Donna Narvaez Interview
A great interview coming your way today as we speak with Olympic torchbearer Donna Narvaez about her time carrying the torch during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. Donna goes into detail about why she was selected to run with the torch and the process involved in it. She also talks about the honour it was carrying the torch and why it was extra special for her on the day she carried it. We also learn from her what she has done with the torch since and how she continues to use the experience for the greater good to this very day. It's an insightful chat that you will love every second of it! So get to listening!
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 again today for another interview episode, and another exciting one for you with a non-athlete, but somebody who's involved in the Olympics in a very special, unique way. Donna Narvaez is her name. Now, she was a torch bearer during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Torch Relay. And fascinating chat here to learn a little bit more about Donna, about how she was chosen, the selection process, what kind of happened in the lead up to her carrying that torch, and just what it means to her now as we approach the 20 year anniversary. Can you believe it? Of the Salt Lake Winter Olympics. And a very fun, insightful chat here, and one that I know you are going to enjoy listening to today. So here's our chat with Olympic torch bearer Donna Narvaez.
BEN WATERWORTH: We're always fascinated on Off The Podium to speak to all the different variety of guests we get on the show. Obviously, a large focus of our interviews is around the athletes that compete in the Olympics. We've also spoken to journalists, we've spoken to marketers, we've spoken to ticketing experts, we've spoken to so many different people involved in the Olympics. And today we're going to learn a little bit more about what it means to carry the Olympic torch. Our next guest was lucky enough to carry the torch during the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Torch Relay, selected as one of only 500 people to carry that torch. And it's been something that she has used to inspire many across the years. I had the pleasure of meeting our guest today nearly five years ago to talk a little bit about her experiences and always somebody who would like to get on the show to learn a little bit more about what led to her carrying that torch and what it means to her to have that honour of doing that in her life. Please welcome to Off The Podium, Donna Narvaez. First of all, Donna, welcome to the show. Thank you for joining us on the podium today.
DONNA NARVAEZ: Thank you, Ben. Thank you so much. It's great to be here.
BEN WATERWORTH: It's always been a dream of mine to carry that torch. And whenever I've met people who have carried the torch and talked to them about those experiences, it's always something that is it's exciting to learn. And this is something that, you know, you obviously are so proud of that even, what, nearly 20 years later that it's still something that people are talking about. I mean, give us a bit of a background, Donna, on how this all came about. How were you chosen? What was the selection process like to get chosen as one of the torch bearers back in 2002 for the Winter Olympics?
DONNA NARVAEZ: All right. I was nominated by a co-worker who saw an advertisement online from both Chevrolet and Coca-Cola. They were running a contest, 60 words or less essay, and asking who inspires you and why. So she turned in this essay. Obviously, it was a good one. And about 210,000 essays were turned in to carry the torch. There were a total of 12,012 torch bears for the 2002 Winter Games. So I was one of those lucky people. I guess, I mean, I was flabbergasted. And of course, I saw the email that came up on my screen that evening that said, congratulations, you've been nominated to carry the Olympic torch. And I immediately deleted it because there's no way I would, why would I be nominated? So when I went into work the next day, my coworker said to me, so what's going on with you? And I said, nothing, anything new? No. Well, I got a confirmation email that you were nominated for carrying the torch. She said, how did you get that? I think it's probably fishing or there's some kind of scam. She said, no, I nominated you. I turned in and they voted you. And I said, you've got to be kidding. So I went through my trash when I got home from work and found the email and called up Mr. Black at the Olympic Committee. And he said, yes, Mitt Romney would be sending me a packet out with my uniform, my beautiful, I still have it, of course. I still have my runner's uniform. And they'd fill out all the paperwork for me, what I needed to do for the criteria. And I did that. And within about what was, unfortunately, this happened right along 9-11. So it was delayed by several weeks and there was a holiday in there and everything. So I was really worried that I wouldn't get my application process back in on time. So I had to send everything FedEx. And it was very unnerving to make sure things got there and get traced. Once it got in and they called me back and they said, OK, we'll send you out your runner's uniform and it's a go. And you're going to be carrying the torch. I carried in Paso Robles, California, one of my favourite country areas. That morning, it was awesome because I love the cold.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which leads me to ask, I guess, what sort of was it about your colleague that nominated you? So the question is, you know, what inspired, who inspires you and why? So what was it about you that they found so inspiring?
