3x Paralympian Chuck Aoki on Wheelchair Rugby

t's always great when we can take someone off our never-ending list of people we'd love to talk to. It's even better when we manage to do the interview without completely fangirling.

This week we talk with wheelchair rugby legend Chuck Aoki. Chuck has been to three Paralympics--London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020. He's racked up hardware at all three, with a bronze and two silvers respectively. Chuck is currently on the Team USA 2023 training squad in preparation for international competition later this year. We talked with Chuck about the finer points of the sport, its specialized wheelchairs, and his Paralympic experiences.

Be sure to follow Chuck on social: @chuckaoki on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. On Twitter, he's @aoki5chuck.

In our Seoul 1988 history moment, Alison reminds us that the Games aren't always amazing and inspirational. She's got the story of how organizers leveraged the government's plan to keep "undesireables" off the streets of Seoul. Sadly, this was done with horrifying effects. To learn more, check out this article from The Nation and this one from Associated Press.

In our visit to TKFLASTAN, we have news from:

Pole vaulter Katie Moon
Curler John Shuster
Speed skater Erin Jackson
Sitting volleyball player Lora Webster - TKFLASTANI Rob Snoek is commentating her tournament this coming weekend! Check out the CBC schedule here.

In Paris 2024 news, the single ticket lottery has started, so we're hopeful that everyone gets tickets they want! Also, the Paris 2024 organizers release details about the food that will be served in the Athletes Village.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit: https://wp.me/pbRtIx-2dA

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo courtesy of Chuck Aoki

***

Keep the Flame Alive: The Podcast for Fans of the Olympics and Paralympics with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/flamealivepod

Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod