Too Peas In A Podcast Mandy Hose and Kate Mulholland

Harry, Chelsea and Anna review the Special Olympics World Games 2023

·1 hr 29 min·5 clips

Harry describes the breathtaking moment he walked into a stadium of 50,000 people to represent Australia at the Special Olympics.

The episode begins with host Kate promoting her new podcast, 'Honestly I'm Lonely', before Mandy introduces the main topic. Mandy recorded interviews at the Victorian State Special Olympics Games with athletes recently returned from Berlin. First, she speaks with Harry Mezger, who competed in athletics and cycling. Harry describes the emotional and logistical experience of the Berlin Games, including the 50,000-spectator opening ceremony, winning three bronze medals in running, and the challenges of international travel. He also discusses his work as an allied health assistant and his role on athlete leadership committees. Next, Mandy interviews Chelsea Hagwitherton, a shot put and turbo javelin athlete. Chelsea recounts her surprise at being selected, the thrill of winning gold, and her position as the athlete representative on the Law Enforcement Torch Run international council. She highlights the importance of inclusion and support networks. The final segment features a Zoom interview with Anna Mezger, Harry's mother and a director on the board of Special Olympics Australia. Anna provides an organizational perspective on the World Games, explaining the four-year cycle, the host town program for acclimatization, and the divisioning system that groups athletes by ability. She details the massive scale of the event, with 7,000 athletes, 190 delegations, and 18,000 volunteers. Anna emphasizes the non-sport aspects, such as the Healthy Athletes program that offered free medical screenings, and the Athlete Leader Congress that empowers athletes in governance. The conversation also touches on the differences between Special Olympics and the elite Virtus Games, the bid for Perth to host a future World Games, and the lifelong community Special Olympics provides for athletes and families.

As heard by us

A personal Special Olympics conversation centered on Chelsea Hagwitherton's council role, travel-family support, and family context.

The episode is strongest when Chelsea Hagwitherton speaks about representing Australia on the council, especially with the note that only the second athlete outside the US has held the role and that her final council commitment is due later this year in Chicago.

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Why you'd press play

You want Berlin World Games 2023 stories with an athlete's-eye view and a family-like travel crew.

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