Champions Without the Asterisk: Women in the Olympics

What would you label a group of athletes responsible for the majority of medals for the most decorated nation in the last 2 Olympics? Winners. A group who has fought for over a century to go from 2% of Olympic Athletes to 49%? Trailblazers. And what if this same group was routinely cast as less capable, exciting, profitable and valuable athletes?

We’re talking about the American women and women in the Olympics.

For being incredible athletes and so much more, there is one label that fits better than most: Champions.

Hear our conversation with Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger on how sports and the games are changing from their unique perspective as female Olympians, spouses of female athletes, activists and mothers. Mary Carillo tells the story of how Wilma Rudolph’s resolve took her from childhood leg braces to Olympic track stardom and civil rights activism.

Join host Lauren Shehadi for Season 2 of NBC Sports’ The Podium.