Beijing 2022 Day 12 Review
A day of upsets and a day of amazing action is behind us as we are back to please Karen by speaking in our inside voice as we bring you all the action of day 12 of Beijing 2022! Will Ben get any phone calls tonight telling him to be quiet? Are we upset about the USA being eliminated in the men's ice hockey or are we happy? Why is Slovakia now our favourite country? How is Canada feeling now about the curling given they probably won't have to shut down now? What will special guest Johanna Griggs have to say about celebrating Steven Bradbury day? Is Jarrod being back the ticket we need to really make us better again? Why have we found something new about Ester Ledecka to talk about which makes her even more amazing? And does our Daily Dale get the attention yesterday's did by our honouree? Click and listen away for another action packed episode that will get you pumped and excited!
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Please note this is an automated transcript that may contain errors.
BEN WATERWORTH: It is Off The Podium, An Olympics Podcast coming to you for day two of Karen's Angry at Ben recording late at night. Also day 12 of the Beijing 2022 Olympics here to recap another episode in my inside voice, because that's how we've got to speak still for a couple more days. Another exciting day of action and plenty to recap. And it's exciting to be able to welcome back to the show, the GOAT, the MVP, the Irene Voost of podcasting. It is Mr. Jarrod Loobeek. Jarrod, welcome back to Off The Podium. It's a pleasure to have you back.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Thank you. It's good to be back. I've recovered from my three-day Jackie Naricott silver medal celebrations and I'm back on board.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well done. I mean, I haven't had the opportunity to talk to you about Jackie. I might have to ask you about that in just a second. Colin, we think has died. He was scheduled to be here, but he's not. So he may wake up at one point and come back from the dead at some point in this episode. So fingers crossed for that. But you brought it up. I may as well quickly ask you, because the last time we had you on was Jackie Knight. How did you fare watching that? Were you disappointed she got the silver or are you happy she got the silver?
JARROD LOOBEEK: No, happy she got the silver. I think like going into that final one run, we knew that it would make it like you'd need a big mistake for the Germans not to win the gold. So extremely happy with the silver for me, kind of like the moment of the game so far. And I don't think anything's going to top it. But yeah, just so thrilled. It's such a wild sport for Australia to win a medal in. So yeah, so happy for her.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wait until Casey wins the Mass Start Cross Country on the weekend, Jarrod, then Australia will go absolutely off. Just quickly, given that again, you weren't here on aerials night, you and I were just having a bit of a chat about it off air. But I mean, that was one of the locks that I put in for a goal, the Off The Podium curse continues. But how do you feel about the aerials? That was a bit of a tricky one to watch.
JARROD LOOBEEK: It was, I just feel like none of the Aussie girls really found their footing in that final. I think we were extremely lucky to have made the super final for Laura Peel to have made it in the first place. Sorry, Canada, but yeah, I just, the further it went on, like the more you just had that vibe of like, this is not going to be like a fairytale ending to this. I just feel like the aerials you need, like an athlete with like a steely like resolve, like Lydia Yale, she's crashed out of jumps, but they're just, just like, it felt safe when she was jumping. I'm like, okay. But just that whole night, it was like, they're not going to land it just the whole time. It was just like, no, they're too far down the hill, they're too far down the hill, they're, they didn't stretch, they didn't do this, they didn't do whatever else. And I was just like, there was just no consistency throughout. Whereas some of the other athletes, like the, the American athlete was just like landing like jump after jump after jump.
BEN WATERWORTH: It reminded me, you're obviously a little bit younger than me, so I don't know if you quite remember the 90s when we did always go into those events with, you know, the Kirsty Marshals and then obviously the Jackie Coopers where, you know, they're world champions, World Cup winners. It's like, oh, they're so good. They're going to win. They're going to do this. And then ultimately, they never were able to sadly get that luck come the Olympics. That's just what it reminded me of that night. It just felt that way. And it was just, it was, it was a real kind of throwback. And then obviously, you know, Alyssa and Lydia kind of broke that finally. And then obviously David did as well, but yeah, just, it was an odd feeling and I just feel really bad for Laura and in particular, Danielle Scott too, because she's, I think she's so overlooked when it comes to that, because Laura has been so good and Daniel has also been incredibly good. But yeah, you just, you wonder if they got four more years in them because they both didn't really want to commit, did they?
JARROD LOOBEEK: No, it's a, it's a tough one. I feel like it's been like this in like a lot of events where we've had like people with like world champions and all these world cup titles, but the Olympics is just a different breed. The fact that it only comes around every four years, it's just so much more pressure. And I just feel like the winter sports as well, like just so many of them are like on a knife edge between like victory and defeat. It's just so much going into it that it's just, yeah, it'll be tough to see if they can hang around another four years. It's a, it's a long time, especially in a sport like Ariel's.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah. Well, Lydia did five. So Jackie did five as well, didn't she? So you never know. How'd you feel about Bob Sledbury? This is, this is just day 12. Let's catch up Jarrod and everything that he's missed over the last four days. But Bob Sledbury, were you happy with fifth?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, I, I feel like normally yes. And I think maybe this was like the Jackie Naracot, like follow on. I'm like, oh, if we, if we won a medal in, in sliding and now like, like, oh, Bob Sledbury, she's kind of had like slightly better form than Jackie. Like what can she do? And then just, the fifth was impressive given how it started. But I think the, if you said at the very beginning, like she's going to finish fifth, it would have been disappointing. But given that she came back from like 10th after or her first run or whatever it was, um, it was impressive, but it was just, it was hard not to be a little bit disappointed. I really thought she could have got on like the podium there going into it.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, that first run cost her, but she'll be back there with Chiara. She'll be bringing Ben back down the sled in a, in a couple of day. The track, I should say, in a couple of days. Um, while we're just on the topic of Australian results, in terms of today, I was going to lead with curling and ice hockey, but we'll get to that in a minute. I guess we're on the topic of Australia right now. Um, two, uh, events today, well, three, I guess, technically two sports had Australians in them. So we had in the men's slalom, uh, Louis Moulin-Schult did not finish in the slalom. Sadly, I blame the fact that he shaved his mow. He had the mow going into the Olympics and he got rid of it. So sad for Louis there, but, um, he, uh, he's an Olympian. He can never take that away from him. And I think he's pretty proud of, of that fact as well. And he's got one of the best names, I think, uh, on our team. So props to him for having an awesome name. And in the cross-country skiing, we had the, uh, the team sprint classic, which I actually, I'm fascinated by the fact that they alternate every four years by, so this year it was the classic, and then four years ago, it was the skate or the whatever that one's called. So I like how they kind of alternate between it every four years. That's kind of cool. But Australia in their semi-final, the women's were eighth with Jess and Casey there. So I believe that means they finished 14th overall or 16th overall. Didn't come last, we beat Ukraine, Croatia, Latvia, Turkey and Belarus, our traditional cross-country skiing rivals. So good job there. And in the men's, Australia finished 11th in this semi-final, beat Lithuania and Korea, that's always good, with Phil and Sevi, who, sorry to say to Louis, but I think Sevi's got the best name on the Australian team, Sevi Dekampo, like a brilliant name. So he wins the best name on Team Australia in Beijing 2022. But we did get beaten by Britain in cross-country skiing, the ashes of the Olympics, Jarrod. Did you see, they actually was on TV. And great little thing too that happened today is when I was in the research lounge this afternoon, Josh, basically my boss, was sort of, he was feverishly going to the notes. I'm like, oh, what's going on? And he's like, oh, you're just, I'm just preparing some notes. Dave Colbert's gonna be commentating the cross-country skiing tonight. I'm like, what? Not going for the OBS? And they're like, no, no. They've decided to put Dave in the chair for cross-country skiing. He basically knows nothing about it, so I'm getting it all ready to go. And I want to say, he did brilliantly. I don't know if you saw it tonight, but you could not tell that this man had never commentated cross-country skiing before. So props to Dave Colbert and props to Channel 7, me sucking up again, but like we're actually showing that pretty much in prime time. It was pretty good.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, it was exciting to see some live sport and some good exposure for the cross-country skiing. And I feel like this team's event is, it's a good one to show because it's not too long. And it's interesting with all the lead changes and the fact that the athletes, the two athletes of the team each go three times, like it's just an interesting setup. And like, I feel like they can make the changeovers more exciting. There should be a baton or something rather than this, like touch them on the shoulder or whatever and off they go. And it's really, the changeovers are really messy. There's just people, bodies and people everywhere. But no, a fun event and glad that we got to see it live.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, it was really, really good. And it's always exciting that when, you know, you obviously don't have a lot of options to choose from. It's not like the Summer Olympics where, you know, you probably got 10, 12 events on every single time. There are literally moments of the day where you've only got one sport on. And it's actually been really good to see that rather than showing 50 replays of the two medals that we won a week ago, that they're actually showing. So all afternoon you had ice hockey and then obviously you had cross country skiing. I mean, they're showing the short track right now. So yeah, no, it's really good they're doing that. Just on the cross country skiing, we should say just while we're on that topic. In the women's team sprint, Germany won the gold from Sweden and ROC. And in the men's, Norway the gold, Finland silver and ROC the bronze. I'll get your opinions on ice hockey and curling. Anyway, Jarrod, I know you're an expert on both. Good news for Canada. The men are through to the semifinals. They lost last night. I was watching that game against ROC while I was watching the hockey, and they lost in an extra end. But results went their way today enough where they are through to the semifinals. And in the women's, they play the seeding. As a matter of fact, their game is underway. And I'll give you a breaking news in the curling, see how that's going. And I believe they are currently in third at the moment overall. And they have to win tonight to go through. And at the moment, breaking news in the curling, Canada 0, China 3. So they need to pick their game up there. Have you watched any more of the curling at all, Jarrod? And are you excited to see at least one of the Canadian teams have made it into the medal rounds for once?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I haven't seen the curling for a couple of days. But maybe I'll pick it back up for the semis in the finals, at least the finals and the medal matches for sure. But yeah, I feel like I kind of lost a little bit of interest after the team's event. I think having like the Australian connection, obviously makes it a bit more exciting to watch. But keen to kind of get back into it, particularly with like not as many sports on, like it's good to, I feel like there's enough time in the day to get a little bit of a glimpse of everything that's running.
