{"version":"https:\/\/jsonfeed.org\/version\/1","title":"What\u2019s your best sporting encounter? ","home_page_url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/programmes\/sporting-encounters\/","feed_url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/programmes\/sporting-encounters\/json","icon":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/2717\/69f336f310cf9.jpg","description":"Our presenters tell us their best encounters with the great and good of sport. ","items":[{"id":"o2717-2086-69f3823ca9fbd","url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/programmes\/sporting-encounters\/post\/mark-pougatch\/","title":"Mark Pougatch","date_published":"2026-04-30T16:24:28+00:00","content_html":"

Anyone who knows cricket knows Shane Warne is one of the greatest the game has ever seen. I was lucky enough to cover his last ever Ashes. He went out with a bang, with the Aussies reclaiming the urn. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

In the throes of his last ever victory, he welcomed me into the Australian dressing room: no frills, pads, jockstraps all over the place. I interviewed the whole team and managed to stay professional surrounded by the aura of absolute brilliance, and the peak of sporting achievement. What a bowler, what a dressing room. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n


\n <\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/2717\/69f334d69ea2b.jpg","author":{"name":"Media Team"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/_app_pages\/stations\/7069\/blogs\/posts\/84758"},{"id":"o2717-2086-69f3377a90912","url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/programmes\/sporting-encounters\/post\/sanny-rudravajhala\/","title":"Sanny Rudravajhala","date_published":"2026-04-30T16:22:00+00:00","content_html":"

Having ditched boozing, late nights, and microwave pizza, in 2013 I threw myself into running with Derby AC.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

By the following spring, things had kicked on. I found myself mixing it up with the club runners and elite wave of the 10k Great Manchester Run. No room for fancy dress, selfie sticks or even wired earphones here.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

We were right at the front, in the shortest of shorts, flyaway vests and best of all, our own private <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Portaloos. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

With VIP swagger I headed to a bright green plastic door. It burst open and like an action figure square in front of me was running legend Hailie Gabreselesie. Oof!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

Next was a warm up. High knees alongside Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang. He’d won the London <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Marathon the previous month. Wow! <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

And then there was the main man himself. The 10,000m world record holder. A five-time World Champion, with three Olympic golds – including the 5k and 10k double in Beijing. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

A year earlier, I’d borrowed my sister’s gold hot pants to dress as him for pub crawl. Now he was <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>standing next to me, surveying the opening section of the course; Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

How on Earth was this happening?! I was like Karl Power, the sporting imposter who’d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>gatecrashed Man United’s team photo at Bayern, stepped onto the Ashes outfield at Headingley <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and managed a Centre Court rally at Wimbledon.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

Fizzing, I put my arm around him and said, ‘good luck’. It was a race after all. ‘Thank you!’ he <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>graciously beamed back. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

He won in 28 minutes and 23 seconds; flying past Old Trafford, industrial warehouses and a DJ’ing Clint Boon from Inspiral Carpets, before being brought home by thousands of cheering fans. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

Nearly nine minutes later I crossed the line, 142nd overall but with the highest of runner’s highs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n


\n <\/p>\n\n


\n <\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/2717\/69f334d69ea2a.jpg","author":{"name":"Media Team"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/_app_pages\/stations\/7069\/blogs\/posts\/84751"},{"id":"o2717-2086-69f352fd9f43f","url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/programmes\/sporting-encounters\/post\/vassos-alexander\/","title":"Vassos Alexander","date_published":"2026-04-30T13:02:00+00:00","content_html":"

When Roger Federer remembered my kid’s names… <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

It all started when I interviewed Roger Federer in November in London ahead of the World Tour finals. It was the kind of run of the mill interview he’d have done all the time with every local TV station. We had a little chat beforehand, we’d both recently had kids so we had some common ground! In the end, I gave him a bit of a hard time in our interview because he’d just been usurped as the world number one!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

Two months later we met again. I was in Melbourne for the Australian Open this time — somewhere in the bowels of the Rod Laver Arena. As I got into a lift, I saw someone approaching, so naturally I held the door open. It wasn’t until the person got in the lift that I realised it was Roger! “Thank you Vassos” he said. He paused, then asked: “how are X and X?” He’d remembered my children’s names precisely. Needless to say, he was pretty chuffed with himself. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n


\n <\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/2717\/69f3a5d817ccb.jpg","author":{"name":"Media Team"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/_app_pages\/stations\/7069\/blogs\/posts\/84756"},{"id":"o2717-2086-69f35293905d3","url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/programmes\/sporting-encounters\/post\/charlotte-daly\/","title":"Charlotte Daly","date_published":"2026-04-30T13:01:00+00:00","content_html":"

Where to begin! <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

One memory that really stands out is being in Spain in camp with Oleksandr Usyk before he became undisputed heavyweight champion. We were at his villa, playing football in the garden next to the pool, setting little challenges and just messing about. It was all very relaxed, but at the same time surreal knowing what he was about to go on and achieve.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

Not long after he’d won all the belts, I went out to Poland to catch up with him again. I watched him play football, then headed to a local bar with him and his team, we drank plenty of champagne and shared stories that probably shouldn’t be written down!! But the way he integrated me into his team is something I’ll never forget. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

Another was in Los Angeles with Manny Pacquiao. We ran up to the Hollywood sign during camp, which I thought was a solid session on its own, but afterwards he talked me into attempting his 1000-rep ab challenge.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

Then there was Las Vegas with Floyd Mayweather. We went on a full night out together. We ate caviar that cost more than my yearly salary, hit the casino tables, and somehow ending up in Dunkin’ Donuts on the way back to the hotel.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n


\n <\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/2717\/69f3a5b4ef845.jpg","author":{"name":"Media Team"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/_app_pages\/stations\/7069\/blogs\/posts\/84755"},{"id":"o2717-2086-69f33bb20606e","url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/programmes\/sporting-encounters\/post\/sonja-mclaughlan\/","title":"Sonja McLaughlan","date_published":"2026-04-30T11:23:00+00:00","content_html":"

Over fifteen years of working on track and field, I was lucky enough to frequently encounter the great man, Usain Bolt. In fact, I witnessed all nineteen of his gold medals, so it’s fair to say I’ve had the pleasure of having the box seat to watch his incredible career unfold. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

He was unfailingly friendly and loved stopping to chat in the mixed zone. I was always pleased to see him coming, although we rarely talked track and field, he’d just take his spikes off and chat to me about Man Utd.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

Later, he came to our studios to do an in depth interview while he was promoting his book. It was a great interview, touching on the inner depths of his psyche. At this point I thought, you know what, I think I know him well enough for us to follow each other on twitter (now X).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n

So I approached him and said: “Come on Usain, we’re pals now. We should follow each other on twitter.” That’s exactly what we did. For context, the man follows a very small number of people, so I’m extremely proud to be one of the 134. We are now forever connected by rugby and dogs. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n


\n <\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/2717\/69f334d792e44.jpg","author":{"name":"Media Team"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.trackradio.com\/_app_pages\/stations\/7069\/blogs\/posts\/84753"}]}