DONNA NARVAEZ: Well, I think her essay, paraphrasing, of course, was that I lace up my shoes every day to walk for a contest. And I would participate in all these walks and raise lots of money and walk thousands of miles. I walked literally thousands of miles. I started in 1999 with the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, and that was a 60-mile walk. It was a three-day walk, and we tented along the way. And it was an amazing experience. And I never thought that I could ever do it, because I only had four months to train. So I had walked ever since then until Avon. I believe it was 2016 when they stopped the Avon Walk, and now it's making strides for Avon. And it's a 39-mile walk, so I've done three of those already. So I participated in things and raised a lot of money and awareness, and she thought that I inspired people, and I did a mini-triathlon when I turned 50. And my husband says, you're not going to do that, are you? And I said, absolutely.
BEN WATERWORTH: Why not? Why not? What was it that led you to competing and taking part in these walks? Has it just been a passion of yours to always help and join these worthy causes? Was there something in your life that led you to all of a sudden taking on board events like this?
DONNA NARVAEZ: Well, you know, I have always donated my time to churches and different organisations. My first job, I call it a job, my first volunteer was stuffing envelopes for the Crippled Children's Society. Now, this goes back to, I'm going to say it was about 1963 or something, a long time ago. And I started doing things like that. And we had a neighbour who had breast cancer. And I was so young, I didn't know what that was all about. I wanted to know more about it and the science of it and what happens. And when she passed, it kind of inspired me of what can I do to help? And so I started looking into organisations and different things that were out there. And another girlfriend of mine, Julie, who she has passed as well. I started a team with 53 walkers and we were Julie's angels. And I can't remember the exact amount. It was around 70,000 that we raised for Julie in the year that we walked. And it just always inspired me. So anything, anyone.
BEN WATERWORTH: I can say 60 miles is, you know, no mean feat to be able to do that sort of every year. I mean, how long is the length of the route that you were given then for the torch? I mean, no matter what it is, it pales. You know, I'm guessing you're not running 60 miles.
DONNA NARVAEZ: You're absolutely right. The torch was like a football length field. It was I think it's 200 metres, maybe or something. It was it was really it wasn't really a walk per se. It was just the honour of carrying the Olympic flame. And what was really inspiring with that is that the woman that lit my torch, because you only have one flame. So she lit my torch and she was a victim of a house fire that took four of her children. So that's who inspired someone else to nominate her to carry. So there were interesting stories.
BEN WATERWORTH: I was going to say it's that method of kind of learning about the stories. I mean, you know, not on quite the same level of the Olympics. I had the honour of carrying the Queen's baton in the Commonwealth Games when they came here a few years ago. And I remember being on the bus and sort of it's a little bit different to the Olympics because obviously you've each got your own torch, you've got one flame. Whereas for the Queen's baton, it's literally one baton. Like the Queen puts a message in it and you're handing the baton off to every single person, and then they open up in the opening ceremony. So we're on the bus and you meet these people, you're learning like, hey, why are you nominated? Like, what did you do? What did you do? I kind of felt very insignificant to why I was nominated because all these people were doing these amazing things. But you are learning these. Well, it's kind of silly. But it was through my media career back in the day. And listeners of the show would know this. I started a sort of a joke bid for Hobart, my home city to host the Olympics that went way too serious and got a bit of attention for the city on a world stage. So apparently somebody thought that was inspiring enough for me to carry it. So it was a bit embarrassing when I'm there going, oh yeah, I started the joke Olympic bid and I'm talking to somebody who, you know, had gone through adversity in life and was sort of overcoming it and was helping cure cancer and things like that. I'm like, I feel a bit sheepish. I'll just sit in the back corner. But I mean, it was still an honour. But it's but that's the thing, though, when you meet these people, right? And you can share your stories with each other.
DONNA NARVAEZ: Absolutely. It's a it's a fabulous honour. It's just one of the highlights of my life.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which had you been an Olympic fan? Was this kind of something that, you know, growing up, you would sort of always, you know, paid attention to the Olympics, had maybe sort of in the past, like you'd seen the torch, maybe when it had come to somebody where you were where you were living. I mean, it's something that always kind of followed you around.
DONNA NARVAEZ: Well, not always followed me. But in 1984, I attended the Los Angeles Olympics, and I went to boxing matches and different events. And I saw the torch then, and I drove maybe 50 miles just to see where the torch was going at that. So that kind of inspired me from 1984, never thinking I'd ever carry it. Never in my wildest dreams would that have been anything that I ever thought that would be bestowed on me. I mean, it was just amazing.
