When we watch the Olympics and Paralympics on TV, we mostly see the highlight reel: the medals, the tears, the interviews, the national anthem, and the occasional inspirational backstory.

And that’s natural – we’re spectators. We focus on performance.

But the games aren’t really just a two-week sporting event. For the athletes, it’s better understood as a multi-year psychological transition – and it comes with a real emotional price tag.

In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Binna Kandola OBE to unpack the psychological journey of Olympic and Paralympic athletes. We explore how elite performance shapes identity, the emotional instability of the games themselves, and why the most intense moments often occur far from the podium.

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.