Sydney Olympics celebrated with ‘Beyond The Games’ podcast

Australia has been celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Sydney Olympics, and now there’s a new podcast looking back at the legacy of the 2000 games.

Beyond The Games is hosted by sports commentator Mark Beretta, and he’s joined by Olympic athletes, sports legends and industry experts including Lucy Turnbull, Michael Knight, Louise Sauvage, and Brad Fittler.

The six-part podcast has been created by the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, with RadioHub setting up a studio at its office and most interviews taking place on-site.

“Two decades on from the Olympics there is a world-class legacy to celebrate but we were very challenged by current restrictions,” Sydney Olympic Park Authority communications and public affairs manager, Savannah Robinson, said.

“Normally such a momentous milestone would be cause for great celebration and mass gathering, and while we couldn’t have that, we were determined to find a way to ensure the public could join us in celebrating the legacy of the 2000 Games. So the Beyond the Games podcast was born.”

Beretta discovers some of the never-before-heard stories from behind the scenes of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, diving into the planning and delivery of the games – considered one of the best worldwide examples of Olympic transformation and sustainable development.

“I was at the Sydney 2000 Games and it has been a thrill to be back in the Park recording a podcast and talking to some amazing people about their memories and the incredible, world-class legacy that is so significant to all Australians,” Beretta said.

In the first episode, former Olympics minister Michael Knight speaks about the challenges he faced, and the scary moment the Olympic Cauldron stalled during the Opening Ceremony.