone doubting they can chase after their dreams, and what the future holds for Leah. I also got a glimpse into Leah's personal life during a particularly tough time for her. She made the effort to fly to London for this interview despite losing her Grandfather the week before and even being hospitalised herself - a real testament to her character and professionalism . This conversation goes beyond just sporting accomplishments - it’s about discipline, resilience and what it really takes to keep moving forward when the odds are stacked against you.

38 min
08/09/2025

Lessons in Positive Self Talk From Commonwealth Games Weightlifter, Holly O'Shea (4K)

Holly is a former endurance athlete who discovered weightlifting and only 2 years later found herself competing at the Commonwealth Games! What struck me straight away about Holly is how incredibly calm and poised she is. She also clearly LOVES what she does, and she honestly gave me so many pearls of wisdom around athlete mentality and mindset. We spoke about: - How to keep calm and handle nerves on the competition floor - Competitor mindset & self-talk - How to use structured nutrition as both a physical and mental tool to get through injury recovery - No nonsense self-care - Advice for any women thinking of getting into weightlifting The way Holly talks about training and challenging yourself is contagious. If you’re into weightlifting, mindset, coming back from injury, or just want some motivation to get back under the bar, this one’s for you. Thank you for watching, Iona

43 min
08/09/2025

Training Hard, Finding Balance & Life As An ICU Nurse l Olivia Tompkins, CrossFit Athlete (4K)

Liv is a CrossFit Athlete and ICU Nurse. In this conversation Liv speaks about: her personal story and journey into CrossFit, why women should train and not just for the physical, how to train seriously and consistently without getting burnt out, life as a nurse in the ICU and how Liv used her training to get through the horrors of Covid. If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to our channel so that we can bring you more. Thank you for watching.

41 min

9 Episodes

Conversations with people doing extraordinary things in sport, fitness and life. To help this show grow, please leave a rating! Thank you.

Creator

Iona Roberts
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

9
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Iona Roberts
Show Website

The Opponents

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