BEN WATERWORTH: Because it's something you remember, isn't it? Because I remember during Sydney, the torch came down here and went and watched it. You went and watched it through there. The streets were just filled. You kind of had your little nightly ceremonies where they would light sort of a makeshift cauldron in your location. And I mean, I was 13 at the time and sadly never got to go up to Sydney to watch any of the Olympics. But experiencing that, seeing the torch, like it's just something unique and fun. And I think I met a torch bearer, and that was when I realised that you guys get to keep the torch, like you can pay for it and kind of keep that sort of thing for the rest of your life and little things like that. And that to me was like, wow, I want to carry this thing one day. So I'm just saying right now with Brisbane only 11 years away, I'm going to try and find something meaningful to do between now and 11 years time so that somebody can nominate me.
DONNA NARVAEZ: I'll be happy to nominate you, Ben.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yes, there was an ulterior motive on this show to just get people to just get lots of nominations before Brisbane in 2032 so I can carry that. In that lead up, when you're getting the package, you're getting your uniform, I mean, at what point are you sort of designated your route? What kind of other preparation are you told? Like are you, you know, I can imagine that day is obviously very strictly controlled. Like be here at this point, be on this bus, do this, do that. Like, do you remember sort of all of that lead up to the day before you got to carry it?
DONNA NARVAEZ: Absolutely. There were a lot of restrictions. One in particular is most poignant is that they wouldn't allow you to take the flame after you transferred the flame to another carrier. You had to take, because it's a butane container on top of the torch, you had to go to the dealership because Chevy nominated me, and they had to remove that butane container. They wouldn't let me go anywhere until that was taken out, because they don't want me to light the flame and go anywhere else with the flame, you know.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah. Don't want to go commit arson with the Olympic flame. You just got a bit of flame going on. You just kind of burn a house down with the Olympic flame.
DONNA NARVAEZ: Well, there were people there with little tools, and they would turn the flame off after it ignited another torch. And then, of course, they shuttle you off in a bus. My husband was like, where are you going now? I said, I don't know. I'm going wherever they told me to go. And then I was shuttled in, and then they took the butane out. And then, but as far as preparations that day, I was just so excited that, and it was so cold, which I loved, that they would tell you, okay, this is where you need to be at this time, this particular time to load on to the bus. And then the bus took us to one place, and then they dropped the torchbearers off every 200 metres or so. So I was, it's interesting, I carried the torch January 17th, which is my grandmother's and my great grandmother's birthday. I was torch number 17. And this is what was really strange. What was the other fact that was so bizarre about that? Now I can't remember. I'm sorry. But I mean, it was like 17 was, I don't know why it's since become, because seven is my favourite number. So I figure, okay, 17 is probably fitting for that. But in total, I don't know if I mentioned there were, yes, I did mention how many torchbearers there were. And the route from Greece, Olympia, to Utah was 13,506 miles, I want to say.
BEN WATERWORTH: Because it's kind of, they fluctuate, don't they, in terms of the way they kind of do it. I mean, generally, the host nation gets a very large portion of the route, of course, which I can imagine is challenging in the US, because you're such a big country, such a diverse country, with all the 48 mainland states and all that kind of stuff. So I can imagine that it's always interesting to work that route out, because you had Atlanta six years prior, it's probably more about the south then, isn't it? Then obviously with Salt Lake, it's more about the Rockies and kind of that part of the country. And then in LA in seven years' time, I'm sure we're going to get a different route. So it's kind of interesting to think how they would plan that out. But you've got to do it in your home state. That's kind of a nice little touch. You didn't have to fly to Utah or anything for it, though, did you?
DONNA NARVAEZ: Correct. I think they had in the regulations or in their terms, they could go within 300 miles either way for you. So that made it convenient. And the other fact on January 17th, Muhammad Ali also carried the torch. I thought that was interesting.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's nice.
DONNA NARVAEZ: Yeah.
BEN WATERWORTH: All those connections. I like hearing that. You're always connected to Muhammad Ali. Why not? Just put that on the resume. Do you remember what the atmosphere was like that day in the town, the streets aligned, as I was saying before? I remember that vividly. So was it a similar thing there? People on the streets giving flags, cheering everything along the way? Back when we could have crowds, Donna, remember what that was like?
