Introducing: Paddock to Paris

Look out for 21 year old Jamieson Leeson, who hails from Dunedoo in central west New South Wales in the upcoming Paralympics. She’ll be representing Australia in Boccia in both the individual and pairs events in the B3 classification. Boccia is one of the only sports specific to the Paralympics and basically it’s a ball target game that has similarities lawn bowls, boccie and snooker as well. No matter the result at Paris – Jamieson is already hailed a hero at home in Dunedoo where she’s been immortalised in a huge mural in the center of town. It does make me think of what her childhood was like there –I’m sure there were no other children scooting around the main street of town in a wheelchair Jamieson says it certainly had its challenges but mostly benefits.

Patrick Tiernan blew everyone's expectations when he was amongst the lead pack for the 10,000m track event at the Tokyo Olympics. Less than 100m from the finish line as the pace continued to increase, Pat stumbled to his hands. Many Australians can remember watching on in devestation for him, but in a moment of I-don't-know-what, he got up and willed himself over the finish line, still achieving a Personal Best (PB) time. Pat says Australians should be proud of how they embraced him in this moment and ever since. Pat is back for the Paris Olympics, but this time in the Marathon, a race he's been working towards for all of his running life - and one he says is much more enjoyable to run! This is Pat's third Olympics. His 90 year old Nan (his greatest hero) will be leading the cheer squad in his home town of Toowoomba, backed by her 24 grandchildren, all his cousins. This is a Manson Podcasting production in partnership with Rabobank Australia. Production Assistance by Alice Moffitt.

You may not have heard of Aislin Jones before but I challenge you not to impressed by this woman’s integrity, maturity and goal setting ability! Aislin will be competing in the Olympic Skeet Clay Target Shooting Event and then ever-so-casually will also take herself off to run a her first ever Marathon a matter of days later. As a child Aislin was one of those children picking up the broken clay targets at the local gun club on the weekend – as soon as she hit the legal shooting age of 12 – she was into it. That year she met her current coach – and mapped out an 8 year plan with the Tokyo Olympics as the goal. Talk about impressive life goals! Paris is her second Olympics - but she’s incredibly level headed about the whole journey reiterating that she constantly reminds herself that life is not this sport – and that she hopes to be in the game for many more Olympics to come. This is a Manson Podcasting production in partnership with Rabobank Australia. Production assistance is by Alice Moffitt For more stories of Olympic athletes from rural and regional Australia follow us @mansonpodcasting on Instagram.

Col Pearse grew up at a tiny Victorian locality called Bamawm Extension where the ratio of cows to people is 500:1. At the age of 2 he lost his right foot in a lawn mower accident. This, he says. never really impacted his life and he went on to lead a normal, hyper-active childhood playing any and all sports with his mates from town. At the age of 12 he met Paralympian Ellie Cole and after handling her gold medal, he decided that was the path for him. And set his sights on the Olympic Games. This is his second Paralympics and he'll represent Australia in the S10 classification for the 200 Individual Medley and 100 butterfly events.

One man to look out for in the Opening Ceremony – and in the Australian Men’s Rowing 8 Boat is 26 year old Jack O’Brien from Walgett in north west NSW Since the middle of May he’s been training, lapping, perfecting his style, mind, muscles and mentality, in various training camps and competitions across Europe – as the Australian Rowing Team works and works and works to give itself the best chance at a medal in Paris. Time away from home is nothing new for Jack – who went away to boarding school at the end of year 5, aged 11.   Even so, the farm is his ‘happy place’ – where he has the freedom to get away from the world of Rowing - and ponder life, with the comforts of his family being close by. There’s a definite family vibe to Jack – and he loves the Walgett community too. Who’ve been known to go crazy on the billboard creation side of things in the past! This is a Manson Podcasting Production done in partnership with Rabobank Australia. Production assistance from Alice Moffitt Host is Skye Manson For race updates and more information about rural and regional athletes competing at the Paris Games follow along @mansonpodcasting on Instagram.

Today Shannan Davey a light-middle weight boxer will arrive in the Olympic village in Paris for his first Olympics. It’s a far cry from the life he was leading in the regional town of Narrabri at the age of 10. He was regularly fighting in the playground, was hyperactive in the classroom and loved to eat pizza on the couch. Two years later – his brother told him to put the pizza down and come with him, to the boxing gym. Six weeks later he had his first fight in nearby town, Cobar. This story, the journey. IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY. There have been many falling out’s, trouble getting recognition because he was from the country, travel, money, eating, so many things. But Shannan Davey – the boy with his roots firmly bound in Narrabri – has triumphed – and he’s not done yet – he’s so excited for Australia’s boxing team at Paris. He reckons it’s going to change the face of boxing in Australia – and that’s why he continues to work so hard. This is a Manson Podcasting production in partnership with Rabobank Australia. Production assistance by Alice Moffitt. Follow Shannan and other rural and regional athelete's journeys @mansonpodcasting on Instagram.

This Saturday, Olivia Barton and her horse Holly will board a plane headed for a pre-Olympics training camp in Europe. She’s an eventer – who’s been riding since before she could walk – on her family sheep and cattle farm near Wellington in central west NSW. But this is an Olympic story with a bit more complexity because Olivia’s name isn’t on the Australian Equestrian Olympic team list, nor is she a reserve. But she and her horse will still travel with the team – as an extra ‘just in-case’. And this is the difficult and devastating underside of the Olympics that we don’t often hear about. For all the excitement, nerves and fears of competing in the Olympics, there’s an equal amount of disappointment, frustration and bravery for those who lie in the ‘almost got there’ camp. Her mum tells me Olivia is determined to just ‘keep doing what she’s doing’ in inverted comma’s and will continue to train as if she’s going to the Olympics. When I spoke with Olivia the final Olympic team announcement was still pending. Which I’m glad about because you’ll get an insight into the hopefulness of a young athlete on the brink of selection. This is a Manson Podcasting production in partnership with Rabobank Australia. Production assistance by Alice Mofitt. Follow along @mansonpodcasting on Instagram for more olympics information specific to these stories.

Guess What; This week Laura Gourley found out she's going to the Olympics! Of the 37 athletes on Australia's Rowing team, at least 6 of them are from rural Australia. This ratio of country to city people is high and so it's fitting that we kick off this podcast - which is all about elevating the stories of rural and regional Australian athletes heading to Paris - with a sport that's seen a high representation from farm kids over the years. And 24 year old Laura who'll be rowing in the Women's Quad Skull is no different. She grew up on a cropping farm at Edgeroi, 20 mins outside of Narrabri. In fact she tributes some of her success: to the kindness of her fellow farming friends. One neighbour lent her a skull - as in a single rowing boat - to train in During Covid. And another neighbour lent her their 2km long irrigation channel - to train on.

Paddock to Paris is an intimate interview series with Athletes from rural and regional Australian who've made it to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Find us @mansonpodcasting on Instagram or via our website mansonpodcasting.com This is a Manson Podcasting Network Production in partnership with Rabobank Australia.