Against the Odds

Talent makes you a winner, but there’s so much more to being a hero. China’s tennis pioneer Li Na and Formula One’s Robert Kubica overcame different obstacles. Plus, the story of Olympic gold medallist who returned to the track after a kidney transplant, Aries Merritt, and the big wave surfer Maya Gabeira conquering fears. All Heroes.

No one has accomplished a comeback quite like Tiger Woods… the rankings slide, the bitter divorce, the public humiliation, the surgeries. Yet somehow he climbed back to the pinnacle of golf, winning the 2019 Masters…. was from another generation, but for his time, enjoyed the same level of popularity as Tiger did in his heyday. Many say he set the modern game on its way… while the 2012 Ryder Cup was the site of one of golf’s great heists – Europe coming from nowhere to defeat the mighty American Team.

This week, a bunch of football heroes. The Pied Piper of the game, David Beckham, Germany’s Kaiser, the great Franz Beckenbauer, and the man who lives for winning, super manager Pep Guardiola.

In this episode, the ultimate footballing hero, Lionel Messi, is the all-time great Barcelona forward. England’s immortal World Cup-winning superstar, Bobby Moore, and the man who brought the EPL championship to Leicester, Claudio Ranieri.

Australian surfer Mick Fanning was a hero to his adoring fans, not only for winning three world title, but fighting off a great white shark while competing in South Africa … mountain biker Nino Schurter went agonisingly close to Olympic gold twice, but would not be denied in 2016 … and Kayla Harrison’s inspirational story of a comeback - against sexual abuse from a former coach - to become a two-time Olympic judo gold medallist.

On this episode, the incredible off-field feats of Portuguese star striker Cristiano Ronaldo … the great Wayne Rooney, who made a heart-warming return to his original EPL club, Everton … and the hero of the 1966 World Cup, England Sir Geoff Hurst

12 years and 23 gold medals made Michael Phelps one of the greatest Olympians of all time, but like the Butterfly stroke he was so proficient in, it wasn’t without its ups and downs. And in the helter skelter of BMX racing, Mariana Pajón has carried the Olympic hopes and dreams of Colombia on her shoulders but after serious injury comes the ultimate test, the hunger to win again.

In this episode we examine the how Muhammad Ali was punished for sticking to his religious beliefs when he refused the Vietnam War draft and the titanic struggle he undertook to regain the title the government took from him. We recount Manny Pacquiao’s history making quest to win titles in eight different boxing divisions and profile Zou Shiming, the greatest boxer in China’s history.

Usain Bolt was much more than the fastest man on the planet: he was revered and celebrated as much for his endearing personality as his ability to set records on the track; while New Zealand shot-putter Dame Valerie Adams dominated her sport, and did so with towering integrity.

Three heroes from the football world: the indefatigable Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Le Professeur, French manager extraordinaire Arsene Wenger and one of the greatest players ever, the Real Madrid legend, Alfredo Di Stefano.

Lewis Hamilton has the once seemingly unattainable records of the great Michael Schumacher in his sights … but the Brit has had to endure a tough upbringing and a rocky relationship with his father to climb the mountain … Schumacher’s numbers are incredible and his five straight F1 titles will take some matching … and Niki Lauda, the 3- time F1 champion who survived a horrific fireball crash at the 1977 German GP only to return to racing just six weeks later.

In this episode, we examine the admirable career of golf’s Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus; we discuss left handed, long hitting funnyman Phil Mickelson’s triumphant career; and we marvel at humble Rory McIlroy’s phenomenal achievements at an early age.

In this episode, we look at the brilliant career of Ronaldo, perhaps the only Brazilian footballer to rival Pele; we examine Zinedine Zidane as a player and a manager who reached the top in both fields; and we pay tribute to 1960s legend Eusebio.

The two women who changed tennis, Serena and Venus Williams, Britain’s world-beating triathlete, Alistair Brownlee, and the king of badminton Lin Dan.

They were the key players in a golden era of Formula One, the fascinatingly flawed Brazilian genius Ayrton Senna and his great rival, the meticulous Frenchman Alain Prost.

In this episode, we track Conor McGregor’s unprecedented rise from plumber’s apprentice to the biggest MMA celebrity in the history of the sport, we follow Xiong Jingnan, the first Chinese MMA champion in the world who competes to honour the memory of her grandparents and take a look at how Holly Holm became the only person to hold championship titles in both boxing and MMA.

On this episode, we salute the superstars of tennis, celebrating the off court bravery of Martina Navratilova, the relentless winning of Novak Djokovic, and the all round greatness of the man who ushered in the modern professional era, Rod Laver.

This week, arguably the greatest-ever tennis hero, Roger Federer, and the man chasing him hardest to the mantle, Rafael Nadal, plus the inspirational Billie Jean King.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s standing in the game is matched only by his many achievements; as a teenager, Kylian Mbappé lit up the 2018 World Cup; while Xavi carved himself a unique place in football, that defined a generation.

On this episode of Against the Odds we salute two contrasting footballing legends. First there is the volatile and controversial Argentinian superstar Diego Maradona, then the statesmanlike Bobby Charlton. Two World Cup winners, two very different stories.

