4 Gold Medals, 3 World Records. 2 Olympics. 1 Mindset. The story of a Norwegian legend, Johann Olav Koss.

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Countdown to Cortina

Matt C Smith

19 episodes

1 day ago

Countdown to Cortina is a weekly podcast leading up to the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. The goal of the podcast is to educate, entertain and inspire people through the stories and values that sports promote; fairness, respect, courage and unity. Hosted & created by internationally acclaimed presenter, entrepreneur and soon to become Milano-Cortina Olympian Matt C Smith. The series features interviews with past and present Olympic & Paralympic legends, cult heroes, and hopefuls.

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All content for Countdown to Cortina is the property of Matt C Smith and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

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4 Gold Medals, 3 World Records. 2 Olympics. 1 Mindset. The story of a Norwegian legend, Johann Olav Koss.

Countdown to Cortina

47 minutes 9 seconds

4 months ago

4 Gold Medals, 3 World Records. 2 Olympics. 1 Mindset. The story of a Norwegian legend, Johann Olav Koss.

Today's guest is one of Norway's greatest Olympians, and coming from the land of winter olympians that's saying something.

Johan Olav Koss, is a 4 time Olympic Gold medal winning Speed Skater, 3 of which came during his home Olympics in Lillehammer 1994, where he not only won, he broke the world records while doing so!

Spoiler alert, Johann shares how making peace with losing, helped him win, he shares a rare look back at the build up to the 94 Lillehammer olympics, and how the they distributed the pressure amongst team, to cope with the hope of a nation, and what life 30yrs after gold is like - AND how he has helped 20m children from war torn communities using the one thing he knows best, sport!

I really enjoyed recording this one, so I hope you enjoy listening just as much as i did recording.

Takeaways

The importance of community support in sports.
Mental preparation is key to overcoming pressure.
Success in sports requires dedication and hard work.
The journey to the Olympics is filled with challenges.
Speed skating has various disciplines that require different skills.
The 1994 Lillehammer Olympics was a pivotal moment in Norwegian sports history.
Athletes must prepare for life after sports.
Humanitarian work can provide a sense of purpose after athletics.
Believing in one's training is crucial for success.
The legacy of sports can impact millions of lives.

Chapters

00:00 Countdown to Cortina: The Olympic Spirit

02:35 Team Avalanche: A New Era in Winter Sports

04:54 The Journey Begins: Early Days in Speed Skating

06:25 Understanding Speed Skating: Distances and Disciplines

06:29 The Rise of a Champion: From Local to National

07:15 Olympic Dreams: The Road to 1992

07:15 The Olympic Experience: Advice for First-Timers

08:53 Technology and the Olympics: A New Era

10:17 Reflections on the Olympic Journey

15:08 The Evolution of the Olympics

18:54 Preparing for Lillehammer 1994

21:13 Mental Strategies for Success

26:46 Reflections on Pressure and Performance

30:40 Life After Gold: Transitioning to New Roles

Keywords

Olympics, speed skating, Lillehammer, mental preparation, Right to Play, sports legacy, athlete journey, humanitarian work, winter sports, Olympic history