The Winter Olympics Could Be the Last Gasp of a 3000 Year Old Competition. Or . . It Could Be the Games That Bring It Back to Life.

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Olympian Boone Niederhofer joins Ben Higgins in Italy for an inside look at the Olympic journey—from walking on at Texas A&M to racing for Team USA in bobsled. Boone opens up about the pressure of team selection, balancing family life and engineering work, and the deep motivations driving him beyond medals. Hear stories of sacrifice, faith, and the pursuit of excellence, plus candid moments about parenting, doubt, and gratitude in the Olympic Village. Dive into the mindset and heart behind one of Team USA’s newest Olympians, and learn how Boone’s roots and beliefs shape his approach to competition and life.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Bobsledding Origins and Entry
00:01:03 Olympic Setting and Opening Ceremonies
00:02:22 Leading Team USA in Ceremonies
00:04:13 Bobsled Team Selection Process
00:06:57 Dealing With Selection Uncertainty
00:08:29 Walking On at Texas A&M
00:10:46 Balancing Football and Engineering
00:12:30 From Engineering to Bobsledding
00:14:44 Boone’s Faith Journey
00:16:32 Overcoming Setbacks and Growth
00:18:08 Family Support in Olympics
00:19:01 Faith in Olympic Environment
00:21:25 Daily Life in Olympic Village
00:22:29 Keeping Faith Rhythms
00:24:15 Motivation, Sacrifice, and Family
00:30:34 Lessons Learned About Self
00:34:41 Thanking God on the Podium

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This week, we're sharing an episode from Olympic medalist and cross-country skiing legend Jessie Diggins, which originally aired in 2025. Jessie opens up about her journey to the top of her sport, what it’s like to embrace the intense pressure of elite competition, and how she pushes herself to her physical breaking point — sharing vivid details of the "blurry vision" and sheer grit required to win.

She also gets candid about her mental health journey, specifically her experience with an eating disorder and a relapse in 2024, discussing what support looks like in her daily life today. When we had this conversation — there was just under a year left until the Winter Olympics, and Jessie reflected on training in Italy, her recent World Cup wins, and her decision to retire at the end of 2026.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The Physical Breaking Point: Jessie describes the sensation of pushing her body to its absolute limits during a race, including the "blurry vision" that often accompanies her hardest efforts.

• Mental Health & Recovery: A vulnerable discussion on her history with an eating disorder, navigating a relapse in 2024, and the importance of a strong support system.

• The Final Stretch: Jessie shares her mindset heading into her final Olympic run in Milan-Cortina and why she has decided to retire after the 2026 season.

• Legacy & Integrity: Reflecting on being awarded the Holmenkollen Medal, Jessie explains why racing with integrity and being a role model outside of the sport is as important to her as her results on the snow.

• Training Philosophy: How she and her team plan "super peaks" every four years for the Olympics and the unexpected benefits of "toe yoga."

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

"I’ve realized that I don’t have to be a perfect person to be a good role model. I just have to be an honest one."

"The 'pain cave' is a place I know well, but I’ve learned that you can’t live there. You have to have a home to come back to that is full of joy and balance."

"Winning is amazing, but it’s the feeling of crossing the line knowing you gave every single thing you had—that’s the part that stays with you."

"I want the next generation of skiers to see that you can be the best in the world and still be a human being who struggles and asks for help."

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ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.

Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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The most interesting woman at the Olympics, U.S. luger Sophia Kirkby, sits down with Sarah in Cortina to discuss her luge origin story, making her own pins to trade at the Games, carrying her dad’s memory with her when she competes, and proclaiming herself the most eligible bachelorette in the Olympic Village (we get all the tea on her many dates!). Plus, hear from bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor after her gold medal win and get a lesson in sliding sports from Ken Childs. And Stewie makes a statement, talking to strangers, and a hockey choose-your-own adventure.

• You can watch Tender, the new women’s hockey documentary, here.

• You can find Sophia’s handmade Olympic pins here.

• Follow Ken Childs on Instagram here.

• You can find Ken’s site dedicated to bobsled, skeleton and luge coverage here.

• The full Milan-Cortina Olympic schedule is here

• Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at goodgame@wondermedianetwork.com

• Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.com Instagram: @Spain2323

• Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social Instagram: @AzziArtwork

• Follow producer Bianca Hillier! Bluesky:@biancahillier.bsky.social

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The Favorites is back! Another week of no football but still plenty to discuss as Stuckey, Kendra Middleton and Brandon Kravitz team up for another chit-chat session. College basketball is in full swing and Stuckey likes the Boilermakers tonight. He's also planting his flag on Miami (OH) finally going down. Elsewhere, all eyes are on the Olympics, which has some strange things on Kendra's mind, per usual. Would you get the injection?? Finally, the crew welcomes hockey betting analyst, Josh Inglis to the show to get everyone ready for some exciting Olympic matchups. Will we get the USA vs Canada Gold Medal Game that everyone wants? You can find more from Inglis on X here. The Favorites will be back with more sports betting content every Tuesday and Thursday so subscribe, rate and review!

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The Winter Olympics are in full swing, and for the athletes competing, the Games are as much a mental challenge as they are a physical one. Not long ago, Maya sat down with five-time Olympic gold medalist, swimmer Missy Franklin, who competed in both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. When Missy returned for her second Olympics, things felt markedly different. In today’s episode, Missy speaks candidly and bravely about how her mental health impacted her performance–with the world watching.

For more Olympics content from A Slight Change of Plans, check out the episodes below:

• “A Syrian Refugee Fights for Olympic Dreams”
• “Olympian Gabby Thomas Sets Her Own Pace”
• “Surrender is not in my DNA”

In case you missed it—Maya’s new book, “The Other Side of Change,” is officially a bestseller! Order your copy at changewithmaya.com/book, or wherever you like to buy books.

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In the winter of 1980, the world turned its eyes to Lake Placid, New York, host of the Winter Olympics. But behind the pageantry, another structure loomed in the Adirondack woods. Built to house 1,800 athletes, the Olympic Village looked less like a dormitory than a detention center — because that’s exactly what it was designed to become.

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Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason English
Written by Zaron Burnett
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jesse Nighswonger
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

For School of Humans, Producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez. Executive Producer is Virginia Prescott.

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Olympic pressure overwhelmed 21 year old Ilia Malinin and Team USA’s biggest hope for figure skating gold came to a dramatic end on the ice. After winning 14 straight competitions over the past 2 years. Malinin fell twice and didn’t complete two other quad jumps during the most important routine of his career. But it’s what he said immediately after competition, that has so many people talking. ”

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