This week Emma is joined by Matt Smith who this year will be at his first Winter Olympics competing in cross-country skiing.

Matt is not your typical Olympian. From South Africa, he only took up the sport three years ago and is South Africa’s sole cross-country skier in the Winter Olympics earning himself the nickname 'The Snowbok'.

Also an entrepreneur and a new dad, Matt shares his journey from looking for a way to enjoy a Norwegian winter, to a chance encounter which led him to where he is now - preparing for the biggest stage in sport.

We also dive into the realities of being an athlete from a non-traditional winter sports nation: limited funding, creative problem-solving, and the importance of community.

Expect to hear:

• What inspired Matt's Olympic dream
• His two years of dedication
• His highs and lows of the journey
• The ‘small nation’ community
• Finding balance and the sacrifices no-one sees

Matt’s story and determination is incredibly inspiring - prepare to be bamboozled by his resilience and ambition, and he could very well inspire your own Olympic dream.

Here’s to chasing big dreams. ❄️🎿

Follow Matt Smith on Instagram

More about the visuals? Watch the episode on ⁠YouTube⁠.

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✨🎙️Make sure you subscribe and follow the podcast now to know when the nextepisode with a wonderfully passionate person drops in a fortnight.

Keep up to date on all things Passion Stories podcast on ⁠Instagram⁠ and sign up to the monthly newsletter ⁠here⁠ for some epic exclusive content.

Follow your host Emma Cole on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and check out her ⁠website⁠.

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Thanks to Protect our Winters UK for supporting the podcast. ⁠Sign the Clean Miles Campaign now ⁠

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Purchase a pair of Shokz headphones here and use the discount code EMMACOLE for £10 off

Thanks to Tune Tank for the tunes.

This week Emma is joined by British Ski Cross athlete OllieDavies who is making ski cross history.

In 2021, he became the first British skier to reach the Big Final at the Ski Cross World Championships, in 2022 he competed at his first Olympic Games, and made history once again in 2023 with his first World Cup podium, finishing 2nd in Reiteralm, further cementing his place among the world’s top ski cross athletes.

Ollie shares his ski cross journey – from moving to Francewith his family without speaking a word of French, to the moment he received his first ever Olympic kit in an abandoned house during Covid and now preparing to compete at his second Olympics Games.

He also talks candidly about how he copes with the pressuresof being an athlete, putting the Olympics on the pedestal and how he manages pre-race nerves.

Expect to hear:

• How ski cross works
• Why you shouldn’t bet on ski cross
• Why ski cross is better than alpine (in Ollie’s opinion 👀)
• How Ollie stays composed under pressure
• Ollie’s tips and advice for aspiring pros

Ollie’s passion for ski cross is glorious and incredibly inspiring. You’ll be reaching for the skis after listening this episode.

🎿 Get ready to watch Ollie flying down the track at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Follow Ollie on Instagram and keep up to date with Team GB snow sport on Instagram too.

More about the visuals? Watch the full episode on ⁠YouTube⁠.

-

✨🎙️ Make sure you subscribe and follow the podcast now to know when the next episode with a wonderfully passionate person drops in a fortnight.

Keep up to date on all things Passion Stories podcast on ⁠Instagram⁠ and sign up to the monthly newsletter ⁠here⁠ for some epic exclusive content.

Follow your host Emma Cole on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and check out her ⁠website⁠.

-

Thanks to Protect our Winters UK for supporting the podcast. ⁠Sign the Clean Miles Campaign now ⁠

-

Purchase a pair of Shokz headphones here and use the discount code EMMACOLE for £10 off

Thanks to Tune Tank for the tunes.

This week Emma is joined by Annika Malacinksi, a rising star in Nordic Combined, a sport which combines ski jumping and cross country skiing.

Competing for the US, Annika is now on the World Cup circuit and has participated in two World Championships in a sport she took up less than a decade ago.

Annika shares how she got into Nordic Combined, what ski jumping feels like, and how the event format works with the two sports. She also explains her training for the two disciplines, and how she manages both the feelings of fear and adrenaline.

Despite the men’s event being part of the very first Winter Olympics, Women’s Nordic Combined is still excluded. Annika shares talks about this ongoing battle with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and what this could mean for the future of the sport.

Expect to hear:

• How Annika got into Nordic Combined
• What ski jumping feels like
• How Nordic Combined competitions work
• Why Women’s Nordic Combined isn’t an Olympic sport
• Pushing for equality
• Annika’s hopes for the future

It’s a tale of perseverance, passion and hope.

More about the visuals? You can now watch the episode on ⁠YouTube⁠.

Follow Annika on Instagram and watch the video about her battle for equality at the winter olympics here.

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✨🎙️ Make sure you subscribe and follow the podcast now to know when the next episode with a wonderfully passionate person drops in a fortnight.

Keep up to date on all things Passion Stories podcast on Instagram and sign up to the monthly newsletter here for some epic exclusive content.

Follow your host Emma Cole on Instagram, check out her website.

-

Thanks to Protect our Winters UK for supporting the podcast. Sign the Clean Miles Campaign now

-

Purchase a pair of Shokz headphones here and use the discount code EMMACOLE for £10 off

-

Thanks to Tune tank for the tunes.