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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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.

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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 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 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.

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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

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Thanks to Tune tank for the tunes.

Welcome to the first episode of This is Winter Sports, a series supported by Protect Our Winters UK.

This week Emma is joined by Chemmy Alcott, the first British ski racer to win a run in a World Cup. Chemmy is a four-time Winter Olympian who represented Team GB throughout a 20-year sporting career and reached a career high of 8th in the world. Now presenting BBC Ski Sunday, Chemmy will be at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics taking us through all the action.

Chemmy shares where her passion for ski racing comes from, how she navigated the challenges of being a pro ski racer, and how she beat her top speed in retirement.

She also reveals one of her biggest fears... and it's not what you expect.

Expect to hear:

• How Chemmy made her pro skier dream a reality
• Chemmy’s evolving journey with fear
• Transition from athlete to presenter
• What to look forward to at the Winter Olympics

Chemmy is incredibly inspiring, full of passion for snow sports and offers a ton of brilliant advice too. Follow Chemmy 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 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.

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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

This week Emma is joined by James Shaw, renowned pilates educator and practitioner.

James shares his pilates journey, from starting out thanks to an encouraging hairdressing client, to opening his own classical pilates studio and teacher training academy in Margate.

He shares his views on classical and contemporary pilates as well as why pilates is so popular and common misconceptions. He also talks about the importance of making pilates more accessible and how he makes his classes welcoming especially to neurodivergent people.

James also shares his mindset which has helped him overcome challenges along the way, his thoughts on taking risks, and how pilates helps his ADHD.

Expect to hear:

• Key principles within pilates
• The difference between classical and contemporary
• Creating a space where pilates is for everyone
• Channeling a risk-averse mindset
• ADHD and pilates

It’s a story of discovery, self-belief, and a ton of passion, and James is incredibly inspiring.

Follow James on Instagram and keep your eyes peeled for his upcoming book and check out James’s studio in Margate too.

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

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The Passion Stories pod wants to hear your views! Complete the audience survey to be in with a chance of winning a pair of Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 headphones: Audience survey link: https://forms.gle/oxn9CHuT4cvkWzDN6

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Follow your host Emma Cole on Instagram , sign up to the monthly newsletter here and check out her website.

✨🎙️ Click subscribe or follow now to know when the next episode with a wonderfully passionate person drops in a fortnight. We are about to launch the Winter Sports series - get excited!

This week Emma is joined by Jesseca Furness, a presenter at the Running Channel who has set herself the challenge of running 42 marathons this year.

No stranger to pushing her limits having run ultra marathons and Ironman, this year Jess decided to run 42 marathons in honour of her brother Eddie, who would be 42 this year.

Jess has already completed over 35 marathons all over the world, overcoming injury, unexpected mishaps and cancelled events like in South Africa, and she’s also added even more challenges - like running 8 marathons in 8 days.

She reveals why she started running aged 14, and how running has helped her navigate grief after losing both her parents and her oldest brother, as well as boost her confidence.

Expect to hear:

• The ups and downs of running 42 marathons in one year
• How Jess balances the marathons around work and everyday life
• How Jess pushes through the toughest moments
• The greatness of community

Alongside her challenge Jess is fundraising for Big Moose Charity which has helped her navigate her grief through therapy and the Air Ambulance Service too. Donate here.

You can join Jess on her marathon challenge - head to her instagram to find out more details about her final few marathons.

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

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The Passion Stories pod wants to hear your views! Complete the⁠ audience survey⁠ to be in with a chance of winning a mega cool prize: Audience survey link: ⁠https://forms.gle/oxn9CHuT4cvkWzDN6⁠

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Follow your host Emma Cole on Instagram, sign up to the monthly newsletter and check out her website.

Love running? Check out recent episodes with Zach Friedley, Juliette Denny and ultra running legend Damian Hall.

✨🎙️ Click subscribe or follow now to be in the know when the next episode with a wonderfully passionate person drops. They will be coming to your ears in a fortnight!

This week Emma is joined by Zach Friedley, professional trail runner, adaptive athlete, and passionate advocate for inclusion in sport.

From the US, Zach was born missing his right leg above the knee. He founded Born to Adapt, an organisation which aims to create events and space for disabled people all over the world.

He shares his journey with prosthetics, how it felt the first time he had a blade and the differences between being born without part of your leg compared to losing it later in life, and how that affects how you get on with prosthetics.

He also talks about how accessibility in sport is about more than equipment.

Sponsored by On, Zach is a regular at major trail and road events, and will be on the start line of the iconic New York marathon on Sunday 2nd November.

Expect to hear:

• How he found running
• His prosthetics journey
• The story behind Born to Adapt
• Barriers and challenges for adaptive athletes
• His vision for the future of inclusive sport

This is a wonderfully eye-opening and deeply inspiring episode that explores resilience, visibility in sport, and what it means to adapt.

Follow Zach Friedley on socials and check out Born to Adapt to learn more about the mission.

Want to hear more about trail running? Check out recent episodes with Juliette Denny and ultra running legend Damian Hall.

Follow your host Emma Cole on Instagram, sign up to the monthly newsletter and find out more about her on her website.

✨🎙️ Click subscribe or follow now to be in the know when the next episode with a wonderfully passionate person drops. They will be coming to your ears in a fortnight!

This week Emma is joined by by Juliette Denny, ultra runner and adventurer. Juliette shares her running journey, from growing up as a footballer to the loss of a close friend and recently taking on the 100km CCC at UTMB in Chamonix, widely regarded as the Mecca of trail running.

Juliette reflects on how she navigates the mental and physical challenges of running seriously long distances, the importance of team spirit and community and ultimately what running means to her.

She also speaks candidly about her own experience of the lack of diversity on the trails, the community of Black Trail Runners, and the change needed to make the outdoors welcoming to everyone.

Beyond running, Juliette talks about the growing popularity of women’s sport, and what it was like to witness history watching the Women’s Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham last weekend.

Expect to hear:

• Juliette’s journey into running
• Strategies for managing self-criticism and digging deep
• Why diversity and allyship matter in trail running
• The incredible boom of women’s sport

It is a fascinating conversation, full of insight, honesty and inspiration. Juliette is a brilliant guest and this is not an episode to miss.

Follow Juliette Denny on ⁠Instagram⁠ and check out ⁠Black Trail Runners ⁠ too.

Follow your host Emma Cole on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, sign up to the monthly ⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠ and check our her ⁠⁠website⁠⁠.

🏃‍♂️ Into running? Check out our other episodes with ultra running legend Damian Hall and breathwork coach and runner David ‘Jacko’ Jackson.

✨🎙️ Click subscribe or follow now to be in the know when the next episode with a wonderfully passionate person drops.