“I always wanted to be an Opal, ever since I picked up a basketball. It’s the pinnacle of the sport. But Australian professional basketball player Tess Madgen thought her dream was fading away, as she clocked up 10 years in the squad, and was nearing 30. “I just wanted to be an Olympian, I’d do anything I had to.” So imagine Madgen’s delight when she was named a member of the Australian Women's basketball team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It was a nail biting journey, with the Opals eliminated after losing to the USA in the quarterfinals. Now Tess sits down with former Australian water polo player and Olympian Rowie Webster to chat about the experience of playing overseas, how important it is to have a coach the team can trust, why growing up with 2 brothers helped her become really tough and competitive and why she is so determined to bring home the Gold in Paris.

Jye Edwards knows better than anyone what a gruelling event 1500 metres is. The middle distance run is long enough that your body starts to hurt and stays that way, but short enough that you never really get the respite of easing off the pace. It takes a particular kind of person with a very particular mental fortitude to not only stay in that discomfort, but to excel at the highest levels. The Australian middle distance athlete competed at the Tokyo Olympic Games, finishing seventh in his heat and learning what it took to compete at that level during the “Covid Olympics”. Edwards and the other 1500m runners are expected to be competing in Europe soon, hoping to qualify for Paris 2024. Jye sits down with former Australian water polo player and Olympian Rowie Webster to chat about the philosophy of running with the pack, the physical toll middle distance running takes on the body, his secrets to performing under pressure and how much of it comes down to breaking in the right shoes.

Amy Lawton is an Australian Hockeyroos superstar. After representing Australia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at the ripe old age of 19, she’s determined to go for gold in Paris… especially after claiming silver at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. And she’s just as fired up about getting younger players on the field, often acting as an ambassador for the sport to increase participation and inspiring younger players to ignite their love for the game.  Amy sits down with former Australian water polo player and Olympian Rowie Webster to chat about falling in love with hockey, her strong work ethic and how she switches off when she is not competing. 

Cassiel Rousseau has always had Olympic blood running through his veins. The grandson of French cyclist Michel Rousseau, who won gold in the men's sprint at Melbourne’s 1956 Olympics, Cassiel started out as an acrobatic gymnast before he began diving in 2017, and he’s carried that acrobatic style into his diving today. By 2020 he was competing in the Tokyo Olympics (he finished 8th), and he claimed gold in the men's 10m platform World Championships event in 2023, creating history for the Australian diving team by becoming the first Australian men's 10m platform world champion. He heads into his second Olympics, in Paris, adorned with tattoos - one for every country he’s been to. The university student was also recently named World Aquatics Diving Athlete of the Year for 2023.  Cassiel sits down with former Australian water polo player and Olympian Rowie Webster to chat about how he got into diving, how he deals with his fear of heights and what it takes to become an elite athlete. 

“Being a professional surfer is the greatest job in the world. The ocean is my office, nature is my business partner”  Surfer Sally Fitzgibbons is oneof Australia's favourite athletes. She’s won multiple surfing titles around the world and represented Australia at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.  After 15 years on tour, Sally’s bubbly personality and positive attitude continue to resonate with the Australian public.   Sally sits down with former Australian water polo player and Olympian Rowie Webster to chat about the mental toll surfing takes, the secrets to performing under pressure and most of all what legacy she wants to leave for the next generation of surfers.

Boxing has always been about belonging for Australian boxer Harry Garside.  He was the skinny little kid desperate to impress his big brothers and his dad.  The nine year old who found brotherhood in the boxing gym. The teenager, bonding with champion Australian athletes from all sports during his time at the AIS.  Heading into his second Olympics, Garside’s keen to upgrade from his bronze in Tokyo 2020 to gold in Paris 2024.  He’s fired up now but says at first, he was hesitant. He’s reflected on the state of mind that took him to his Tokyo 2020 bronze medal for lightweight boxing: “I fed this little beast inside of me… this insecure little boy that wanted nothing more than that Olympic gold medal because he thought then he’d feel good enough.” The difference is, this time Harry has tapped back into the lessons he learned from his childhood heroes.   “I reconnected to that young boy who was inspired by Grant Hackett… who was inspired by Matthew Mitcham.” The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games men's 60kg division gold medal winner chats with former Australian water polo player and Olympian Rowie Webster about finding self belief, how adding ballet to his weekly training schedule has helped him fine tune his body for boxing, and taking his boxing heroes into the ring with him in Paris via his leg tattoos.

"You're only as good as you are on your worst day... be better than your opponent on that day." It's a fitting quote shared by Australia's most successful track cyclist Anna Meares from her childhood coach Reg Tucker. This Australian cycling great is one well-qualified Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team in Paris 2024. An Olympic rookie in 2004, who completely rehabilitated herself after THAT crash in 2008, then used her famous rivalry with English cyclist Victoria Pendleton to spur her on to success at London 2012, Anna proudly led her fellow athletes as flag bearer in Rio 2016. The Olympic and Commonwealth gold medallist credits what she learned about vulnerability in her personal life as parent and foster parent, and partner, with helping her round out her mindset. In this candid chat with three-time Olympian, Australian water polo player and En Route to Paris host Rowie Webster, Anna pulls back the curtain to speak about vulnerability, the pressures of sport, fear of failure and what kind of surprises might be in store in Paris.

GO! The countdown to the Paris 2024 Olympics is underway. Join the squad with former Australian water polo player and three time Olympian Rowie Webster as she tracks down some of Australia's greatest athletes. Some are preparing to bring their Olympic dreams to life in Paris, and some have lived out that dream at Olympics past. Rowie delves into what makes these athletes tick, what motivates them to chase Olympic gold, and what kind of blood, sweat and tears go into training for the biggest competition on earth. Make sure you follow En Route to Paris in your favourite podcast app, and every Wednesday you’ll get a fresh deep dive of Olympic hope delivered to your ears. En Route to Paris… coming soon!