Ahead of this year's Paralympics, a brand new podcast is being launched: Rising Phoenix: What Does It Take?
Produced by Harder Than You Think and Persephonica, the podcast is hosted by U.S. Paralympian Matt “The Armless Archer” Stutzman, who holds the world record for the farthest and most accurate archery shot, and four-time Olympic gold medalist and track and field legend Michael Johnson.
We also bring you in-depth stories of some of the lesser known Paralympic stars. Our interviews shed light on each sport, documenting their stories and their journey to the Olympics.
Matt and Michael speak to different athletes from around the world and hear about the sacrifices and hard work they put in to become a Paralympic athlete.
Guests in the eight-part series will include US para-athletics star Hunter Woodhall, British sprinter and cyclist Kadeena Cox, Norwegian rowing champion Birgit Skarstein, Argentine wheelchair tennis star Gustavo Fernandez and French blind footballer Gaël Riviere.
All episodes were filmed at the Adidas Arena to reflect the excitement and spirit of this year's Olympics.
“Rising Phoenix: What Does it Take?” is the latest in a series of award-winning films, TV shows and podcasts produced by Harder Than You Think to tell the story of the Paralympics.
This includes the 2020 Emmy Award-winning Netflix documentary “Rising Phoenix,” a film that chronicles the history of the Paralympics and aims to change people's perceptions of people with disabilities.
The new series is supported by Rising Phoenix's global partners, Procter & Gamble and adidas. The series is available on all podcast providers.
Matt Stutzman said: “I'm proud to have been a part of the 'Rising Phoenix' film and the impact it has had on the Paralympic movement. This podcast series will take it to a whole new level.”
“As a Paralympian myself, I know the power of the Olympics and through the incredible stories of the athletes in this series, I hope to change the way people think about disability forever.”
Michael Johnson adds, “I love storytelling, and as an elite athlete, I'm always looking for great stories that showcase high performance and the pursuit of excellence in the world of sport.”
“We've spoken to some incredible Paralympic athletes on this podcast, and we're thrilled to be working with the Rising Phoenix team to bring their stories to the world this summer.”
“This incredibly detailed discussion of what it takes to be a Paralympian is a fantastic portrait of incredible athletes, and gives us valuable insight into what it takes specifically to perform at the level required to compete at the Paralympics,” said Greg Nugent, founder and president of Harder Than You Think.
Dino Sofos, CEO and Founder of Persephonica, commented: “We are incredibly proud to partner with Harder Than You Think to produce this ambitious new podcast series.
“Persephonica specializes in storytelling that takes listeners behind the scenes of major events in politics, history and entertainment.
“Persephonica has worked with some of the world's most famous athletes, including Dua Lipa and Lily Allen, and this show is no exception. Michael Johnson and Matt Stutzman are two of the most well-known and experienced athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, so they are the perfect guides to introduce viewers to what it really takes to become a Paralympic athlete.”