BEN WATERWORTH: Our beautiful Oscar Ericsson is still in it, of course, Sweden in through to the semis. And Bruce Mowat chants for another medal there for Scotland. Sorry, Great Britain there through. So I believe the US, John Schuster, Mr. Duck Dynasty himself essentially has to win their last match for them to have any chance of defending their gold that they won in Pyeongchang. They are currently sitting in fourth place. And yet in the women's, so Canada are in fourth place right now. But a loss would not be good, particularly given that Britain not playing right now. But I believe they will play tomorrow. And also breathing down their neck is the US, who Canada beat earlier today. And currently though, US are getting beaten by Japan for nothing. So maybe a loss there will help a little bit Canada, if USA also lose as well. In the ice hockey, so in the women's bronze medal match, that's happening right now. Finland are 1-0 up over Switzerland. Apparently, I was told today by a fellow researcher, Ray. Hello, Ray, if you're listening, that today is the first time in Olympic history that the same two sides played in both the men's and women's in ice hockey. So the men's Finnish team and the men's Swiss team played in a quarterfinal today, Finland winning 5-1. And the women's team are playing exactly the same time right now, and Finland are 1-0 up. So a bit of history going on there. But in the other two quarterfinals that have happened today, ROC 3, Denmark 1, no surprise there. They will play Finland. But the Boilover, Jarrod Lubik, Team USA are out. Slovakia 3, USA 2 in a shootout, if you don't mind. Now Slovakia got the first goal, USA got the next two. Slovakia equalised with about 30-odd seconds on the clock to go in the third period. No goal in overtime. And then USA just could not find the back of the net in the shootout. Slovakia found one goal, boom. Thank you very much for coming USA. Bugger off back to America. Slovakia will play either Sweden or Canada for a shot at the gold medal. They're the Germany of 2022, I think Slovakia. Never made it past the semi-finals. They finished fourth before. But I don't know if you watched this or not, but yeah, I think Team USA pretty shitty that they got eliminated in the Olympics by Slovakia.
JARROD LOOBEEK: I did watch this and it was great. Love an underdog win, even more so an underdog win against the US. It was just fun. It was fun. It was exciting. The drama of like the comeback being in like the last 30 seconds, then nothing in overtime and then the shootout. It was just, I feel like we got a little bit of everything. Like it was a good hockey game for people who don't watch ice hockey often. So I'm thrilled for Slovakia to have made it through.
BEN WATERWORTH: Are they your pick now? Are you going to be on the team Slovakia bandwagon? Be careful with your answer because Canada could be playing them in a day or so.
JARROD LOOBEEK: You know what? I am on that bandwagon the whole way. They're going to bring home the goal. You watch.
BEN WATERWORTH: You're just team Slovakia. You're going to get the jersey. You're going to be just cheering them on all the way to the bank basically. All, you know, people calling them Czechoslovakia. Well, I mean, halfway there essentially. So I know what to get you for Christmas now. Your favourite team Slovakia, Bratislava Central, I don't know, Bratislava FC, well not FC, HC it would be, wouldn't it? So I'm telling you now, if Canada don't make it through, I'm team Finland all the way. The Finns, they need it. And we don't want Rock going through again. Come on, Rock.
JARROD LOOBEEK: The US is out, so what's the point of Rock going through? That grudge match isn't on the table anymore.
BEN WATERWORTH: It is actually the exciting one. It will either just start as we are on air, or just start while we finish, depending on how long we go for. But Sweden, Canada, that was the one quarterfinal that, I mean, I said was the good one. I said all the others were shoe-ins for the teams, and I got one of them wrong, clearly. But obviously Rock and Finland lived up to their part of the deal. But yeah, Sweden, Canada, always good value those two. That's a rematch of the 2014 gold medal match, of course. And I don't know, you might favour Sweden slightly. Just in terms of sort of a lot more European players, obviously, in that team, when Canada's got a lot more of their sort of junior players that probably never even make the NHL. So we'll see how that plays out. But yeah, Finland winning the women's bronze at the moment with that one. Other medal results today outside of the cross-country ones that I just said. So in the Alpine skiing, in the men's slalom, it was Clement Noel of France beat Johannes Strolls. He couldn't get to the double gold, but he's come away with the gold and silver. Johannes, so he'd be pretty happy with that. And Sebastian Foss Solveig of Norway, the bronze in the biathlon. Sweden took the gold in the women's relay. Silver to rock and bronze to Germany. And in the freestyle skiing slope style, gold to the US, Alex Hall from the US. That's what I just said. Nick Gepa is his name, not Gopa, it's Gepa. We discovered that today. USA, silver and Jesper Cheder of Seveden took the bronze. Did you watch this? We had a bit of a discussion over the last couple of days about how having the slope style and the big air, even though it's snowboard and freestyle skiing, basically all at the same time is a bit confusing because you kind of get them a bit confused. But did you watch much of the slope style at all today, Jarrod?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I didn't catch any of this. Yeah, I have mixed feelings on the whole big air, big air, half pipe and slope style. I feel like they're like a little bit too similar to have all of them in the Olympics. But probably a discussion for another time on the sports episode. There's lots of things I would change actually on the Winter Olympics in like multiple sports, even like biathlon and like cross country and stuff. There's just a lot of events that I feel could be culled or improved or combined.
BEN WATERWORTH: Do you think that with biathlon and cross country, because they're basically the same, one just has a gun, that maybe you just like to save some time, have them all go at the same point, and then basically, so like the biathletes, essentially, they may be like, you put a rope in between the courses, right? So you've got the 10K, and then basically, you know, somebody shoots every now and then, and then somebody, I don't know, and then like because it's not a combined, you know, someone ski jumping in the background, like saving costs, you know, the ISC would save some money, right?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, I just feel like there's a lot with all these, like different distances and stuff. It's like if in the Olympics, I mean, I suppose there are different distances in running, so that point probably doesn't stand. But if you had like a marathon and then a half marathon and I don't know, a quarter marathon, like instead of just the marathon as like the standout event, it's just, there's a lot. But I am liking these relays, but I just think it could be improved. And I do think, well, I do love Nordic Combined and think it should definitely be there and shouldn't move. I do feel like the Winter Olympics needs its version of like the pentathlon or like the decathlon or the heptathlon. And there needs to be something where there's like more sports involved. I want to see somebody who has to skate and then they have to ski and then they have to snowboard. I want to see like the pinnacle athlete who can do all of the elements of winter sport. And then chuck in like a skeleton run on the end.
BEN WATERWORTH: And then at the end, they've got to do a short program in figure skating. They've got to land at triple lutz essentially. And then the half pipe, they would do the scream and semen. And then win a shootout against Slovakia in the ice hockey. To see how they will go with that. I like that idea. Did anybody hear me? That works a trick. Hello, Colin. Welcome to Off The Podium. My name is Ben. I'm the... He sounded very happy this evening. How are you doing, Colin? Welcome to the show. I'm speaking in my Karen voice again tonight, just letting you know.
COLIN HILDING: So, just for anybody out there is wondering, never have children. Like ever.
BEN WATERWORTH: Colin, the advocate for fathers once again on the show. Yep.
COLIN HILDING: Oh, I... Well, I'm going to say the good and the bad. The good is that because I had a child that woke up screaming every hour on the hour, I was able to catch three out of the four quarterfinal matches so far in the hockey. But because of that, I only fell asleep three hours ago and somehow slept through my alarm for the first time in my life. So what did I miss? Has Charles Hamlin gone yet?
BEN WATERWORTH: I believe he hasn't. No, we were just talking, catching Jarrod up on his opinions in the last few days. We talked a little bit about Canada and the curling doing well. And well, even though they're losing right now in the women's, but we'll see how that goes. And also about Slovakia causing the upset of the games. So, I mean, how is Canada feeling about the USA getting eliminated by Slovakia?
COLIN HILDING: I don't know yet because I just woke up. You tell me how is Canada feeling about US being eliminated by Slovakia?
BEN WATERWORTH: I believe it was so great that Ottawa is empty now. The streets are free.
COLIN HILDING: Trudeau has given up his emergency powers. This was all about the United States. It had nothing to do with the curling, nothing to do with protest, nothing.
BEN WATERWORTH: I believe Russia has completely withdrawn their troops from Ukraine. I believe Palestine and Israel have signed a peace agreement. It's a peaceful day for the world. Slovakia beat the USA. Everything is great. North Korea and South Korea are one nation again. You know, Jarrod likes, he's even more of a goat now. Colin likes the mixed relays of the Olympics. Like it's just peace.
COLIN HILDING: And Ben's neighbours are not disturbed by his noise.
BEN WATERWORTH: Apparently so, yes. So I'm seeing you just on the, so where I think the relay is literally starting now on channel 7.
COLIN HILDING: Don't spoil it yet.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, no. Well, I'm not going to because I've got the live timing in front of me, which is implying that it's not super live because there's 17 laps to go according to the live timing. And it just started on our screens right now. So I'm going to avoid the live timing so I can actually see what is going on. But are you happy, Colin, that Slovakia beat the USA?
COLIN HILDING: You know, I wasn't really invested one way or the other, but I thought that it's something that's going to be remembered. It's going to be one of the more memorable moments of these Olympics. It was incredible watching it all the way through the shootout. And I might just have a suggestion for our Daily Dale today because of it.
BEN WATERWORTH: Hey, I might as well. So look at us thinking on the same way. And just also quickly on the curling, are you happy that you've got at least one team guaranteed through to the semis now?
COLIN HILDING: So who is it?
BEN WATERWORTH: Because I haven't had the men, the men. Basically the men lost last night, but with the way the results went today, they are confirmed a spot in the semifinals.
COLIN HILDING: So I thought they had to beat Great Britain first.
BEN WATERWORTH: Or is that because of how? No, it hasn't. But because the way the results played out today with other teams losing, Canada confirmed in the semis. So basically they can lose tomorrow and they're still in. The women are playing right now. On the last score check, they were 3-0 down against China. And I do believe they need to win to make it through. It is 3-1 right now in that match.
COLIN HILDING: But I mean, considering that they have come back from being 1-3, and they've won three in a row, I'm feeling a little bit better. But that will be the huge underdog story of this country. I'm choking on it. But if we manage to come back from the terrible start that we had in curling on both men's and women's sides, because we were talking yesterday about this kind of being similar to hockey in Salt Lake City. The only difference being is that I guess it's men's and women's. So imagine if we end up meddling in both. I mean, this will be our miracle on ice.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, our miracle on ice and Off The Podium will be if Charles Hamlin can win our first ever gold for Off The Podium and right now with 31 laps to go. Am I meant to be spoiling this for you, Colin, or are you not seeing this at all?