DONNA NARVAEZ: Lots of crowds and schools, total schools and children would come out with flags, and they just lined the streets and yelling USA. It was amazing. Like I said, because it was post 9-11, it really meant a lot to a lot of people. I mean, it just, they donated some of the torches to the fire departments in New York. And it was, I don't know, it was just amazing. I met a lot of really terrific people, very interesting people. And my husband and I decided, instead of driving the 300 miles back, we'd stay in Paso Robles area. So we stayed the night. And in the morning, I got up, and I walked out to the lobby to get a cup of coffee, and some woman is saying, Oh my gosh, it's you. Would you sign my paper? And I'm looking at her like, who are you? I was on the front page of the paper. Torch carriers, I don't know, maybe they like my red, I had red hair at the time. So maybe you thought my hair looked like a flame.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's a good connection. I like that. Well, what is the process when it comes to purchasing the torch? Like, I'm assuming that when you get that package, they're probably like, I don't know, like you have the option of choosing this. And how much does it cost to buy the Olympic torch?
DONNA NARVAEZ: OK, those are great questions. They do give you the option to purchase your torch. And the torch was about $325. I paid another $150 to get a stand for it. So it sits in my fireplace. Today, I was told that the 2002 Olympic torch is worth between $15,000 and $18,000.
BEN WATERWORTH: Wow. If you were to sell it. Yeah.
DONNA NARVAEZ: Yeah, certainly I'm not going to sell it. But they said because of 9-11 and because of the timing, other torches, even older torches, are only like $1,000 or $1,200. But I was really shocked to have someone tell me, would you consider selling it? And I said, no, not at all.
BEN WATERWORTH: No, you would never. I mean, it's like having an Olympic medal in some ways, isn't it? Like, why would you want to sell that?
DONNA NARVAEZ: Exactly. I've already offered it to my granddaughter, so she is going to.
BEN WATERWORTH: Passing the torch along, literally on that. Because I remember, like I said in the intro, like obviously met you back in 2016 at Reality Rally. And what drew me to meeting you was this lady in a Salt Lake City uniform, one of my favourite Olympics. She's got the torch, like drawn to you straight away. I'm there for Survivor. I'm a big Survivor fan. I'm drawn to all these people, but you caught my eye. And I'm just into that Olympic mode. I mean, I can imagine when you go to events like that, it is obviously a talking point. And kind of was that always a goal of yours to, I guess, use that experience and kind of then promote sort of, I guess, what you did, talk to people about it, and kind of just continue to share those stories over the years?
DONNA NARVAEZ: Absolutely. I have spoken at churches. I've shared my torch with schools, high schools, junior highs. I've also taken my torch into nursing homes and into the Veterans Administration to share with these servicemen. So it's been, it's been an amazing journey and a great, just a great platform for doing something like that, because everybody likes the Olympics. I mean, who doesn't like the Olympics?
BEN WATERWORTH: Exactly. No one listened to this show. I'm a bit confused if there's somebody listening to this right now and they don't like the Olympics. I think they've maybe downloaded by now. Maybe they just like you, Donna. Maybe they just don't like the Olympics. I don't know. Maybe. You know, potentially that. Did you get to go to the Olympics yourself? Did you then all of a sudden go, OK, well, I'm a torchbearer. Like, hey, maybe we need to, you know, get in a bus and travel to Salt Lake to watch some events.
DONNA NARVAEZ: You know, I really didn't. I was working full time at the time, so I couldn't do it. I probably would have had I been retired. Today, I would definitely do it. There would be no question. I would be there in a heartbeat. And I still have my runners uniform. That was given to me, by the way. That was a gift from the Olympic Committee. I think that some of the promoters bought like 40,000 of these or something. They bought a bunch of them. But they had given that to me, and I still have it. I took the t-shirt, and I put it with an American flag, and I have a proclamation of the flag that flew over the Capitol building on the day I carried the torch. That was by my sister. I have a twin sister. That was a good gift to give me.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which I can imagine then too, where months away from the 20th anniversary, not only of Salt Lake, but you running with the torch. Is this an idea where maybe you can go back to that route, kind of relive that on the 17th, and then kind of, is there maybe even sort of some talks amongst the fellow torch bearers and everything to do with Salt Lake and some celebrations in the coming months?
