Follow us on Patreon for bonus content, extended interviews, and exclusive clips.

Patreon: patreon.com/divebeyondsportpod

In this episode of Dive Beyond Sport, hosts Yona Knight-Wisdom and Freddie Woodward sit down with Shelley Dowling-Holroyd, a former British javelin thrower, to discuss her remarkable journey in athletics. Shelley shares her experiences from competing in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics to her career transition into athlete support and inclusion within UK athletics. The conversation touches on her personal resilience in overcoming severe injuries, the significance of mental health in sports, and the importance of a coach's role in an athlete's success. Shelley also speaks about the establishment of the Athletics Pride Network and her contributions to the Paralympic community, emphasizing the value of lived experience and paying it forward. Through her story, Shelley provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of sports funding, athlete development, and the critical role of mindset in achieving excellence.

Show Notes

• How Shelley Dowling-Holroyd turned a life-changing car crash into the driving force behind her Olympic journey
• Why she believes resilience is the greatest skill any athlete can develop, both in sport and in life
• How failure became a foundation for growth and the key to her long-term success
• What losing her athletic identity taught her about purpose, vulnerability, and starting over
• Why mental health and emotional preparation are just as vital as physical training for athletes
• How Shelley found new meaning in helping others through inclusion, coaching, and athlete welfare
• What inspired her to champion disability inclusion and challenge perceptions around ability
• Why she believes great coaching starts with empathy, not instruction
• How her mentor Frank Dick shaped her philosophy of “paying it forward” in sport
• Why it’s never too late to learn, adapt, and begin a new chapter, even after sport

Guest Pick:

Book: Wings by Kathy Wright

Link (paperback): https://amzn.to/47SJ48g

Link (hardcover): https://amzn.to/4nqik44

Link (kindle): https://amzn.to/46lRnbu

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through the links above. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps support the podcast.

Subscribe to DIVE Beyond Sport Podcast for weekly episodes diving into athlete stories, mindset, and motivation.

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dive-beyond-sport/id1832706678

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/67pX07qo2f6AZTxOERShpn?si=95b0803ce82642a7

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divebeyondsportpod

TikTok:

Follow us on Patreon for bonus content, extended interviews, and exclusive clips.

Patreon: patreon.com/divebeyondsportpod

In this episode of Dive Beyond Sport, hosts Freddie Woodward and Yona Knight-Wisdom sit down with Olympic trampolining champion Bryony Page. Bryony shares her journey from starting trampolining at age 9 to winning a historic gold medal in Paris, along with other Olympic medals in Rio and Tokyo. The discussion covers her love for the sport, the challenges she faced, including battling through mental blocks and personal hardships, and the invaluable support from her coaches and family. Bryony also reveals her passion for learning, her time at university, where she wrote a dissertation on dinosaur sounds, and her aspirations for the future, both in sport and potentially with Cirque du Soleil. She emphasizes the importance of self-growth, happiness, and maintaining a strong support network. Bryony’s story provides a deep dive into the life and mindset of an elite athlete who values personal development over accolades.

Show Notes

• How Bryony Page battled through self-doubt and turned it into Olympic-level resilience

• Why failure became one of her greatest teachers on the road to success

• What it felt like to finally achieve her lifelong dream of becoming an Olympic Champion

• How she found self-worth beyond medals, shifting focus to values and growth

• Why consistency and reflection became the foundation of her training

• What setbacks taught her about redefining success and resilience

• How she pushed through the mental battles of fear and performance pressure

• Why gratitude, learning, and relationships fuel her both on and off the trampoline

• What defending a title really means and how belief plays a role in chasing it

• How Bryony continues to push limits while inspiring the next generation of athletes

Guest Picks:

Book Recommendation:   The Confidence Gap by Russ Harris.

Link (paperback): https://amzn.to/46QJ8o2

Link (kindle): https://amzn.to/4gzyhC8

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through the links above. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps support the podcast.

Subscribe to DIVE Beyond Sport Podcast for weekly episodes diving into athlete stories, mindset, and motivation.

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dive-beyond-sport/id1832706678

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/67pX07qo2f6AZTxOERShpn?si=95b0803ce82642a7

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divebeyondsportpod

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divebeyondsportpod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DIVEBeyondSport

Follow the Hosts and Guest on Instagram:

Bryony Page: https://www.instagram.com/bryony_page

Freddie Woodward: https://www.instagram.com/freddie_woodward

Yona Knight-Wisdom: https://www.instagram.com/yonakw

Follow us on Patreon for bonus content, extended interviews, and exclusive clips.

Patreon: patreon.com/divebeyondsportpod

In this episode of Dive Beyond Sports, hosts Freddie Woodward and Yona Knight-Wisdom interview Aidan Heslop, a record-breaking cliff diver who talks about his journey from traditional diving to high cliff diving. Aidan shares his early start in diving at age seven, his inspirations, and the mentors that helped him along the way. He opens up about the extreme nature of cliff diving, its risks, and the severe back injury that put him out of action for nearly a year. He also touches on the mental and physical challenges of recovery, his recent move to Montreal, and the importance of perseverance. Despite the setbacks, Aidan remains passionate about the sport and hopes to continue diving for another 10-15 years. He emphasizes the need for grit and determination, encouraging listeners to stay motivated even in tough times.

Show Notes

• How Aidan Heslop discovered cliff diving at just 12 years old and turned it into his life’s passion

• Why he chose cliff diving over Olympic-style diving despite the risks and challenges

• How he became the youngest diver to compete in Red Bull Cliff Diving at age 16

• What it felt like to stand on his first podium and later win a world title at 19

• How he handled a career-threatening back injury and fought his way back

• Why fear never fully goes away, and how he manages it with grounding techniques

• What makes cliff diving different from traditional diving in culture, risk, and creativity

• How great coaches and mentors shaped his growth and technical mastery

• Why resilience and determination remain at the core of his journey as an athlete

Guest Picks:

Aidan’s song recommendation: My Head Is A Jungle (MK Remix / Radio Edit) by Wankelmut → Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4krbxwy4XwgGWgLCmiKxuD?si=d541042f87194c7d

Subscribe to DIVE Beyond Sport Podcast for weekly episodes diving into athlete stories, mindset, and motivation.

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dive-beyond-sport/id1832706678

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/67pX07qo2f6AZTxOERShpn?si=95b0803ce82642a7

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divebeyondsportpod

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divebeyondsportpod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DIVEBeyondSport

Follow the Hosts and Guest on Instagram:

Aidan Heslop: https://www.instagram.com/aidan_heslop

Freddie Woodward: https://www.instagram.com/freddie_woodward

Yona Knight-Wisdom: https://www.instagram.com/yonakw