In this episode, we look at the remarkable career of Allyson Felix, the greatest female track and field athlete in Olympic and world championship history plus Britain’s cycling royalty, Laura Trott and Jason Kenny, who found each other and dominance of the sport which has never been seen before.

On this episode of Against the Odds, we salute two of the most mercurial footballers the game has ever known, the era-defining Johan Cruyff and Brazil superstar Neymar.

In this episode, we take to the links and marvel at Seve Ballesteros, the man who made the Ryder Cup a contest, and Greg Norman, the Great White Shark who shook up the establishment.

This week on Against The Odds . . . the perfect gymnast. Nadia Comaneci was the first to score a perfect ten in the Montreal Olympic Games. But her life in Romania away from the spotlight was far from perfect. Until she found her escape. Plus the face of the London Olympics, Jessica Ennis-Hill. 

Robin Van Persie’s career made him a hero to many, but he can’t compete with the love and adoration commanded by Brazil’s Pelé - This is Against The Odds.

This time on Against the Odds . . . the Special One, Jose Mourinho, who has managed many of the best clubs in football and won trophies wherever he’s gone, and one of Manchester City’s all-time greats, goalkeeper Bert Trautmann, and his courageous performance in the 1956 FA Cup Final.

Luka Modrić rose out of abject poverty during the Croatian War of Independence to become his nation’s greatest player. Lucy Bronze emerged from the solitude of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne to become England’s most decorated Lioness. And George Best grew up on the streets of troubled Belfast to become the footballer every Irishman loved.

Tyson Fury defeated two of the scariest boxers in history and his own inner demons to become the heavyweight champion of the world - twice. Randy Turpin overcame the greatest boxer of all time at the height of his powers and Claressa Shields persevered through the most violent city in America to show female boxers a new definition of success.

Magic Johnson proved to everyone that HIV wasn’t a death sentence by flourishing in his post-playing career. Becky Hammon was told the most she could hope for was a college scholarship, so she became the first female coach in the NBA, and Yao Ming silenced his critics by becoming the most popular NBA player in the world.

Leicester City were almost relegated in their first year back in England’s Premier League, the next year they won the entire competition. Megan Rapinoe and the US Women’s National Soccer Team took on prominent social issues while taking on the world’s best teams. Iceland was the smallest county to ever qualify for major finals and ended up beating one of the giants of international football.

The Chicago Cubs battled an ancient curse to break the longest championship drought in sports history. Jackie Robinson broke the color bar to become a star or the Brooklyn Dodgers and an inspiration to generations. And Hank Aaron suffered through racist threats and hate to become the greatest home run hitter of the 20th century.

Billie Jean King battled the establishment to elevate the women’s game to new heights, Arthur Ashe overcame racism and a compromised heart to fight for positive change across a broad spectrum of causes, and Kim Clijsters came back from the physical rigors of childbirth to become the most successful tennis mother in history.

Nicola Adams became the first woman to win Olympic boxing gold, and then the first woman to do it twice, the Refugee Olympic Team escaped war and social disintegration to fulfill their dream of competing at the Olympics, and Abebe Bikila shocked the world by winning marathon gold and breaking the world record in 1960 without shoes.

Fanny Blankers Koen didn’t let war or children stop her from winning a record gold medal haul, Carl Lewis matched a fifty-year-old Olympic record and then surpassed it, Mia Hamm brought US soccer from a marginal curiosity to the front of the Olympic stage, and Babe Zaharias became the best at everything when she was expected to be nothing at all.

Amanda Nunes beat every single women’s champion in her division’s history to become the greatest female fighter ever. Conor McGregor took over the world’s biggest fight promotion in only a few brief years before crossing over to boxing to face the greatest boxer of all time in the biggest fight in history.

Eric Cantona battled his own demons and teammates to become one of the best football players of the 90s, Marta took on prejudice and unequal pay to win a better place for women in world football, and Shiji Kagawa scored his way from Japan’s second division to reach the glamour of Manchester United.

Dave Brailsford turned the British Cycling Team from underachievers to world beaters, Alberto Contador returned from suspension and injury to join the pantheon of cycling greats and Eddy Merckx won all of the (CYCLING) hardest races more times than anyone else.

Ian Thorpe struggled with depression and still managed to become the greatest swimmer of his generation by age 21, Joseph Schooling won the first gold medal in Singaporean history and gave hope to his whole nation, and Dawn Fraser suffered unimaginable tragedy and still won medals at three consecutive Olympics.

Ashleigh Barty battled disadvantage and burnout to make her way to the top of the tennis rankings, Andy Ruiz Jr. came out of nowhere to beat the most physically perfect heavyweight champion in modern history, and Steve Nash worked his way from the basketball wasteland of Canada to the heights of the NBA.

Jurgen Klopp excelled in the traditionally stern role of football manager with a sense of humor and a smile, Arsene Wenger captured lightning in a bottle to coach Arsenal through a full Premier League season without a loss, and Lev Yashin remade the entire goalkeeping position in his own image.