DONNA NARVAEZ: Well, I have been asked. I've been asked to do a couple of Olympic-themed parties to come with my torch. I have done fundraisers with the Olympic torch. For breast cancer specifically, and taken pictures with the torch with people, and they donated money. It was never a set price. It was always, oh, you want to make a donation, let's do a picture. And I had the printer with the pictures, and it was just like a Polaroid-type thing. And that worked out quite well. And people have asked me, and I do plan on, I'm involved in Nextdoor. I don't know if you have a Nextdoor or know what that is, but it's a publication in a neighbourhood where all your neighbours log in to this site. I guess they're headquartered in San Francisco, perhaps. And they're all over. All the states out here have it. And what they do is they put things in there like, I need someone to babysit. I need a good dog grower. I need a referral, or here's a good restaurant, or things like that. So I thought what I would do for this anniversary time, for the 20 year, I would take and post in my next door that I would be doing a walk in the community, a plan to do, because I'm 69 years old, I'll be 70 years old at the time, and I'll walk seven miles with the torch, and I'll go through the neighbourhoods up here and have my torch, or people take pictures, or stop me, or whatever.
BEN WATERWORTH: Fantastic. Nice little idea. Is there a way that you mentioned they took the sort of the burning element out of it, but can you sort of light it in any way to kind of recreate that, or is it just completely sort of dead?
DONNA NARVAEZ: Yeah, it's dead. They do that for a purpose. They don't want the liability, obviously. But there's always crepe paper with a little fan or something.
BEN WATERWORTH: All the ways and means about it. I mean, the thing that always excites me too about Salt Lake is that I mentioned before, one of my favourite Olympics ever, probably the first full winter Olympics that really was covered extensively here in Australia as well. And obviously, any Australian would remember the Salt Lake Games from our first ever Winter Olympic gold medals. We won it, of course, with Alyssa Campland in the aerials. And famously, Stephen Bradbury, everyone fell over in the speed skating, and Stephen Bradbury went through to win the gold. So, always got that sort of connection to Salt Lake. I mean, is it a city that you've been to as well? I went to Salt Lake a few years ago, and one of my favourite cities I've ever been to in the US. Such a nice city. So, I mean, I guess, do you feel a weird affinity to the city, even though you obviously didn't carry it there, but is that connection to the Olympics?
DONNA NARVAEZ: No, I have been to Salt Lake when I was a young girl, though, travelling with my parents. My dad was an educator, and he'd take a sabbatical every seven years, and we'd get in the car and drive around the States. And I'd been to every state in the United States. Wow, nice. And my friends in Hawaii and such. And that was all due in part to my dad. He'd have to send a postcard from every capitol building. He'd have to have it postmarked, and they'd have to sign. And so that he got free travel. So there was kind of... I like that. I enjoyed it. But you know what? I'd do it again in a heartbeat. If he was here, I definitely would do it. As a young girl, I'd always want to get home with my boyfriend. You know, I miss my friends. You know, I can't spend 300, 400 miles in a car all day. It was just, to me, it was, you know, boring. And I look back on the things that I've been, I've done with my family, and I just, I'm very thankful, very thankful. But yes, I look back.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm that weird geek guy, Donna, that when I was there, I'm like with my friend, like, I want to see the Olympic stuff. I mean, we went to a Utah jazz game, and basically, I was more excited that I was in the arena where Bradbury won gold. It was more important than the basketball. And then we went out to the university where the opening ceremony was, and they've got the cauldron. And what blew my mind as sort of this naive Australian who thinks of Olympic opening ceremonies in massive stadiums, you know, custom built venues, that this was on the grounds of a university. And the opening ceremony was basically at a university stadium. I'm like, what sort of wonderful world is this where schools can host Olympic opening ceremonies? I'm from Australia. My university couldn't hold a raffle yet alone in an Olympics. So it's yeah, it was amazing to kind of to witness. And yeah, the cauldron is still there. It's what was at Rice Eccles Stadium, wasn't it? So it's kind of right there and kind of there. So it's a beautiful city.
DONNA NARVAEZ: Ice hockey team, I think, lit the cauldron, didn't they?
BEN WATERWORTH: They did. The Miracle on Ice team. They did. Yep. And it was the the Osmonds were the star of that opening ceremony. And then the closing ceremony had the giant T-Rex heads and you had Bon Jovi and Kiss and NSYNC. And it was a pretty bloody good closing ceremony. One that's never really talked about, I think, sort of throughout history. One thing I'd like to ask, though, Donna, even that LA is now seven years away, what are the chances of a dual Olympic torchbearer? I mean, you know, like do you want me to nominate you? You nominate me, I nominate you, and then you can get to carry the LA torch in a few years.
