In this episodeof the Experts in Sport podcast, host Martin Foster is joined by former British No.1 and Wimbledon champion Jayant Mistry, Professor Vicky Tolfrey, and Dr Thomas Rietveld to explore how athlete experience, research and technology have driven the sport's evolution. From custom-built chairs and performance science to Wimbledon and the future of the game, discover how innovation continues to shape wheelchair tennis.

01:00 Wimbledon reflections and how the sport has evolved

05:00 Jayant Mistry's journey from local courts to Wimbledon champion

08:50 Vicky Tolfrey's introduction to parasport research

13:45 How Thomas Reitveld became a wheelchair tennis researcher

16:45 The evolution of wheelchair tennis chairs

21:00 Science meets sport: Optimising wheelchair performance

27:20 Customised chairs, technology and performance gains

32:20 Turning athlete ideas into research questions

36:40 Court surfaces, Wimbledon grass and equipment regulations

38:30 Accessibility, participation and getting started in wheelchair tennis

44:20 Emerging research: surfaces, sensors and performance analysis

46:20 Classification debates and inclusivity in wheelchair tennis

53:50 The future of wheelchair tennis over the next decade

Recorded in the week before England's World Cup quarter-final win over Norway, host Martin Foster is joined by Dr Johan Rewilak (Loughborough University) and Ambar Ferra (Houston Dynamo) to discuss the 2026 FIFA World Cup from the heart of the host nation. From packed fan festivals and record attendances to ticket prices, the Messi effect and the future of soccer in the USA, they explore whether this tournament can create a lasting legacy for fans, clubs and communities. Plus, their World Cup predictions before the knockout stage drama unfolded.

In this episode of Experts in Sport, we explore the hidden world behind World Cup success — performance analysis. From data and video to real-time decision-making, discover how analysts and coaches use cutting-edge technology to gain a competitive edge when margins are razor-thin.

Host Martin Foster is joined by Brad Pryjmachuk (Hudl) and Donald Barron (Loughborough University) to unpack how teams prepare for major tournaments, adapt under pressure, and translate complex data into winning strategies. They discuss everything from analysing opponents and managing player performance in extreme conditions, to the psychology of penalties and the evolving role of AI in sport.

05:01 What Performance Analysis Looks Like at a World Cup

11:31 Pre-Tournament Prep vs In-Tournament Adaptation

14:41 Data Overload & Decision-Making

20:31 Individual Players & Tactical Game Plans

26:31 Technology & Evolution of the Analyst Role

30:31 Penalties, Psychology & Marginal Gains

42:00 Tactical Trends at This World Cup

57:11 Future of Performance Analysis

01:04:31 Predictions

What does it take to perform at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? In this episode, host Martin Foster is joined by experts Dr Lee Taylor, Dr Chris Esh, Professor Christa Janse van Rensburg, and Dr Valérie Bougault to break down the science behind competing across extreme heat, altitude, long-haul travel, and challenging environments. From heat acclimation and recovery strategies to jet lag and air quality, this is a behind-the-scenes look at how teams prepare for football’s biggest stage.

2026 World Cup 3:46

Heat Preparation 5:45

Travel and Sleep 19:51

Altitude 29:11

Air Quality 40:07

Working together 49:21

Who is going to win? 54:35

In this episode of the Experts in Sport, we explore the global role of FIFA as the world builds towards the FIFA World Cup. Host Martin Foster is joined by FIFA high-performance specialists Richard Allen and former international footballer Philippe Senderos, the discussion goes beyond the tournament itself to examine how football is developed worldwide—from grassroots talent pathways to global policy, investment, and opportunity. Blending personal insight with expert analysis, the episode offers a unique look at how the World Cup shapes the game on and off the pitch.

What does a World Cup feel like? 5:54

Philippe's highlights 13:14

What has changed? 20:39

FIFA's role 23:18

Development worldwide 28:01

This World Cup 49:33

Who's going to win? 55:56

This episode of Experts in Sport dives into the controversial launch of the Enhanced Games. Host Martin Foster is joined by Dr Alex Thurston and Dr Mat Dowling, speaking live from Las Vegas, the discussion explores what really happened at sport’s most debated new event—unpacking performance, ethics, athlete welfare, and whether this represents the future of sport or simply a bold marketing experiment.

Enhanced Games in reality 2:02

Views of the games 16:59

Transparency and preparation 41:07

Market value 47:51

The future 53:39

In this episode, we explore how climate change is already reshaping sport-from extreme heat disrupting elite competitions to flooded grassroots pitches across the UK.

Host Martin Foster is joined by Elliot Brown, Sustainability Manager at Loughborough University, and Jess Silva, co‑founder of Carbon Jacked, to unpack both the challenges and the opportunities facing the sports industry.

From decarbonising Olympic‑standard facilities to launching innovative initiatives like the Climate Cup and even turning litter picking into a competitive sport, this conversation shows how creativity, communication and leadership can drive real change.

It’s an honest conversation about where sport is falling short-but also a powerful look at how it can inspire millions to act. The message is simple: sustainability doesn’t have to be boring, and everyone-from elite athletes to grassroots clubs-has a role to play.

Find out more about the Climate Cup: https://carbonjacked.com/theclimatecup

Sport and Climate Change 7:06

Loughborough uni and sustainability 15:22

Carbon Jacked 25:31

The Climate Cup 32:08

Getting involved 45:56

In this special episode of the Experts in Sport podcast, host Martin Foster is joined by Professors Wendy Brown and Stuart Biddle to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Loughborough University.

Recording from Australia, the guests reflect on their early careers at Loughborough, the evolution of sport and exercise science, and the lasting impact of the “Loughborough family” across research, teaching and practice worldwide. The conversation spans women’s physiology, physical activity and public health, psychology, applied practice, and the changing pathways for students and researchers over the past five decades.

This episode offers a rich, personal perspective on how Loughborough helped shape global sport science-past, present and future-as the university marks 50 years of excellence in sport, exercise and health.

Intros 0:00

At Loughborough 6:47

Wendy in Australia 17:29

Stuart's evolution 31:04

Quickfire 41:19

Setting goals 52:09

Fitness testing children 54:04

Advice 56:44

Join Experts in Sport as Mega Event Advisor Richard Watton (UK Sport) and Dr. Verity Postlethwaite (Loughborough University) talk to host Martin Foster and unpack why cities host major, mega and giga sporting events. From bidding processes and global collaboration to economic impact, social legacy and the future of event delivery, this episode reveals how well‑planned events can shape communities for decades.

In this episode of Experts in Sport, Professors Paul Downward, Larissa Davies and Simon Shibli speak with host Martin Foster, unpacking the real value of sport and physical activity beyond pounds and pence. From wellbeing gains to NHS savings, community cohesion to volunteering, the panel explores how Social Return on Investment (SROI) evidence is reshaping policy, funding, and local decision‑making across the UK.

Measuring SROI 3:55

Negative impacts 21:52

Wider health value 26:18

Examples in communities 35:59

Quantifying data 49:09

The future 57:08

In this episode of Experts in Sport, host Martin Foster sits down with fitness industry innovator and MyZone founder, Dave Wright. From growing up in the Australian bush to building global businesses, Dave shares the extraordinary, winding path that led him to become one of the sector’s most influential entrepreneurs.

He opens up about the origins of MyZone, the challenges and failures behind early prototypes, and the bold decisions that helped the company grow to a valuation of over $100 million

The start 1:26

MyZone 15:53

Failures 36:00

The purpose of MyZone 41:14

Journey as an entrepreneur 53:09

Stepping back 1:01:56

Background reading 1:10:56

For future entrepreneurs 1:16:44