The Lost Olympians Podcast with Patrick Cairns, Lesley Cairns-Falk cover art

The Lost Olympians

 Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel at any time.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

About this listen

Introduction by Executive Producer Jessica Biel

In 1971, 12-year-old Lesley Cairns was a South African swimming phenom with big Olympic dreams. But because she was classified as “coloured” by the apartheid regime, you won’t find her swimming scores in the record books. Or anywhere. She crossed a line she didn’t know existed—one that led to a harrowing visit from the secret police. In this four-part series, Lesley and her brother, Patrick Cairns, dive into a family secret that reveals the role that sport played in their country’s liberation movement.

©2022 ATTN: Inc. (P)2022 Audible Originals, LLC Africa Sports Water Sports
Episodes
  • Trailer

    Trailer
    Jul 27 2023

    In 1971, 12-year-old Lesley Cairns was a South African swimming phenom with big Olympic dreams. But because she was classified as “coloured” by the apartheid regime, you won’t find her swimming scores in the record books. Or anywhere. She crossed a line she didn’t know existed - one that led to a harrowing visit from the secret police. In this four-part series, Lesley and her brother, Patrick Cairns, dive into a family secret that reveals the role that sport played in their country’s liberation movement.
    Show More Show Less
    1 min
    Try Premium Plus free
  • Part One: Sink or Swim

    Part One: Sink or Swim
    Jul 27 2023

    Lesley and her brother, Patrick, revisit the swimming event that landed her in the crosshairs of the South African security police - the law enforcement branch that brutally cracked down on opponents of apartheid.
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
    Try Premium Plus free
  • Part Two: No Normal Sport

    Part Two: No Normal Sport
    Jul 27 2023

    Lesley and Patrick set out to understand the forces at play in 1970’s South Africa under apartheid and the lines that Lesley didn’t even know she’d crossed. They examine the role that boycotts played - not only in Lesley’s swimming career, but in the liberation movement.
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
    Try Premium Plus free
No reviews yet