A decade of conversations with some of the biggest names in sport has seen Mark ‘Howie’ Howard build The Howie Games into one of Australia’s longest-running sports podcasts.
The LiSTNR series has now passed 126 million downloads, with Australian sporting icon Cathy Freeman returning as part of its 10-year celebrations.
Since launching in August 2016, The Howie Games has featured more than 280 guests from Australian and international sport, including Lewis Hamilton, Greg Norman, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Layne Beachley, Ian Thorpe, Kelly Slater, Shane Warne, Michael Clarke, Lauren Jackson, Meg Lanning and Leigh Matthews.
To mark the milestone, the series has introduced its Millionaires Club, bringing back the three guests whose episodes have each surpassed one million listens: Ange Postecoglou, Brendan Fevola and Cathy Freeman.
Freeman’s return sees Howard revisit her gold medal-winning 400m final at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, more than 25 years after one of the most significant moments of her career.
The pair also discuss the upcoming 2032 Brisbane Olympics, with Freeman sharing advice for sprinter Gout Gout about managing the expectations that will come with competing at a home Games.
Reflecting on her Sydney 2000 victory, Freeman recalled the connection she felt with the crowd that night.
“The crowd was on my side, Howie. I felt like I was off the ground and being carried.”
“For the first time, I let people in and I felt like I was one with the crowd.”
“What I experienced that night was a sense of togetherness and unity and that gives me strength.”
Howard said the conversation with Freeman was a fitting way to celebrate the milestone.
“It was a genuine privilege to sit down with the great Cathy Freeman to celebrate ten years of The Howie Games,” Howard said.
“No Australian sporting star has made an impact on the nation quite like Cathy at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.”
He also credited the LiSTNR team for helping build the series over the past decade, adding:
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built for The Howie Games over the past ten years.”