COLIN HILDING: I am at 41 laps to go right now. I saw it was starting and press play.
BEN WATERWORTH: Tell you what, Jarrod and I will be nice and not spoil it at all. So there you go. I felt bad the other day when we did that with the ski jumping, but at the same time, not really. But we've got 30 laps to go on our side anyway. Other results, so while we've been on air, the men's aerials final has been won and done. And China have gotten another goal on that. Qi Gong Pao, Gong Bu, gold for China. Aleksandr Abramenko of Ukraine, silver. And Ilya Burov of ROK, the bronze, which, Jarrod, we're still trying to work out. Was he happy with that or because you said he was like punching the ground basically or?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I think happy, but it's always hard to tell with the ROK athletes.
BEN WATERWORTH: I think those heart medications kicking in basically. So he too will have an asterisk next to his name. If he, you know, he's on the podium, I guess. Also, just quickly, the women's 1500 metres will come after this relay. And it looks as though no Canadians will be in there. Sorry to say, Kim Booton did not make it through. Ariana Fontana did, and so did Suzanne Schulting. So it will be the battle of the big guns in that one. And I do believe no non-Asian countries ever won that event. So we could have a battle between Italy and the Netherlands to break a bit of a record in that one. So there are only medal events to be decided. This 5000 relay that's going on right now. And the women's 1500 metres. One that I wanted to quickly talk about, which I'm actually very sad we didn't, weren't able to talk about it last night because I think definitely athlete of the day yesterday. Sorry, Irene, who thanks for liking our post, by the way. Irene just liked our post on Twitter. So she let me and she likes Off The Podium. As did Cindy Klassen today.
COLIN HILDING: You mean Clara Hughes.
BEN WATERWORTH: Clara Hughes, that one as well.
COLIN HILDING: The other one.
BEN WATERWORTH: The other one. Spoiling our special day. So big day for likes. Lydia Lassler liked our post on Dale Begg Smith yesterday. That made me happy. So Lydia loves the Dale. But in the Nordic combined yesterday, Jarl Magnus Riba of Norway, kicking ass in the ski jumping into the cross-country skiing was miles ahead and took a wrong turn and basically started going down the finishing section of the course and had to basically un-lap himself to redo it and end up finishing, I think, in eighth or ninth place. I mean, this is ridiculous.
COLIN HILDING: I'm currently watching him somehow be fifth place in the men's relay here in the speed skating.
BEN WATERWORTH: Now we know where he ended up. I just saw him finish sixth in the aerials. So he's all over the place today.
COLIN HILDING: He's our new David Morris. This is the guy who's going to pop up. Just looking really confused, still on his skis. Closing ceremony, that's where he's going to be. Right in front of Thomas Bach, knocking him off his little speech podium.
BEN WATERWORTH: But I mean, this is ridiculous, Jarrod. I also believe that by him doing this, that the writing element has been banned from Milan onwards for animal cruelty. So thanks, Yael, for that. But I mean, this is extraordinary. You're saying about the Nordic combined. You know, Paul Yael here. Maybe I need to send him that fake gold medal that I've got.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, this was a shocker. I feel like we had something similar happen in Pyeongchang, but maybe I'm remembering it wrong. But I don't know. It's just weird that it's even possible for this to happen. Like surely they could just like rope off that section of the course till they need it. Like it's only needs the finishing straight. It doesn't like it shouldn't be an option. And like better sign posting than just like the sign was just like, I don't know, a four piece of paper that said like clap, pointing left, finished pointing right. Like it was just, she's just stupid that it could even happen. But oh, sorry for the guy.
COLIN HILDING: And was it Mandarin too?
BEN WATERWORTH: Maybe. Really quickly, Colin, how many laps do you have to go?
COLIN HILDING: Thirteen.
BEN WATERWORTH: Damn it. Oh, you're at nine? I've got two. I just, I can't say a damn thing. This is ridiculous. I'm literally on the final lap right now. And...
COLIN HILDING: I mean, we're still in first here for me, so I don't know.
BEN WATERWORTH: Colin, you got to tell me when you're on like your last few laps, because I can't say a thing.
COLIN HILDING: I will.
BEN WATERWORTH: I cannot say a thing. This is... I just, I'm just going to shut up. I want to talk about them combined. I mean, look, if I'm driving down the highway and I take a wrong turn and I've got a big red sign that says wrong way, go back, surely the Olympics, they can afford to put one of those there. Jarrod, how many laps have you got to go? Eight. Okay, four, eight.
COLIN HILDING: How is this going to be Canada's gold, and yet we're behind you?
BEN WATERWORTH: Live commentary here on Off The Podium in Karen's voice, as Ben knows the result already. I want to get some live reactions here from both Jarrod and Collin, Collin Powell, because this could be the moment.
COLIN HILDING: I'm at five.
BEN WATERWORTH: Off the podium, that Off The Podium streak.
COLIN HILDING: I'm just amazed at this point that nobody has wiped out. This is the cleanest short track speed skating relay in history.
BEN WATERWORTH: All right, Jarrod, you must be at the end of this play now. All right, Collin, Collin.
COLIN HILDING: It looks like Canada is gaining the lead right now on Korea, and we have another exchange and we're gaining it even more. These last couple of laps are going very well for Canada. I can't tell if that's Charles Hamlin or somebody else. They all look the same to me. Canada is still the lead on the final lap, and Italy has pulled into third, Republic of Korea in second, and Canada crossed the finish line, and the curse is in the purse. For me, Ben continues to ruin people's careers, but Colin is not the problem. Again, two Olympics in a row, I'm not the problem. Ben, you're the problem.
BEN WATERWORTH: I am definitely the problem, and I hate that I have to use my Karen voice right now because ladies and gentlemen, breaking news in Off The Podium, we have a freaking gold medallist.
COLIN HILDING: And it is the only man who gave us a medal in Pyeongchang. Charles Hammond, why is he coming back? Does he want to tie Cindy Claussen's record, which by the way, he just tied Cindy Claussen's record as well. That's another big deal, at least here in Canada. Does he want to break Penny Alexiak's record now? No, all he wants is every single Olympics to do something to support Colin and something to hold Ben down.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which member of your team has the really bad hairstyle?
COLIN HILDING: Is it Steven Dubois?
BEN WATERWORTH: Maybe, he's got like a, I don't know, a tyre mark down the middle of his head or something.
COLIN HILDING: I think that's Steven Dubois. I thought he kind of looked like, I don't know, if you know the Submariner, the comical character.
BEN WATERWORTH: No, no, is this like that adequately normal band that you were talking about last night or whatever the hell it was? The what? That band, it was like adequately normal, the Nickelback follow up or whoever. Default, sure. Adequately normal. That's Jarrod's band, often get them confused.
COLIN HILDING: I was gonna say that could be the Off The Podium band. We could compete with Fatty Ester.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm just disappointed that Baz and Georgie aren't jumping up and down for Off The Podium right now. This is freaking groundbreaking, ladies and gentlemen. Like over 100 guests on this show. We had 25 on Team OTP going into this. And if people are not knowing, Canada just won the Men's 5000m Relay. And never ever has any of our guests that we have had on before their Olympics gone on to win a gold medal. We've had silvers, we've had bronzes, lots of bronzes, but never a freaking gold medal. And it was Colin, of course, who we interviewed him. Was it beginning of 2018 or was it the end of 2017?
COLIN HILDING: I think it was the end of 2017 because it was a couple of months out from Pyeongchang still.
BEN WATERWORTH: Right.
COLIN HILDING: But now Ben's going to create another curse. Well, we've never had somebody who's officially interviewed before that Games who has won a gold medal.
BEN WATERWORTH: I mean, technically that is true. Like I'll do the different levels of statistics there, but we could have claimed this is, you know, this is a gold. Do you still have his number in your Rolodex?
COLIN HILDING: I could dig up his publicist's info. She was very helpful last time.
BEN WATERWORTH: He did like... I think I left a comment on one of his posts yesterday, the day before, and he liked our comment. So he's... Yeah, congratulations, Charles. Canada win the gold. Your third gold of the game is now Colin as well.
COLIN HILDING: You know what, I thought that... I thought you were referring to Steven Dubois here, but are you referring to Charles Hamlin, who literally has a Mohawk right now?
BEN WATERWORTH: Is it that Charles Hamlin has got the time?
COLIN HILDING: Yeah, he just went with the Mohawk for this race. That's something new, I guess.
BEN WATERWORTH: When we get him back on the show, and I'll join you for that interview, I will be sure to bring up the fact that he looks like somebody just run over his head with a tie.
COLIN HILDING: Maybe that's what it takes to win a gold medal. It's taking us three Olympics to get a gold medallist, and you're finding something wrong with the man?
JARROD LOOBEEK: So aerodynamic, that hairstyle.
COLIN HILDING: Yes.
BEN WATERWORTH: The helmet maybe gets in the way. I don't know. Just wait till Friday night when I can speak at a normal level to really express my emotions. But congratulations to Charles, our first ever guest that has been on this show has gone on to win an Olympic gold. Jarrod is just over the moon right now. Jarrod, your streak is still 100% as well.
JARROD LOOBEEK: You know it. I'm just disappointed you didn't take the opportunity of being ahead to do a breaking news. Canada defaulted in the...
BEN WATERWORTH: I wanted to, but I also wanted to be nice to Colin. Cause I feel that Colin just gets a little bit angry at me sometimes.
COLIN HILDING: Well, I wonder why.
JARROD LOOBEEK: To all those throwing chair moments that he's had.
COLIN HILDING: The last time you did a breaking news in the middle and spoiled it for me, you said Justine de Furelipoint is down and then it came true, okay? So you're not allowed to talk and spoil things for me anymore.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm not allowed to talk. I'll get a phone call and get told off. Karen will be sterbing asleep.
COLIN HILDING: Did you tell Jarrod the best part of all that story, that it was each time you were about to say something negative about Channel 7?
BEN WATERWORTH: I left that part out because we ignore that part, Colin. We ignore the stern talking to I got today taken into the office. Ben, what were you saying about Channel 7 last night? Thank you very much. So, yes.