DONNA NARVAEZ: Yeah, I don't know if, I've never heard of someone carrying it twice. I don't know if that's a, I don't know about that. That's interesting, but I'll certainly nominate you, Ben. There's no question.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, I'll do it to you. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours, you know. Kind of going along that way. I've got 11 years to wait, so kind of pushing on there. Just in terms of yourself, Donna, I mean sort of all the great work you were mentioning before, you've done, sort of, that led you to carrying the torch. I mean, what are you up to now? Are you still sort of doing some of these walks, some other events that you are involved in? And if you are, please plug anything that you want to plug right now that people can sort of maybe donate or get involved in.
DONNA NARVAEZ: Well, I am. Right now I'm interested in volunteering for a nonprofit called Soaring Spirits International. And what that is, is it's a young woman in 2005, whose husband was out riding his bicycle in Simi Valley, California, and never came home. He was hit by a suburb and then died. And she just remembers having the officers come to her door and I mean, you can well imagine how devastated, you know, how shocking that would be. She has developed this non-profit and what she does is she consoles widows, widows and widowers, whether they're married, they're life partners, whether they're gay, straight, it doesn't matter. I mean, all walks of life. And she helps in their grieving process. She has a lot of people on her staff that volunteer, that talk to these folks and send them inspirational messages. They have retreats they go to for a few days. And it's all about helping people cope. And now she's developed a COVID type of... It's so new to me that I... I'm so interested in doing things, different things, of course. And so I contacted her and I received a couple of packets because I have a friend who committed suicide a few weeks back. And I contacted his partner and said, you know, this is a great thing. You need to read this and absorb it. She's doing really well. Another friend of mine whose husband had committed suicide, she's doing very well on the program. So I decided, you know what, I'm going to focus some time into this. So to have a century, a hundred mile bike ride coming up that I have. I used to do centuries. I used to do that kind of stuff. But now I've got my husband doing it. So I'm going to work some of the stations there with the water and the goody bars and all. And he's going to ride a hundred miles and support this foundation that I think is just terrific. Anytime I'm willing to do it. And I'm still doing my walks. I still do my forty mile. Now there are thirty nine. Now there are thirty nine miles, so I'm still participating in those. I do a lot of charity golf tournaments. I volunteer for help for brain injured children. The Cleta Harder Foundation out of Orange County. They're fabulous. My good friend Bruno Serrata, he owns the Anaheim White House restaurant. And he is the founder of Catarina. That's his mother. Catarina's Club, Boys and Girls. And I think he's at 5 million meals now that he's served. He's been doing that many, many years. And he was the 2020... I'm going to get the year wrong, but it was within the last three years a CNN hero. So anybody, Bruno Serrata. And these are the kind of people that inspire me. I think what happens is once you start doing things, it kind of mushrooms. And you know, it's amazing. I know a lot of amazing, amazing people.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's good to think. Yes, indeed. You are one of these amazing, amazing people too, Donna. I mean, I've learned a lot and been inspired by everything that you talked about on this. And I don't even... I will nominate you for LA 2020, but I don't think you're going to have any trouble having people nominate you with all the things, amazing things you're doing out there. It's really been a lot of fun chatting with you today. And one thing I'm going to do, I mean, I sent it through to you in email, but I've still got the photos of me holding the torch with you back in 2016. I kind of lost a bit of weight since then, but I will maybe share that photo on our social media to kind of scare people. Thank you. Thank you very much. I'm glad that one person thinks that, but we will share that on our social media so people can see the torch and sort of see you in the whole Salt Lake get up and everything. But pleasure to chat with you today, Donna, to learn more about this and get sort of that insight into what it means to be an Olympic torch bearer.
DONNA NARVAEZ: Thank you very, very much. It's my pleasure.
BEN WATERWORTH: My pleasure. And a big thanks to Donna there for her time, learning about that. And yeah, I feel I've got this like long 11 year journey now to just subtly mention, hey, nominate me to carry the torch so that I can get to carry an Olympic torch. I've always got to have hidden motives on this show, right? I'm not gonna make an Olympic, so closest I'll ever get is potentially carrying the torch for Brisbane in 2032. I can do something like that before then, right, right? Yeah, we'll kind of work that out. We've got plenty more still to come here on Off The Podium, plenty of great interviews still coming as we get closer and closer to Beijing 2022. And as always, if you want to stay up to date with what we've got coming up, hit us up on social media, Off The Podium, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. Search for us on all the good social media platforms, Off The Podium. Hit subscribe, leave us a rating, and let us know what you think of the show we always like to hear from you. Big thanks again to Donna. Big thanks to you for listening. This has been Off The Podium, my name is Ben, and as always, go left.
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