In this episode of the Sam Oldham podcast I'm joined by Kensley Behel the lady behind the Neutral Deductions men's gymnastics channel. Kensley will be travelling to Germany to cover the 2025 European gymnastics championships in Leipzig that will take place in May. We take a look at the top teams heading into the event and chat about the individual athletes we expect to be challenging for the podium places. The Ukrainian team will be without Illia Kovtun who has switched federations since the Paris Olympic Games. Great Britain have a very strong team including Olympic medalists Jake Jarmin and Harry Hepworth who will be hoping to take back the title. Luke Whitehouse is hoping to make history in his attempt to win three back to back European floor titles. Three other athletes will be coming into the competition as defending champions: Marios Georgiou in the all around, Eleftherios Petrounias on Rings and Jake Jarmin on the vault. The remaining apparatus finals will be incredibly exciting and we both make our bold predictions for who will win gold. And this is our story.
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1:14:18
The Sam Mikulak Story | EP 117
In the summer of 2024 Sam Mikulak was part of the coaching team that supported the US Men's gymnastics team on their way to the Olympic podium at the Paris Olympic Games. Sam Mikulak had incredible gymnastics career winning six national titles, two world championships medals and he represented Team USA at three Olympic Games. Sam was part of the Michigan wolverines college gymnastics team that won back to back NCAA titles in 2013 and 2014 and has a gymnastics skill named after him in the code of points. He faced many challenges throughout his career but his character and determination have inspired athletes from around the world. Whilst spending time with the German gymnastics hero Fabian Hambuchen last year he spoke of how it was Sam Mikulak who had changed his outlook on the sport. This episode with Sam is probably my favourite conversation we have had on the podcast to date and we hope you're able to find real value in his stories. It was mental health awareness week in the UK when this episode was recorded and Sam himself has struggled with depression throughout his young life. A problem shared is a problem halved and Sam certainly made me feel less alone last week so I want to thank him for being an amazingly positive force in the world. And this is his story.
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1:50:12
What Makes An Olympic Champion
In March 2025 I was fortunate enough to spend a weekend with the current Olympic pommel horse champion Rhys McClenaghan. I was taken back by his incredible attention to detail, all around professionalism and overwhelming generosity. These were all qualities I had experienced a few months earlier whilst filming with the Rio 2016 Olympic High bar champion Fabian Hambuchen. Growing up alongside the greatest British gymnast of all time Max Whitlock MBE, I witnessed first hand exactly what it takes to become an Olympic champion in the sport of men's gymnastics. All three of these athletes broke records and were able to compete consistently against the best of the best for many years. And this is my story.
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42:19
The Joe Fishburn Story | EP 115
In April 2025 Joe Fishburn broke the eliminator record on his way to winning the final of gladiators series 2 and he lifted the famous trophy at the Sheffield arena. Joe is a two time European medalist in the sport of gymnastics competing in the discipline of team gym which includes tumbling, vaulting and a the floor exercise. He represented the sport of gymnastics throughout the game show excelling in many of the events on his way towards the final. Joe trained with Roddy Mackay, who was one of the original gladiator contestants on the show back in 1993 to prepare for this series at the Scarborough gymnastics club where he grew up. And this is his story.
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1:15:10
The Eddie Penev Story | EP 114
In 2021 Eddie Penev tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his knee for the third time whilst preparing for the Tokyo Olympic qualification event for team USA. Eddie first represented Bulgaria following in the footsteps of his parents who both competed at the highest level in the sport of gymnastics for their country. At the 2010 World gymnastics championships Eddie qualified for the floor exercises final finishing in 6th place. Seven years later he repeated that achievement at the World championships in Montreal however this time he wore the red, white and blue of team USA. He won multiple NCAA and national titles throughout his career as part of the Stanford university gymnastics team and later on the US Olympic training centre squad. Eddies journey has been full of challenges and is an incredible example of resilience in face of real adversity. As he approaches the final chapters of his gymnastics career Eddie is once again wearing the Bulgarian flag on his chest and hopes to compete well in 2025 at the European championships next month. And this is his story.
At seven years old I walked into a gymnastics club for the very first time. I was hooked. For the next twenty one years, I dedicated my life to becoming an Olympic champion. I'm going to share with you the life lessons, experiences and stories that have shaped the man I am today. I'm now starting a new chapter in my life beyond my sporting career and look forward to bringing you along with me.
Ireland