COLIN HILDING: Just for that, we're gonna send you home on Saturday.
JARROD LOOBEEK: That hidden microphone bugged in like the lampshade. You've always got to check the lampshades. It's where they're always hidden.
BEN WATERWORTH: You think I know that watching all these James Bond films. Fun fact, I think I'm actually appearing on Today Tonight next week. So, TV appearance by a bit more. Naomi Robson's back, Jarrod.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Did you know?
BEN WATERWORTH: You know what happened to Naomi Robson? I miss Naomi Robson. Bring back Naomi Robson. Was it Wawa Kid? The cannibal, remember that cannibal that she like tried to steal away from like, was that Indonesia or something like that? Or Papua New Guinea?
COLIN HILDING: Are you saying she stole a cannibal? Is that what I'm hearing?
BEN WATERWORTH: No, they're legitimately so like, it's one of these, like a current affair, like I know you've got a current affair in all this current affair in America, I don't know if you've got it in Canada. But so like, we literally have a current affair, it's on Channel 9 and the rival for that was today, tonight. So trashy, you know, like pensioners getting robbed by the government, you know, we investigate tonight at six. Dodgy tradies, are they stealing your underwear? We, you know, investigate tonight at six. And so there was one, so the host of the one on Channel 7 today, tonight for a long period of time was a woman called Naomi Robson. She actually was like pretty good, like for the top, it was a shit show, but so was the current affair. Both of them were shit. I'm not just trying to bag out Channel 7, all those types of shows are shit. But anyway, there was that she flew to, I think it was Papua New Guinea. And there was basically like a little boy who I think was like in a tribe and it was literally like a tribe of cannibals. And so they caught a wind and they wanted to like rescue him and bring him back to Australia. Cause like, oh no, like mummy and daddy, you're gonna eat wah wah. So basically there was like a big shit storm over. I think like the government, I can't even remember the exact, I'm probably making all this up. But essentially she made all the headlines because it was all like, she tries to kidnap a little boy from the parents. And I don't know, it was overblown as often stuff is in the media in Australia. But it was just, I just remember this like story for like, how long, it was like a month or something ridiculous. This wasn't at Jarrod's, like Naomi Robson versus Wawa. Like God, when was that? I feel like that like 15 years ago or something like that. Yeah, God. You miss out Colin on Australian quote journalism. Now you can see why I am how I am, you know, as a journalist in this country. So shout out to Naomi Robson, big fan of Off The Podium. She loves it. It's what she's up to now. Breaking news. Breaking news, yes. Are we celebrating the gold?
COLIN HILDING: Well, the bronze is going on right now in women's hockey. And big surprise, Finland has a two nothing lead.
BEN WATERWORTH: Is that the breaking news? Is that all you want to say?
COLIN HILDING: Yes, I just saw their second goal.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, well, can I give you breaking news in the curling? Canada three, China three.
COLIN HILDING: Oh.
BEN WATERWORTH: And USA are getting spanked by Japan. And not in the good way.
COLIN HILDING: Men's or women's?
BEN WATERWORTH: All women's tonight.
COLIN HILDING: Well, because they didn't have the trucker hats.
BEN WATERWORTH: They didn't. They absolutely didn't.
COLIN HILDING: But yeah, Karen, please tell me you've seen the American curlers. With their mullets, their moustache. Oh, let's send him a picture. I'm going to find some of it here.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Is this the new Norwegian pants, you know, from Pyeongchang when they changed the pants for every match?
BEN WATERWORTH: Because Norway haven't worn the fancy pants these Olympics, so I think it is the mullet. It's the Duck Dynasty Team USA, which makes sense why their mixed doubles guy had that weird trucker hat on during those matches. While Colin digs it up and sends it to Jarrod. So just, we've obviously gone over both the Australian results, but some other Canadian results for you today, even though we've gotten the gold now. So in the slalom, Eric Reid was 24th, and Trevor Filp, again, missing an I from his name, did not finish, put an I on your name, mate, you'd probably finish. So sucks to be him. In the women's biathlon, Canada finished 10th in the four by six relay. They beat the USA, that's all we care about, well done, Canada. In the cross country skiing, they did not make the final of the women's, and I've already closed that one, so I don't know, beat Australia, probably in the semi, but didn't make it. In the men's, fifth in the final. Good job, Canada, only behind Sweden, and beat the USA as well. So you'll actually, I was gonna say, were you close to a medal? I mean, 18 seconds. That's pretty close in cross-country skiing, I guess. So that's pretty good, Colin. Fifth in cross-country skiing for your men. Good job.
COLIN HILDING: Yeah, I woke up and saw that this morning as well. These are a lot of the sports that we struggle more and we're turning around. Although cross-country skiing, we have medalled. It's just we haven't medalled since. Turin, I think. I think Becky Scott, and then that was Salt Lake City, and then Shonda Crawford, and Turin. Shonda Crawford, there is the greatest guest we have yet to add on the show, even though I've talked to her several times. Wait till we get Shonda Crawford. She will bring cross-country skiing back.
BEN WATERWORTH: There's your homework. I've got a list of people I'm contacting this weekend, so you've got your homework ready to go.
COLIN HILDING: I had Shonda Crawford, she ended up as a last-minute replacement hosting one of the entertainment nights here for the Canada Games. And I had previously talked to her about appearing on the show, and I actually contacted her a second time and said, hey, you're gonna be appearing in the Canada Games. Do you wanna do an interview about that too? And she was all, sorry, this is really rushing on a time. And then somehow she actually spotted me in the crowd and waved to me and tweeted me. Nice to see you, Colin. Hope we can line up that interview soon. That's a gold medallist there.
BEN WATERWORTH: What was that, three years ago, two years ago, Colin? She's waiting for your email.
COLIN HILDING: Yeah, it's been a couple of years. I think we had her on the list to contact again. I don't know if, I gave you a couple of athletes when you said the last round you were on. Well, she's a much busier person now than she used to be.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, I'll look through the list. I will say Channel 7 now airing the Women's Brompton Medal Match. So there you go.
COLIN HILDING: And I have 11 minutes and 20 seconds to go.
BEN WATERWORTH: I've got a slow motion replay right now. 11 minutes and 13 seconds to go.
COLIN HILDING: Well, then I'm caught up to you now because it's been seven seconds since I said that.
BEN WATERWORTH: Jarrod, what about you? What do you have left?
JARROD LOOBEEK: 11 minutes, 40.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, so in Sydney tonight, apparently.
COLIN HILDING: Well, let's not spoil this. I know Jarrod's really, really excited about the finish.
BEN WATERWORTH: Hey, Jarrod, you missed out on Jarrod swearing his allegiance to Team Slovakia. He just called Slovakia as a gold medallist of these games. And I know what I'm buying for Christmas, a Slovakia personalised jersey with Lubik on the back.
COLIN HILDING: Well, I mean, this is only the second time they've ever even had the chance to play for a medal.
BEN WATERWORTH: They finished fourth in Vancouver, did they not, I think?
COLIN HILDING: I think it was Vancouver. It might have been Turin, but it was within there. But I mean, if you were going to expect somebody to play for a medal, you would expect the Czech Republic and not the other half Slovakia. And I mean, US, it's like, yeah, they've been hit and miss for men's hockey in the Olympics. But I mean, they came in undefeated. So, yeah, huge, huge deal. I will chip in for Jarrod Slovakia jersey.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wow, Jesus, you're going against your own country, Colin. Haven't played yet. And actually that would have started by now, wouldn't it? So, I don't know, it starts in 14 minutes, 14 minutes it starts. So in the Slope style, Max Moffat was ninth. But the good news is he beat a Kiwi, Ben Barclay. That's a bare minimum for all Canadian winter athletes is beat the Kiwis. As I mentioned in the women's 1500 metres, no Canadians through to the final. So bad luck for Canada there, but they tried. Although in the B final, both Kim Booton and Courtney Sehrolt will be battling it out to finish 8th in the Olympics. Why do they have to have B finals? Jarrod, you're shaking your head. What is the point of a B final?
JARROD LOOBEEK: It's just so bad.
BEN WATERWORTH: They talk it up in the snowboard and the ski cross. They're important for World Cup rankings. It's like, well, why does an Olympic event have to count? The Olympics are above the World Cup. What does it matter? They don't even do ranking points the same in tennis anymore. Do they, Jarrod? Or did they change that recently?
JARROD LOOBEEK: They brought in ranking points for the Olympics, but then I think they're gone again. So they just change their mind each time they roll around, but I just don't just give everybody the points for fifth.
COLIN HILDING: And like what I really don't understand is obviously not everybody does B finals, but everybody does World Cups. So there are sports that don't care because they don't count the Olympics as part of the World Cup and they shouldn't. It's something separate. So why does it matter to some sports and not others?
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, it's strange. I want the 100 metre sprint to have the B final. I mean, they'll never do that. So why do we have to have the B final and the short track speed skating? It's just, and even like in say like the ice hockey when you've got like, let's have the fifth place classification game. I get it. You're going to have a bronze medal match. And even like the World Cup soccer, I know people hate the third place game. It's such a point. But I like that. But like, you don't need to have like the 12th place game. Like you can, you can work out rankings. Like whoever loses the quarterfinals, you can work out who's fifth based on the best win loss record. From that point, you don't need to have fifth place playoff. You know, it's, it's kind of pointless. One thing I just want to say, I know we've talked about it, but Canada in the World Cup, I think you need to get one more point in your next qualification game, Colin, for your men's team to make it to the World Cup for the first time in nearly 40 years. So I'm on board later this year for Off The Podium doing a World Cup special. And given that Australia probably looked like we might not qualify for the first time since 2002 this year. Are we talking about Germany? Colin, are we talking about Canada? And Jarrod, who's your go to World Cup team? What a stupid question, Ben. Of course it's Slovakia. I don't know if they can make it this year, but we'll hold our hope. And that is it for the results. There you go. Not a busy day for Canada and Australia. Colin, I think you already told us what you watched. You just seem to watch a lot of hockey apparently.
