Iaaf Diamond League Podcast

Join host Alex Seftel for another laid-back sit down with a track and field star. In this episode: World, Olympic, European and Diamond League champion Katerina Stefanidi talks about what there is still left to achieve in her pole vault career after a wonderful end to 2018. The Greek athlete jokes that husband and coach Mitch Krier "sees vectors and numbers" when she vaults and is brilliant at giving her cues to improve.

Find out which footballer Marie-Josee Ta Lou wanted to be like as a child, whether the Ivorian sprinter prefers the 100m or 200m, and how she copes with long term pain in her knees. Meanwhile, Alex Seftel discusses who is looking to be in form ahead of the conclusion of the IAAF Diamond League season in Zurich and Brussels.

Did you know American sprinter Jenna Prandini used to be a volleyball player? She jointly leads the Diamond League standings in the women's 200m heading into the final at the end of this month. Tom Byrne discovers that she has plenty of other talents too!

New Zealand's Tomas Walsh talks about the prospect of breaking the world record in the shot put and reclaiming the Diamond Trophy. 2018 has already been a successful year for the IAAF World Indoor champion and Commonwealth Games winner, who used to build houses for a living. Meanwhile, Alex Seftel runs through how things are looking on the #RoadToTheFinal with #BirminghamDL coming up.

This week, North American steeplechase record holder Evan Jager talks about immersing himself in the sport of track and field after initially growing up as a soccer player. The Olympic silver and world bronze medalist also discusses his great relationship with his father, who bought him a Ford Mustang before he could drive after running a fast time as a child.

2005 world 400m hurdles champion Bershawn Jackson talks about what defines his career. Having grown up in a poor neighbourhood in Florida, he describes the coach that encouraged him to try track and field as having "saved his life". The Olympic medalist also discusses his emotions following the death of his father and grandmother in the last few years.

In this episode, we catch up with Olympic, World, European, Commonwealth and Diamond League champion Greg Rutherford, who bid an emotional farewell to the London Stadium last weekend. Also featuring is Kyron McMaster, who took home the Diamond Trophy in 2017. The 400m hurdler reflects on his career to date including the tragic loss of his coach during Hurricane Irma last September. Meanwhile Alex Seftel runs through a few key highlights of some wonderful meetings in Monaco and London.