Tokyo 2020 becomes 2021!

(Reporter Tom Ellis, trying out Wheelchair Basketball in Tokyo)

The Coronavirus outbreak has left the team here at Passion For Sport eagerly awaiting news on what organisers will do about the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. After much pressure from governing bodies and the athletes themselves, earlier this week the International Olympic Committee (IOC) finally announced that the Games & the Paralympics will be postponed until 2021, with the aim of holding it by the summer.

Now that we know about this delay, we can plan for Tokyo 2021 and other than the date, nothing else has changed in our eyes! We are still 100% committed to covering the Games and to supply content for radio stations around the world.

Please join us in prayer as we continue to watch and wait like the rest of the world for further clarity!

Is Boxing morally wrong?

As we continue our new ‘Hot Topics’ Planet Sport series, we recently looked at the issue of Boxing and if the sport is morally wrong? We get a Christian athlete perspective from former Welterweight World Champion, Chris ‘The Heat’ Van Heerden and get the views from our panel, Soccer Chaplain Andy Searles and Journalist Russ Bravo! Come join us on the new series!

Have a listen:

Listen to "11 Apr: Is Boxing morally wrong?" on Spreaker.

"I just sat there and prayed, Lord is this the end of my career?"

Reporter Tom Ellis (L) speaking with Kyron McMaster during the Commonwealth Games in Australia

On this week’s Planet Sport we featured a double-header of serious Athletic talent, USA’s World and Olympic Triple Jump Champion, Christian Taylor, spoke to us about where his identity lies, plus Kyron McMaster speaks about winning the British Virgin Island’s first Commonwealth Games medal!

Listen to the Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "21 Mar: World and Olympic Triple Jump Champion Christian Taylor" on Spreaker.

"It's not about being big, it's about being as powerful as possible but as nimble as possible as well"

This week on Planet Sport we’re talking Rugby 7s, and more specifically, South Africa centre, Ruhan Nel. The Blitzbok star tells us about what it takes to thrive at the top of the sport and also about how Rugby is basically just part of being South African!

Listen to the Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "31 Jan: Ruhan Nel, South Africa Rugby International" on Spreaker.

"I read scriptures in the Bible, so that I know God is going to be with me in that ring" 🥊

Field Reporter Tom Ellis (L) speaking to Joshua Buatsi (R) in Rio, Brazil 2016

You can catch up on our latest Planet Sport feature, where we are looking back at the Rio 2016 Olympics and our conversation with British Boxer, Joshua Buatsi. He speaks to Tom Ellis about what it means to actually be an Olympian and how his faith in Jesus gives him the motivation that he needs!

Listen to the Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "03 Jan: Boxers Joshua Buatsi & Erick Ochieng" on Spreaker.

"It's been a wonderful year of great sporting success across the board"

Kylian Mbappe lifted the World Cup with France at this summer’s FIFA World Cup in Russia

This week on Planet Sport it’s the turn of our Sports Reporters to give their sporting highlights from the year 2018! Featuring France wonderkid Kylian Mbappe and USA Sprint sensation, Ronnie Baker! Listen in to the annual highlights of Solomon Ashoms, Norman Brierley and Liam Flint:

Listen to the Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "20 Dec: Review of 2018, Part 2" on Spreaker.

Stuart Weir gives his 2018 Sporting Review!

Stuart Weir- Our Football Africa, European Football Expert

It’s that time of year, where at Planet Sport we look back over the year of 2018 and discuss some of the most memorable sporting moments from around the world. First up is our very own Stuart Weir, who is part of our Football Africa team and offers his expert analysis on all things European football. Listen in to his top moments from 2018:

Listen to the Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "13 Dec: Review of 2018, Part 1" on Spreaker .

"What kept me steady was knowing that God had created me to be there"

American track athlete, Madeline Manning-Mims made history in clinching Gold at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. As a black athlete, her journey of challenging racial prejudice has left a long-lasting impact even today! She later went on to become a 4-time Olympian, a coach, a gospel singer and a chaplain.

Listen to the Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "15 Nov: Fighting racial prejudice- Olympic Gold medallist, Madeline Manning-Mims" on Spreaker.

Announcing our CAMEROON NIGHT: African-food buffet & Sports Quiz

Cameroon are hosting the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and we will be there!

To mark us going out to the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon in 2019, we are putting on a fund-raiser with an African-themed food buffet and a Sports Quiz!

Please see the graphic below for further details and how to book your tickets! We really hope that you can join us and get behind our project!

We hope you can join us!

Enter our Rugby competition giveaway!

A signed Saracens Tee is up for grabs!

We are really pleased to announce that we are running a giveaway competition to celebrate our latest release of the Rugby Podcast.