COLIN HILDING: Yeah, hockey and then of course, I only skipped to the third run of the Slope Style because I am so over Big Aaron Slope Style at this point, but I still am interested enough to see what happens. And then of course, Charles Hamlin winning the gold for us. But it was it was all hockey, which I'm a little bit upset that we didn't have a more variety to what's on. I mean, it's going to be like this now for the next couple of days. It's just it was a very busy day for hockey, which is great. I mean, that's what I watched, although if I had had the choice, if CBC had been carrying something else, I might have been OK with watching something else live and then coming back to hockey later on. But still, I might have missed Slovakia win if that had been the case. So no complaints, but complaints.
BEN WATERWORTH: Missed peace and peace in our time with Slovakia's great win. Jarrod, I mean, you're still celebrating Slovakia's and we know you watch that. But what else did you watch today?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I caught a little bit of the Alpine skiing, the Svalem, a tough one that one. I feel like more than like almost half the field just didn't finish their first run. And a little bit of the cross-country sprint relays, the hockey, of course. Missed the slope style completely. So there's that. And obviously just watched the short track just then.
BEN WATERWORTH: I think I pretty much worked everything you watched today. I actually caught a lot of the slopes today because that's what was on on my shift today, although I had the curling on in the background. Watching that as well. Well, yeah, we obviously talked about it was great that the cross-country was on in prime time and that they got Dave Colbert's commentary there. So I really enjoyed that. And yeah, I actually stayed up after we finished recording last night, Colin and I laid in bed and watched a bit of Canada v China. And I was even watching Canada vs Rock in the curling.
COLIN HILDING: I did not get a chance to tell you about that. You, because it's you, you got me worried enough about China that when you were telling me, oh, it's only two, one or whatever, I'm like, all right, I got to watch this. And it wasn't until it was five, one or whatever that I was comfortable enough turning it off and moving on with my day.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, I think I went to bed at five one and so they want it like, was it seven, two or seven one? So they have to go a couple of a couple of late goals there.
COLIN HILDING: Quick question, because Jarrod was mentioning everybody wipe out in the slalom, which I haven't had a chance to see yet. But I know that the the temperature we kind of joked about, you know, all the real athletes will come out when there's a blizzard. Forget about the fact that it is snowing. The temperature itself has been ranging between like minus 12 and minus 20, which I mean, that can really change snow conditions. I mean, I live in a climate that is minus 20 to minus 30 sometimes. Although what's funny is that every time they're saying what the temperature is, I'm like, Winnipeg is warmer than Beijing right now, which is bizarre. But I think it was like minus 12 yesterday. And that does really change the snow conditions. So I kind of feel more not as much for the slopes out because you've only got about 50 feet to go. But for these downhill skiers, that could be really rough. I mean, you're going to get chunks of ice. You're going to get smoothed out snow into ice. You're going to powder snow. It's just going to be a mix of everything, and it's probably not easy.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, I mean, in Jarrod and our long winded history of minus 20 degrees temperatures, we completely agree. You know, Jarrod, what's the coldest you'll have ever experienced in your life?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I feel like, I don't know, maybe like minus 10.
BEN WATERWORTH: I think I don't even like I honestly think the most I've ever experienced is maybe like minus four, minus five. I don't ever think I've been like even when you go to let the snow in Mount Wellington, it's only going to be like minus two, minus three on top of that. And I think when I was in Victoria, even those times it snowed, it was only like minus three. And like when I was with you Colin in Winnipeg or in Montreal, when it snowed, I couldn't tell you what the temperature was. And I don't think it was that cold when it snowed. Yeah. So I've never, I weirdly want to. Is that weird of me to say I want to experience like minus 20? Like I just I just want to experience it.
COLIN HILDING: I mean, if you live through it your entire life, you get used to it. Like, I mean, it can hit minus 30 here. And that's when I'm basically like, all right, maybe I'll want to put on a second layer. I don't own a winter jacket. Well, it's funny you were saying like minus three or minus four to me, that's still shorts weather. Like I will go outside in shorts. I'll have long sleeves on. But but yeah, I still don't own a winter jacket. I owned a winter jacket, but I found it uncomfortable. So now I just wear two hoodies if it's like minus 30 to minus 40.
BEN WATERWORTH: The most the highest of experience, I mean, not including like humid weather in like Thailand, but when it was the highest in Hobart was forty three point one highest.
COLIN HILDING: Yeah, we can get up to about the high thirties to forties every once in a while here.
BEN WATERWORTH: There's Jarrod. I mean, you're in you're in the bloody part of Sydney. It's about forty eight, right?
JARROD LOOBEEK: So forty eight degree.
BEN WATERWORTH: Didn't you have a forty eight degree day out that way a couple of years ago?
JARROD LOOBEEK: We did.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah.
JARROD LOOBEEK: That was a fun one.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, I remember that forty three degree day when I had CDs in the car melt, like the cases literally melted. So that was fun. Breaking news in the ice hockey. Finland are now three, nothing up. And breaking news in the curling at China five, Canada three. So that's nerve wracking. Colin. Yeah, I said what I watched. Cool. We've gone over that. Fails today. None from me. Brilliant, as always. Absolutely spot on.
COLIN HILDING: And nobody's going to bed tonight.
BEN WATERWORTH: Special note to the great package they put together of Lydia Laszlo moments alongside Richo, which Colin, check out Lydia Laszlo's social media.
COLIN HILDING: I think I saw that. She posted like a two parter. How many parts is there to this?
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, what actually happened, I was telling Jarrod off air. So basically Joe cut to them live and they tested the package in rehearsals and they didn't show Lydia or Richo until they were live on air. So like watching their facial reactions to it, just absolutely brilliant and so funny. So, but yeah, other than that, Channel 7, completely perfect. I got to play ice hockey today with Johanna Griggs and Matt Shervington. So I had a good time.
COLIN HILDING: If you come back and you don't catch COVID again, then it will be an improvement over your curling performance.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'll blame Matt Shervington if I get COVID again. Jarrod, any fails today?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Not from today. We were talking off air though that we had the great, on Valentine's Day, the great love montage to, I think, I'm pretty sure it was All You Need Is Love or something like that. One of those typical songs that they use for Valentine's Day. But yes, so much love at the Olympics, just like I swear every athlete who did the heart hand gesture. I did get a laugh out of the two, it was like two hockey players headbutting in slow motion. So it looked like they're about to kiss throughout the montage. It was a great moment. But yeah, just right up there with the hair montage from Rio, not as good, but that's like top two. That's on the podium.
BEN WATERWORTH: I just love the fact that this hair montage from Rio has stood the test of time. I was digging through old Olympic tapes tonight, because we'll play a clip in a moment. I had a chat with Joe today, and we talked about her interview with Dale Begg-Smith. And I share that in our chat with you guys, because I found Joe's interview with Dale Begg-Smith from Turin. I want to go back through the Rio footage that I've got to see if I can find that hair montage just to shit Jarrod.
COLIN HILDING: Is this the famous interview? It's like, how does it feel to be an Olympic gold medallist? Good? Good?
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm happy? It's actually a lot better than I remembered. I didn't share the one from Channel 9 in 2010 with Eddie Maguire, where basically I rewatched it, and the whole interview was Eddie Maguire going, you were robbed. The Canadian only won because of hometown advantage. And basically, Dale Begg-Smith is like, I don't like to comment on these sort of things. That's up to the judges. I'm satisfied with my performance. And Eddie Maguire is like, no, but you were robbed. Clearly, Canada only did it because they haven't won a gold at home in like three attempts. And basically, he's like, well, again, as I said, I don't really want to comment. Like that's up to the judges and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And I did love another segment when Eddie Maguire is reading out tweets from angry Canadians basically saying like, you can keep Dale Begg-Smith. We won the gold. And then Eddie Maguire turns around and goes like, yeah, well, it took you 36 years to win a gold medal at home. So what are you talking about, Canada?
COLIN HILDING: I don't remember it being that bitter on this side of the pond.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, I don't remember it being that bitter at all. But apparently Eddie Maguire made it. Although I will say, and this is apparently Ben talks up Channel 9's coverage 12 years ago, when Australian comedian, well, you know who Mick Malloy is calling. You watch Boy Town. He was one of the main two in Boy Town. And he's still doing like comedy stuff on Channel 7 at the moment. But they did like this little montage where he says, Eddie Maguire is like, Oh, yeah, I saw your interview last night with Dale. And I think he's I think Dale was getting a bit of an unfair rap in the media. I took him out in the town last night. This is what happened. So they got like some guy dressed in like Dale Begsmith's costume and basically like went out drinking wine, went to like a strip club. And it's basically like Dale Begsmith like vomiting in a bin. It's kind of funny. I'll have to see if I can isolate that clip and send it to you both. So the comedy of Dale Begsmith in the late 2000s was hilarious nowadays. A text message from him to Cooper Woods basically makes news. So anyway, what are we talking about? Fails. Colin, Jarrod, had you finished on your fails?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, that was it.
BEN WATERWORTH: You've done that? Cool. All right. Colin, fails for CBC or anything?
COLIN HILDING: I only had one, which was during the slope style. And I don't know the name of the guy that you mentioned, the Kiwi.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, Sheep McGee, sure.
COLIN HILDING: Okay, sure. When he was getting ready to go for his final run, the commentator said, the Kiwi is going to have to go bananas if he wants to get on the podium. And they repeated that joke three times. They thought it was the most brilliant thing that anybody had ever said.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's pretty good. Great job, CBC. I have a fail. You two know what the fail is. Bing Duen Duen. Bing Duen Duen lost a limb today. So if people don't realise, there are lots of little viral videos going around of, I don't know if they're just locals or just fans who just happen to be filming various Bing Duen Duen antics and putting them on like TikTok. And there's a Bing Duen, which is like the inflatable Bing Duen Duen costume, which is my favourite. And basically, it's little Bing Duen Duen standing outside, I think the figure skating venue, going like, oh, look at me, I'm Bing Duen Duen. I'm going to do like a triple look, see, scream and semen or something like that. And basically does it, spins around, face plants, and his leg falls off, which I'm trying not to laugh too much because, hey, I'm going to get loud and be, I'm going to start coughing. But Jarrod, I wish we could put a montage together of all the Bing Duen Duen. Surely this makes you love Bing Duen Duen more.
JARROD LOOBEEK: That'd be worth it. I see. I can now appreciate the eye suit that I hated because it just makes the mascot that much more bulky, which just leaves so much more room for stuff to go wrong. So I appreciate that.
