Sports Life Stories

Former world featherweight boxing champion Barry McGuigan discusses his life inside the ring, and how he became one of the most high-profile figures in Northern Ireland during a difficult time for the country. The Irish boxer, undisputably one of the best boxers of his generation, talks frankly to about the highs and the lows he experienced in his journey to become the best in the world. Arguably McGuigan did something during the troubles in Ireland that the politicians could not achieve. In those brief moments when he fought in the ring he united a nation in confict. As an amateur he won a multitude of titles. At the tender age of 17 he took the gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games and as a professional he won the British, European and World Titles. On a memorable night in June 1985, a television audience of 20m watched as McGuigan achieved his dream and became World Featherweight Champion of the World by defeating Eusebio Pedroza. His amazing performance later captured him the title of BBC Sports Personality of the Year. McGuigan’s popularity transcended the sport of boxing and his fights became family occasions, uniting people across sectarian and religious divides during a troubled time in the country’s political history.

Gareth Thomas was the first Welshman to get a 100 caps, captained the British and Irish Lions, and led Wales to their first Six Nations Grand Slam in 27 years. He also became the one of the first major British sports star to come out as gay. Thomas’s story is remarkable by any sportsman’s standards. Universally known by his nickname ‘Alfie’, he amassed an incredible list of achievements in more than a decade at the top of his sport. He has claimed a record number of Test tries for his country, beating the mark of 33 set by Ieuan Evans, and in 2005 he racked up not just the Grand Slam but also a Heineken Cup-winner’s medal with Toulouse. Thomas stepped into the breach as leader of Sir Clive Woodward’s Lions when captain Brian O’Driscoll’s tour was prematurely ended, and he reached the milestone of 100 caps, the most won by any Wales player, during the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Away from the field, his experiences have often read like a real-life soap opera. Yet, amid the highs and lows of a remarkable rugby odyssey, it is Thomas’s alternative yet engaging personality that marks him out as a true one-off.

Ronnie O’Sullivan is widely considered to be one of the most gifted and talented players in the history of the sport. The Englishman has won the world championship on four occasions so far in his career, and amassed a total of 24 ranking titles. But ‘The Rocket’ also has a reputation for being one of the most controversial players on the tour. He has had several clashes with the sport’s authorities, and has also made several threats to quit the sport. The programme, presented by Adam Darke, features contributions from World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn and the legendary Jimmy White.

In this edition, former Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba talks about how he was at the centre of one of the most extraordinary sports stories of the year. He describes how he felt that day last March when he suffered a heart attack on the pitch during a live televised FA Cup match. Still only 24-years-of-age, Muamba also talks about his early life as a young Congolese boy coming to England at the age of 11 speaking no English at all, and about his subsequent successful but short professional career in the game. The programme also features contributions from Jermaine Defoe, Owen Coyle and Patrick Vieira.

The West Indies cricketer talks about his career as one of the greatest batsman in the history of the game. With contributions from Clive Lloyd, Alex Stewart and Michael Vaughan.