In April, LA 2028 announced that it would be the first Olympics to have more quota spots for women than men. That’s a win for women’s sports, right? Not so fast. Our gender in sports expert Dr. Michele K. Donnelly returns to peel back the layers of LA 28’s press release and tell us how fair these gender numbers really are.

Dr. Donnelly is an associate professor in Sport Management at Brock University in Ontario, Canada. Learn more about her work here.

In Milano-Cortina 2026 news, the Armani-designed Italian kit has been unveiled. We have some milky white thoughts about it.

In LA 2028 news, Honda has signed a big sponsorship deal, the Paralympic venue plan and sport program have been announced, and we have a new event in para athletics! Also, USA Track & Field has announced the qualifying times for the 2028 US Olympic Marathon Trials. Can you make the field? The fine print is here:

https://www.usatf.org/news/2025/usa-track-field-announces-standards-for-2028-u-s-o

Speaking of Paralympics, we have a doping announcement that reconfigures a Paris 2024 podium.

Also, we check in with Team Keep the Flame Alive for the latest in their lives.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

We welcome back sports psychologist Dr. Kristin Keim to talk about the kinds of mental health issues Olympians, Paralympians and other elite athletes are facing in 2025. This includes finding your voice, what it's like to be an American athlete today, social media, cyberbullying, disordered eating, and more.

As always, Kristin is frank about the pressures athletes face today and about the advice she gives her clients. It's definitely therapeutic to listen to her!

Learn more about Kristin at her website, and follow her on Instagram.

We also have a ton of news from the Olympic world, including updates from:

• Paris 2024 - A cyberbullying sentence, swimming in the Seine, venue legacy news.
• Milano-Cortina 2026 - Plan B scrapped, and an upate about Russian and Belorussian athlete participation.
• LA 2028 - Opening and Closing Ceremonies venues - the possibility of air taxis - public transport news - a farewell to cardboard beds?

Plus, tons of members of Team Keep the Flame Alive are doing things to make TKFLASTAN proud! Also check out Listener Tommy's website (https://tommyaphillips.com/medal-mayhem/) to see how he did in projecting the medals at Paris 2024.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Rep TKFLASTAN with merch: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month and Military Appreciation Month, we're rekindling our interview with Olympian Samantha Schultz, former modern pentathlete and member of the US Army World Class Athlete Program.

Samantha realized her goal of becoming an Olympian--but then after Tokyo 2020, she discovered underlying mental health issues, including an eating disorder, that turned her life upside down.

In early 2024, Samantha shared her journey with us and how she's working toward better mental health.

Follow Samantha on Instagram and YouTube!

If you're struggling with mental health, finding the right support can help you get on a better path. In the US, anyone can call or text 988, the suicide and mental health crisis hotline.

Resources for eating disorders include:

• National Eating Disorder Association: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
• National Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/
• The Bulimia Project https://bulimia.com/
• National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Related Disorders: https://anad.org/ and helpline: 1-888-375-7767

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics.

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348