COLIN HILDING: I'm going to get to work on a montage of Bing Duen Duen to Tub Thumping by Chumbawamba for you guys.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, I think you need to bring back the boys to men, Colin. I mean, God, I'll make love to you. You've been sitting on that for about nearly 30 years.
COLIN HILDING: Oh, you know what I missed? I totally missed Canada's women in the team pursuit, putting that to default.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, God damn it. Why not? Come on. And not mildly advocate or what our new band is called basically.
COLIN HILDING: Mildly adequate. Normally adequate, mildly adequate, default, all the same thing.
BEN WATERWORTH: Hey, we're an Olympic gold medal winning podcast now. We're better than that. When we win the Sports Podcast Awards now, we have to thank Charles, Olympic gold medallist from Off The Podium. So just saying. Again, also, we'll just point out that yes, it has broken the curse, but this is exactly what Colin was saying. I'm going to find little loopholes here. Still yet to win an individual gold. Had to be a part of a team. Of course. Come on. I mean, you see Jack Wallace will win it next month in the Paralympics. I'm not part of a team. So, you know, just saying. Jarrod nearly got COVID. He's hanging around people with COVID. He might have it in a couple of days. So, he's joining the club. Just saying.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Tinker's Cross is free in time for the closing ceremony.
BEN WATERWORTH: I spoke again today with the wonderful Johanna Griggs. And it's been a while, a week, essentially. And we talked, as you were here, about two very important days in Australian sporting history, particularly one, which we'll get to very shortly about what our big celebration is today. But here is my brief chat I had today with the one, the only Johanna Griggs.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, I thought we were going to have our next guest on, you know, maybe every day, every two days, but one of us went and got COVID. So that kind of put, you know, a pin in that. But it's a pleasure to welcome back Johanna Griggs to Off The Podium. Joh, first of all, welcome back.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: Thank you. And good to have you back. It's like having my left arm back again. Fantastic.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'll work my way to the right eventually, so it will go that way. How, only a couple of days ago now, it's flown by, but how have you found these Olympics compared to when we last spoke, you know, in terms of just the action, the stories, everything compared to the other winter Olympics that you have covered?
JOHANNA GRIGGS: To be honest, it's very different because we're not on the ground in Beijing, obviously, and the two that I've previously done, we're in Salt Lake and we're in Torino. But to be honest, I feel like you're definitely more connected with the whole team that puts it together, which is actually what makes working on a winter Olympics so amazing. And, I mean, I love... I do love the storytelling that we're able to do. You know, they obviously put... The editors put a huge amount of work into putting those packages together. And just trying to take every opportunity that we can just to get more broader stories, not just the Australian stories out. I love the challenge of that. So every opportunity that we have, we just jump into that. So, look, I had an absolute ball. I only have... Well, I've only got a couple of days to go because I don't have to do the weekend shift because we do that from Beijing. So I'll be able to go home and watch it all weekend and just enjoy it from a much more comfortable position.
BEN WATERWORTH: I've been doing that for the last week and I can tell you you want to get back into the studio. Two significant milestones that I want to talk to you about quickly. Today, 20 years since Bradbury won the gold.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: Steven Bradbury Day, people.
BEN WATERWORTH: It is. Steven Bradbury, do you remember that? Because obviously you were hosting in Salt Lake City. I mean, were you watching the race? Was it somebody where everyone was like, quick, everyone's shooting in the speed skating. This is what happened. Like, where were you when this actually happened? And what were your memory from that happening?
JOHANNA GRIGGS: We were out in the road. I remember we were out in the road when he was actually racing and it was being phoned through as to what was happening. And we couldn't believe it. We could not. We couldn't believe how it was happening. Then, of course, by the time we actually got back to the studios in Salt Lake City, it was plastered everywhere. I think we watched it about ten times and you were just as amazed the tenth time as you were the first time. And then he actually came into the studio with his medal and with his parents. They're the magic moments that obviously are extra special for anyone that works on it. You don't get to see those moments obviously all the time on camera. And certainly back then we didn't even... I don't even know if we had the capability to capture all those moments. I think we had someone filming it. But it was so exciting because he was so humble and so down-to-earth. He still is. I mean, I saw him the other day. He gave you beers.
BEN WATERWORTH: He did. Yes. I got beers from Steven Bradbury.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: Olympic gold medallist is like, Oh, poor guy. Give him some beers from me. I'm like, of course he's carrying a slab around the foyer of the hotel.
BEN WATERWORTH: He's got them ready to go. Last man standing beer, if you want some, just bump into Steve. He'll give you one. There it is.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: But I think the thing that really struck home to me is he's actually such an amazing man. When you go back through his story and you go back through... You know, he almost died when he cut himself on his skates in events before. He was involved with our first ever medal with the bronze in Lillehammer. And sometimes it annoys me when people take the mickey out of him a little bit and everyone, you know, I get that there's the doing the Bradbury thing, but you've got to be at the Olympics for that to happen. You've got to be in the quarterfinals. You've got to be in the semi-finals. And then you've got to position yourself in the right spot for it to actually work in your favour. And I think I've really been enjoying the short track this time round, and you've seen lots of thrills and spills. And you actually haven't seen even Australia's own Brendan Corey. It didn't actually work in his favour. If he actually held back a little bit, he actually may have progressed. So I think there's quite a significant amount of brilliance around Steven Bradbury. And I do love how humble he is, and he's a bit loose, so he's always fun. And it's just an extraordinary achievement to have the first winter medal and then the first Olympic winter gold medal is just an amazing bit of history.
BEN WATERWORTH: I actually think he's a bit like Beetlejuice, because I was telling you this story about how yesterday I was in the researchers' lounge, and I'd sort of loosely mentioned, I haven't met Steven Bradbury yet. Within three seconds, he literally walked in. So I'm like, is this Beetlejuice? He just appears when you say his name.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: What about you guys? We're talking to Scotty McGroory, another amazing Olympic gold medallist from the Summer Games in the Madison. And we're all having a gas bag, and he goes, oh, nice to meet you. My name's Scotty McGroory, and he goes, oh, you're COVID, Ben. You've got this new moniker of COVID, Ben.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's my great nickname. The other one, I know we talked about this back in our interview, but yesterday, 16 years to the day, since Dale Wegsmith won his gold medal.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: Did Daily Dale get the Daily Dale?
BEN WATERWORTH: See, like, I want to give him, I don't know if we can do that. I mean, he nearly got it just for texting, you know, what's his face?
JOHANNA GRIGGS: You actually confirmed he's alive because we know where he is. And so when you told me this morning that he contacted Cooper Woods, which is just extraordinary that he is obviously still so connected and obviously through his coach. But I mean, how fantastic, can you imagine being Cooper and getting a message?
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, he was saying that. He was like, Cooper was actually saying like how amazing that was and how that spurred him on to Milan. And that's obviously the prestige that Dale Wegsmith has in that community, right? Like, even though, like as you said in our interview, not the easiest guy to interview, but I mean, because that would have been completely different in Turin because he went into that favourite to win. So again, were you at the event? Were you like back in studio somewhere? And I mean, sort of, do you remember him winning the gold before you ultimately got to interview the legend?
JOHANNA GRIGGS: Well, I was again out, I was out basically just finding amazing locations all day every day. And I got called back into the studios for the sit down interview. And I knew he was going to be tricky. So I actually knew he was going to be a challenge. And as I think I've discussed it with you before, I kind of had admiration for it because it's not easy to actually be so controlled that you just give away little one word answers to things or he can steer it, you could try any which way. And as an interviewer, you've got 50 different ways to ask similar questions or to maybe kind of warm somebody up to get them to actually open up. And he was just extraordinary. He only gave exactly what he wanted to give. But what has always impressed me is that I've never ever ever heard anyone from the Australian skiing fraternity say a bad word about him. They all rave about him.
BEN WATERWORTH: And even little tiny things, like we posted yesterday, obviously it was 16 years. And we've got a few former Olympians and guests who follow us. Lydia Lassler, of all people, just liked to post. And even someone like who's Lydia Lassler, who obviously sees, oh, there's Dalbeck Smith, I love Dalbeck Smith, I'm gonna love that picture. And when we had Britt Cox on the other month, she was saying that, yeah.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: How fabulous he is.
BEN WATERWORTH: It's just, it's insane because he doesn't get talked about.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: Which I think is what he wanted. I think he really just wanted to let his athletic performances be just about the athletic performances. And he had lots of reasons as to why he didn't want his personal story to come out. So he's actually done, and you have to have admiration for the fact that an athlete is that clever, that as opposed to the media, which spends most of its life manipulating athletes and telling their stories, he actually controlled it completely. So huge respect.
BEN WATERWORTH: And that's why we love him. That's why he's this enigma when it comes to the...
JOHANNA GRIGGS: Enigmatic and mysterious.
BEN WATERWORTH: Exactly. That's why we love him. With a couple of days to go, what are you most looking forward to in terms of events that are coming up? And yes, you are allowed to talk about the ice hockey.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: I was about to say, if I don't answer ice hockey, ice hockey, ice hockey and anything that Canada is in, we have...
BEN WATERWORTH: True gold now, yes.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: We have this little joke Ben and I that has been going for the last week and a half, which is, you know, we go through the results and we go through the stories that we think are the best stories each time and pretty much Ben's first five suggestions involve any result that has a Canadian in it. So it's Australians first, then Canadians, and then everything else comes after that.
BEN WATERWORTH: Literally today I'm like, Jo, did you know that yesterday in the biathlon, six was Canada's best silverfinishers? Yeah, don't know if we'll be able to fit that in today, Ben, but thank you.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: I was like, Ben, there's actually an amazing story in the biathlon that we might focus on actually, you know, that involves, you know, Malay getting his five medals at these games. And she'd go through all this and he's like, but Canada came sixth.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yes, which, you know, comes across. But I mean, does that make you want to cheer on for Canada and the women's particular?
JOHANNA GRIGGS: I'm 100%. In the women's ice hockey, I am Team Canada all the way.
BEN WATERWORTH: And I want you to cheer on for Charles Hamlin tonight because for Off The Podium, we're still yet to get a gold medallist from any of our guests. So last chance for these guys. No disrespect to like Sammy and Bree, they've still got events to go, Greta's still got to go, but Charles is it, I think. Genuine chance of getting the gold tonight. I'm going to break this curse, Joe.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: Okay, I'm on board. Hey, we've been cursing athletes. Imagine how many times we profile someone and then they just about fall over in the next event. So I feel your pain and I'm on board.