The prize up for grabs is an official Saracens Rugby T-shirt, signed by Saracens and Australia pro Will Skelton! To be in with a chance to win, head over to our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and follow the entry requirements! Go on, treat yourself!

Saracens' Will Skelton talks Wallabies, World Cup ambitions & faith

On the latest Podcast we feature Saracens and Australia Rugby star, Will Skelton, who talks about his thoughts ahead of the Rugby World Cup next year in Japan and he tells us how important his faith in Jesus is to his on-field game.

That’s not all! USA Rugby’s Carlin Isles, the world’s fastest Rugby player, also joins us to play the ‘This or That’ game. Is he as quick with his words as he is with his feet?

Listen to the Planet Sport Rugby Podcast below:

Listen to "#2 Will Skelton talks Saracens & NFL boots, plus USA's Carlin Isles on Nando's" on Spreaker.

Image Credit: Alasdair Massie

From child soldier to Olympian!

Julius Achon speaking to Planet Sport's Tom Ellis at the 2018 CW Games. 

Planet Sport caught up with a Ugandan track legend, Julius Achon to hear about his amazing journey of facing adversity, pursuing his dreams and ultimately becoming an Olympian! 

Listen to the full Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "30 Aug: Julius Achon - from Child Soldier to Olympian, Part 1" on Spreaker.

"When you pull on the red jersey, it's this pride that we have as Canadians"

Photo cred: Pierre-Yves Beaudouin

Planet Sport caught up with Canadian basketballer, Ruth Hamblin to talk about what it means to represent her country, the perks of being 6ft 6" and how important her faith is to her.

Listen to the full Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "23Nov: Ruth Hamblin, Canadian basketball centre" on Spreaker.

"I knew that if I really worked hard, it could happen"- Kare Adenegen

Credit- British Athletics/ Getty Images

Planet Sport caught up with wheelchair racer Kare Adenegen, who in June, set the British T34 World Record. She tells us how it feels to be a world record holder and how her faith as a follower of Jesus Christ impacts her life on and off the track.

Listen to the full Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "16 Aug: Para-athletes Luke Sinnott and World Record holder Kare Adenegan" on Spreaker.

"Deep down I'm a fighter and I'm not going to give up"- Wenda Nel

Olympic Hurdler Wenda Nel spoke to Planet Sport's Norman Brierley about what has been a tough season for the South African, but also how despite all of this, she continues to fight, to be an example to others and to 'live out the gift that she has been given'.

Listen to the full Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "09 Aug: African Championships medallists Akani Simbine and Wendy Nel" on Spreaker.

"Everyone has potential but it's only unlocked through the hard work"

Ronnie Baker (pictured centre) has dominated this season's Diamond League circuit in the 100 metres, winning three out of four races with a sub-ten second time. Planet Sport's Norman Brierley caught up with the American on his rapid rise to the top level of world sprinting and asked how he views his success this season. 

Listen to the full Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "02 Aug: The new sprint sensation- USA's Ronnie Baker" on Spreaker.

"I still have a little bit more to offer, you don't have to reach 30 and then quit"- Collins Injera

As the Rugby World Cup Sevens approaches, it seemed only right that we pull aside Kenya's Collins Injera, part of the furniture in the Shujaa changing room and responsible for scoring over 270 tries for his country.

Planet Sport's Norman Brierley spoke to the 31-year-old about how he can use all of his experience to help the young players in the squad, and how big a part 'faith' plays in his rugby. . .

Listen to the full Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "19 Jul: Collins Injera, Kenya Rugby 7s & Two Years to Tokyo 2020 Olympics & Paralympics" on Spreaker.

A San Francisco special: The Rugby World Cup Sevens

Next week sees the Rugby Sevens world converge on San Francisco for the World Cup, we caught up with Blitzboks' Branco Du Preez and Seabelo Senatla ahead of their involvement at the tournament.

Planet Sport's Norman Brierley spoke to the pair to find out what it means to be a part of this South Africa team and see how their preparations are coming along.

Listen to the full Planet Sport interview below:

Listen to "12 Jul: Branco du Preez & Seabelo Senatla, South Africa Rugby 7s" on Spreaker.

"I'm a human being first and then an athlete second"

South Africa v New Zealand (Commonwealth Games 2018)

Keenan Horne plays for South Africa's Hockey team. At 26, he has broken into the national side and featured in their recent tournament at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.

Planet Sport's Liam Flint spoke to the man himself, on Gold Coast, Australia, in amongst the busy competition schedule, to find out more about the number 10 and see what has propelled him to the top of the sport:

Listen to the full Planet Sport interview with Keenan below:

Listen to "05 Jul: South African Hockey Player Keenan Horne & Tokyo 2020 Olympics Preparations" on Spreaker.