BEN WATERWORTH: All right, cool. We might get you on for one more segment before we wrap things up here in Melbourne. But Joe, always a pleasure. Thank you for joining us.
JOHANNA GRIGGS: You're so welcome and that was very official. Thank you.
BEN WATERWORTH: No laugh, Jarrod? Okay, cool. Play along, Jarrod, come on. Great, great value, Joe. And yeah, we'll try and get her on one more time before the end of the Olympics. The celebration day today, Colin, I got the wrong speed skater, apparently. She liked our post, though, and shared it on her social media. So tell us about our new favourite fan that is an Irene Wust.
COLIN HILDING: You mixing up with Cindy Clausen is something that happens quite often because they competed together. They were our two big stars of speed skating, especially in Turin. And they're both from Winnipeg. So living here, there is a giant mural of Cindy Clausen and Clara Hughes side by side that everybody in the city knows. But Clara Hughes, her greatest distinction is even just a speed skater. It's the fact that she has medalled in both cycling and speed skating and is the only Olympian in any country ever, like literally the only Olympian ever to win multiple medals at both the summer winter games. There's only a handful who have ever medalled in both summer winter Olympics. She has medalled multiple times in the summer and multiple times in winter. And I'm trying to think, what's her final count here? Seven, seven lifetime medals between two Olympics, which is incredible. She's probably also even more famous now. That's probably what she's best known for now, is being an advocate for mental health. Way before Simone Biles did. Thank you very much. So legendary Clara Hughes, not Cindy Claussen. Cindy Claussen has already come and gone though. So we're on a speed skating run.
BEN WATERWORTH: We are. And apologies to Cindy and Clara for getting you confused. Cindy, I don't think liked our post, but Clara did. So, you know, just saying. So did Irene, everyone. So Finland are bronze medallists in women's ice hockey, 4-0 over Switzerland. Is that up there, Jarrod, with you for Slovakia's win today or just, it just can't top it?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I feel like nothing can beat it.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's just life. That's better than Jackie winning silver.
JARROD LOOBEEK: I don't know if I go that far.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, okay. All right. Get the Jackie Naracotta jersey for him instead.
COLIN HILDING: When Slovakia somehow makes it to the gold medal match and wins the gold medal then.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah. Then come back to me.
BEN WATERWORTH: So what's going to happen if it's a Canada-Slovakia semi? We're going to have these two battling it out, basically. You're going to be outnumbered, Jarrod. What's going on? Anyway, today is a little day we like to call Steven Bradbury Day. 20 years ago on this very day, Steven Bradbury won Australia's first ever Winter Olympic gold medal in maybe the most famous speed skating race ever at the Olympics, maybe one of the most famous races ever in the Olympics. Just incredible, incredible race. And of course, member of our short track relay team that won a bronze medal back in Lillehammer. We've already had Relay Team Day, of course. Kind of poignant that that also had the 5,000 metres on today as well. So iconic, iconic. What else can you say about Steven, Jarrod? Like, I mean, what a man.
JARROD LOOBEEK: What a man. The amount of times I have seen that clip over the past week and a half. And it never gets old.
BEN WATERWORTH: It doesn't.
JARROD LOOBEEK: And I feel like each time I watch it, I like notice something different. And each time I watch it, he looks further behind than the last time I watched it. And each time I watch it, you expect a different outcome. And it's just the same thing. It just is. It's like, it's so iconic, the fact that it was the first Australian Winter Olympic gold medal, the fact that it's just become like a turn of like phrase in everyday life. It's just, I don't know, words can't describe it.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which, I mean, Colin knows it too in Canada. I mean, do you actually, outside of obviously being involved in this podcast, do you remember during like that, when that happened? Like, did that make much news in...
COLIN HILDING: Everybody remembers that. And if anybody forgot, listen to our interview with Apollo Ono, where half of the questions are about Steven Bradbury beating him. Apollo Ono is very gracious in answering. And I actually loved that, instead of Apollo being like, well, thanks for the reminder. What was it? He said something like, you know, that was the most important race of his life. Yeah. Yes.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, sorry. I thought you had more to add. Great ending point. That was fantastic. Well done, Colin. Yeah. No, it's crazy. And go out and buy Last Man Standing beer, because I got it given to me. I didn't pay for it.
COLIN HILDING: COVID Ben had it given to him.
BEN WATERWORTH: COVID Ben, the COVID Ben. And I think I've told the story before on this podcast, but when I went to Salt Lake City and I went to watch a Utah jazz game, which at the time, I think the Vivint Smart Loans Arena or whatever the hell it's called, but that was the venue that the speed skating was in, the short track speed skating was in. So I actually went there with former Ozlet, Alec Culver, and I was more excited to be in the stadium where Steven Bradbury won his gold medal. And also the venue where Jamie Saleh and David Peltier won their gold medal as well. I should have also paid homage to that. So if you go to Salt Lake and go to a Utah jazz game, celebrate Australian sporting history and Canadian sporting history in the same venue. So happy Steven Bradbury Day. Daily Dale Day, I've only got one nominee. I feel Colin, you and I might have either a similar one or the same one. So let's go to Jarrod. Jarrod, who have you got? Is it all of Slovakia?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Pretty much. I was like, I'm just going to nominate the entire team. Like, don't make me pick an individual player. I can if you want me to, but I'm nominating the entire, like, high-sucky team.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, I'm nominating a player from Team Slovakia. Colin, is that who you're, are you going to nominate a player from Team Slovakia? Or are you just doing the whole team as well? Or don't want to unmute yourself there or anything, Boomer? I think the kids probably are up or something. He's back to being a beloved father. We'll come back to Colin. I'm nominating Patrick Rybar, the goalie, who saved everything in that final, in the shootout, did a great job in the extra time period as well. And yeah, so I think to me, it's Team Slovakia's goaltender, Patrick Rybar. And his name is Rybar. It just, it sounds like he should be a goalie basically.
COLIN HILDING: They're calling him Rebar here.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, that too. The amount of pronunciations I heard today for like 15 different skiers, when I researched their names, I literally went on to like official interviews with them on YouTube, videos on their own social media where they're saying, hi, I'm such and such. It's obviously how they pronounce their name. But then you had like 20 different commentators saying it 20 different ways. So it's Rebar, Rybar, whatever the fuck. That's what I'm putting up. Who are you putting up, Colin?
COLIN HILDING: So I was actually going to ask about this because I almost feel like it's, like it's unfair to give it to one athlete. And I understand we have a large team and everything. But considering we have given it to the Canadian ski jumping team, I was going to push for let's give it to Team Slovakia. But my backup choice, if it wasn't going to be the whole team, was Patrick Rebar. I mean, he stopped like 33 shots in the entire game and then stopped every shot in the shootout, which was incredible. So he would be my star of the game, but I would be for giving it to just Team Slovakia.
BEN WATERWORTH: I think it's a solid point you say. We did put up Team Canada for the ski jumping and I think Jarrod's got the selling point there of his beloved Slovakia. So yeah, I say just the whole team. I'm with you. So, okay, Daily Dale, the second time in our history we've put up a team. So well done there Team Slovakia. I look forward to putting up Team Burkina Faso in the men's handball in Paris. Very exciting for that. Before we look ahead to tomorrow, because I think we've already got our Daily Dale locked in tomorrow, because it's the last chance we can put her up. So that's happening tomorrow. Quick look on the medal tally, because we actually have Breaking New in 100 metres. I said that an Asian country had won every gold medal in the women's 15. Has the Olympic stage true? Because it has meant silver. So she's now on at least 11 or 12 overall, easily the most decorated.
COLIN HILDING: I think it's 11 now.
BEN WATERWORTH: 11. Yeah. So that must be a third of the games. And Susan Schultling bronze in that one, which again, considering four years ago, she won their very first ever medal in short track speed skating, the Dutch and now they've won about three or four. So the Dutch has taken over all speed skating events clearly. They'll be winning ice hockey gold medals in eight years. Don't worry. So yeah, that closes out short track speed skating. So well done, Korea there. But the medal tally as it stands. Now Norway are now on 13 gold, seven silver, eight bronze, 28 in total. Now only twice in the history of the Winter Olympics has a country won 14 gold medals. Norway did it in 2018 and Canada, of course, did it in 2010. So I don't know how many gold we predict. I think we said like 25 gold or something like that. We're a bit short of that. But Norway have still got three days, four days to create Winter Olympic history by going for the 15, the magical 15. Jarrod, can they do it? Can the Norwegians break, create history?
JARROD LOOBEEK: No.
BEN WATERWORTH: No. No, no. Done. Slovakia will do it. Germany. But just not Norway. Done. They've run out of cross-country and biathlon events, Jarrod, so they just can't do it.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Just not feeling it.
BEN WATERWORTH: Not feeling it?
JARROD LOOBEEK: They need to pick up that silver and bronze count.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah.
JARROD LOOBEEK: There shouldn't be a focus on the gold. They should be slowing down when they're in the gold medal position to boost their other numbers a bit.
BEN WATERWORTH: And this is why Jarrod is the go-to off the podium. Says it how it is. Just he's not afraid to talk down the Norwegians. And let's be honest, the Norwegians need to be taken down a few pegs. So thank you, Jarrod. We appreciate your honesty. Colin, are you going to be the Jarrod and be honest or the Ben and suck up?
COLIN HILDING: What's the question?
BEN WATERWORTH: Will Norway get to the magical 15 mark of the gold medals?
COLIN HILDING: I mean, how many more cross country events do we have?
BEN WATERWORTH: I think we've got like two.
COLIN HILDING: Yeah, I'm going. I'm going to say yes.
BEN WATERWORTH: Okay. All right.
COLIN HILDING: And part of me saying yes is because I think that I might curse them and it'll be a no. And a record will not be broken. We'll have to wait till the next games.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm just going to be Switzerland and say, I don't know. Nascarut, they'll do it. They will. I think they will. So go Norway. Germany second. They've still got a couple more sliding events that come. So they'll win a couple more. 10 gold, six silver, four bronze, 20 for them. USA, eight gold, seven silver, four bronze, 19 for them. China doing gangbusters, seven gold, four silver, two bronze, 13. And Austria, six gold, seven silver, four bronze, 17. Canada with their third gold still aren't in the top 10. Can you believe it? 11th they are in. But when you win the women's hockey gold tomorrow, Colin, you still will not move into the top 10 because France has won more silvers than you have. So poor Canada.
COLIN HILDING: It's going to take every hockey gold and every curling gold in order to do it.
BEN WATERWORTH: And bad news. You've dropped a fifth in the overall metal tally now actually. So, come on, Canada, win some more bronze, all right? Rock of more bronze in Canada now, God, it's disaster for Canada. Three gold, four silver, 11 bronze, 18 in total. Australia, 17th, one gold, two silver, one bronze and 17th in the total as well. So we're doing all right there, Australia. Tomorrow is Ester Day 4, final day of Ester. We thought we're only going to have two and we've gotten double the Ester. She's in the women's combined, also in the men's combined, she's doing both. And we talked about that. I think we all knew she was doing the downhill, but she literally when she finished the Super G the other day, I was like, yeah, I might do the combined. Again, as we keep saying, I believe she's just announced that she's going to be in the Nordic combined teams. She will be in the Men's Ice Hockey Gold Medal match against Slovakia. Traditional rivals, of course, Czech Republic and Slovakia. So heated, heated on that will be. And I also believe she's just announced that she's entered as the 11th team in Formula One for the 2022 Formula One season. And also wild card entry for Wimbledon, Jarrod. So how do you think Ester will go? Will she be vaccinated? Will she be allowed to compete?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Ester is a legend. She's vaccinated. She'll be there.
BEN WATERWORTH: Ester is the vaccination. Like literally, you go and get your vaccination. They just show you a picture of Ester Ledecka and I'm vaccinated. That's just how it works.
JARROD LOOBEEK: She is immunity, you know? Can't catch anything and no one can catch her either.
BEN WATERWORTH: It's like Chuck Norris facts. It's Ester Ledecka facts, right?
COLIN HILDING: Oh, let's start coming up with those.
JARROD LOOBEEK: All right.
BEN WATERWORTH: I like a challenge. We'll read a few of these out before we go. But she's in the combined tomorrow. And I had a brief chat with Jono Brower, our expert commentator on Channel 7 today, two time Olympian. And I said to him, Jono, how's Ester gonna do tomorrow? And he's like, yeah, not good. And I'm like, why not? It's like, she's a speed skier. She's not good at the technical side of things. So I was like, oh, okay. Way to shut me down. But as I said to Jarrod off air, there's only like 20 competitors in this tomorrow. So she'll at least be top 20. So that'll be good. Couple of Off The Podium guests tomorrow, Sammy Kennedy Sim in the Women's Ski Cross is happening tomorrow. And of course, Taylor Fletcher in the team, Nordic Combined going there as well. But the big one tomorrow, of course is the Women's Gold Medal Match in the Ice Hockey, Colin, how are you feeling? How are Canada feeling? Is this being talked up a little bit more now that we're there for the big day tomorrow?
COLIN HILDING: And did you say Ski Cross starts tomorrow as well?
BEN WATERWORTH: It is, yes, tomorrow, correct.
COLIN HILDING: There's the second thing I want to watch, because that's another one of Canada's great hopes, is Ski Cross. So if we can have-
BEN WATERWORTH: You've never lost that one.
COLIN HILDING: And the women's never lost, yeah. And been meddling in the men's as well, but we're coming off of a gold and silver in Pyeongchang. And if we end up losing now, I shouldn't have mentioned that I was gonna watch it on the air.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which I will say that my beloved internet connection did cut out for most of what you said about the women's gold medal match tomorrow, but I'm gonna assume you said you're excited. So we'll go with that. Sure am. We also have more training in the four man bobsled. I don't know if any of you saw Jamaica going down there, but the men's semis are also in the curling tomorrow as well. So stay tuned for that. The women's free skate in the figure skating. Funnily enough, that's what generally happens in that one. Obviously, I see the Nordic combined in the teams and the women's 1000 metres. Irene Wuss, Off The Podium's favourite guest. She loves our tweets. Irene just loves us to bits. Her final event tomorrow, the 1000 metres. So can she get that 14th medal, which I'm gonna say no, but she will try her best. Breaking news in the curling. Holy fuck knuckles. Breaking news in the curling? Last update was China five, Canada three. Current update is China five, Canada eight. Fucking hell. Jennifer Jones, what have you done? She, Ester Ledecka joined the team, I think. She subbed in, they were like, fuck, we're losing, get Esther, she'll do as well. Fucking hell, it's still all in the Sweden Canada match, by the way. Let's have a look at some Esther facts now that she's winning curling, shall we? Ester Ledecka doesn't- Oh, you go ahead then. No, please.
COLIN HILDING: I was just going to say, Ester Ledecka can kill two stones with one bird. Ester Ledecka can strangle you with a cordless phone. The only time Ester Ledecka was ever wrong was when he thought, when she thought she had made a mistake. Outer space exists because it's afraid to be on the same planet with Ester Ledecka.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's very true. I've heard all of those. Ester Ledecka doesn't read books. She stares them down until she gets the information she wants. Time waits for no woman unless that woman is Ester Ledecka. If you spell Ester Ledecka and Scrabble, you win forever. Ester Ledecka breathes air five times a day. In the beginning, there was nothing. Then Ester Ledecka roundhouse kicked nothing and told it to get a job. When God said, let there be light, Ester said, say, please. Oh God, these are brilliant. Ester Ledecka appeared in the Street Fighter 2 video game, but was removed by beta testers because every button caused her to do a roundhouse kick. When asked about this glitch, Ester Ledecka replied, that's no glitch. Ester Ledecka does not sleep, she waits. Go on, these are too many. Jarrod, but how would you rate those on the Jarrod joke scale?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Well, they're Ester related, so they're off the chart.
BEN WATERWORTH: Absolutely, 15 out of 10, basically.
COLIN HILDING: We've hit triple digits.
BEN WATERWORTH: Triple digits. This has been a fun episode, day two of Karen voice. Colin joined us late, Jarrod loves Slovakia, and we go to bed as Off The Podium Olympic gold medallists. So thank you, Charles Hamlin. Thank you very much for breaking the dark.
COLIN HILDING: No, no, no, no, Charles Hamlin, thank us.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, exactly. So now, now, when we get our guests on the show, we can literally say, this is my curse, we've won gold medals now. Well, I mean, what are we up to now? I think like 10 medals now out of our guests. I think at the top of my head, what do we get? We get eight in Tokyo.
COLIN HILDING: Yeah, we've got sets as well.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, we do.
COLIN HILDING: One of every colour, at least.
BEN WATERWORTH: Two in these Olympics. So we're up to about 11, 10 or 11 now. So well done, well done, Charles, and well done to everybody who has won medals better than us. Until we win the Sports Podcast Awards, which you can vote, of course, sports with Jarrod today. I mean, you've had four days, Jarrod, I expect you can vote at least 400 times.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, that was the entire holiday was just voting for the Sports Podcast Awards.
BEN WATERWORTH: You just lied to us. You're like, oh yeah, it's my mum's birthday. It wasn't your mum's birthday. You didn't go away. You just sat in your computer for four days, Jarrod, vote, vote.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Refresh, vote, refresh, vote. That's it.
BEN WATERWORTH: Absolutely. Colin, that's why you were late tonight, right? Like you were voting.
COLIN HILDING: I mean, no, that's why I didn't sleep last night because I was up all night voting.
BEN WATERWORTH: And Ester Ledecka, I believe, has just started voting. So we are definitely going to win 100%. sportspodcastawards.com, vote for us. We're still winning. Fingers crossed, yay. Likes on all the social media channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, MySpace. I don't know, Vine. We don't use TikTok, we use Vine. We're in with the kids. So AOL Messenger, DMS. Pocus on, what was the one on MSN? It wasn't poke, it was a nudge, wasn't it? You can do that like weird nudge thing. God, those were the days. Find us on Teen Chat. Don't find me on Teen Chat, I'm banned. But all of that and just get in touch. Irene Vust liked us on Twitter, ladies and gentlemen. Join the cool kids on Twitter and like our tweets, okay? Just saying, Olympic gold medallist, Charles Hamlin, liked us. And as did Clara Hughes slash Cindy Clausen, I can't remember which one. One of them. They did something on there. Jarrod, oh God, I'm dying. My voice is gonna be like, sorry, Karen, sorry, Karen. It's only one o'clock. You're probably gonna ring up reception in a minute. Jarrod, great to have you back. Thank you very much. And go Slovakia, unless they play Canada and then go Canada.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Either way, go Slovakia, but good to be back.
BEN WATERWORTH: Great to have you back. And Colin, as always, thank you very much. And on behalf of Ben Waterworth, congratulations for your interviewer having won a gold medal. I still will sit here and twiddle my thumbs with you. With my three bronze, four bronze. What have I won? Three bronze. Yeah.
COLIN HILDING: Yes. One day, you can hope to be the interviewer that I am. You can aspire to have athletes win gold medals by piggybacking off of your success.
BEN WATERWORTH: I literally have only won bronze medals, haven't I? This is, okay. And no Australians.
JARROD LOOBEEK: No Australians.
BEN WATERWORTH: Still, God, sorry Australia. Stop interviewing Australians. Thanks for tuning in. As always, to Karen next door, get fucked. To Jason Momoa, thanks for being alive. I saw you in that trailer thing. You're looking as Jason Momoa-ish as always. Sorry that you're getting a divorce from your wife. That's sad. And as always, it is sad. Like they've been together for ages, but hey, ladies, he's single and men. I mean, who would you choose? Oscar Erickson or Jason Momoa?
COLIN HILDING: Won't ask me Jason Momoa.
BEN WATERWORTH: Really?
COLIN HILDING: Jarrod?
BEN WATERWORTH: What do you think about that?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I'm picking Oscar, but that's just because he's super great with the mop, so you know the house is always going to be clean.
BEN WATERWORTH: And Jason Momoa's got a little dick, remember Colin? Like Oscar's a man. He's got a massive dongle. Like Jason, come on, he's tiny. And we better close, we better leave. As always, thanks for tuning in to Off The Podium, Sports Podcast Award nominated, New York Times Top Six Podcast, talking about Jason Momoa's penis.
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