Hit podcast “What Does It Take?” from Rising Phoenix is back for second series
The series is hosted by Matt Stutzman, who won gold in Para archery at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games 03 Mar 2026
Rising Phoenix has announced season 2 of their hit podcast What Does It Take? in partnership with the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee – available from 3 March 2026 ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games
The series is hosted by Paralympic champion and world record holder Matt ‘The Armless Archer’ Stutzman.
Listen to the What Does It Take? podcast series
Season 1 of the podcast series was co-hosted by Matt alongside Michael Johnson, the legendary Olympian, focusing on the stories of some of the stars of the Paralympics in the build up to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. As the Paralympic Winter Games marks its 50th anniversary, Season 2 of the trailblazing podcast What Does It Take? will look to amplify the stories of the stars of the Paralympic Winter Games.
As Matt sits down with some of the great Winter Paralympians of our time, listeners will hear first-hand deeply personal accounts of not only what it takes to win, but to persevere, to fight, to sacrifice and to overcome failure.
Guests across the 10-part series include:
- Jack Wallace, a star in the Team USA Para ice hockey team as the team looks for a fifth straight gold at the Paralympic Winter Games.
- Giacomo Bertagnolli, an Italian Para alpine skiing sensation and one of the home heroes for this year’s Paralympic Winter Games.
- Simone Barlaam, Italy’s four-time Paralympic champion in Para swimming and official ambassador for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
- Andrea Macrì, the vice-captain of the Italian Para ice hockey team who also works for Milano Cortina 2026 in the Legacy Department.
- Mia Larsen Sveberg, a young star of the Norwegian wheelchair curling team who balances her dedication to wheelchair curling with a profession as a music teacher
- Sydney Peterson, a Team USA Para cross-country skier who shocked the world at Beijing 2022 by winning three medals. She balances her preparation for Milano Cortina 2026 with working on a PHD in Neuroscience
With 10 episodes to be released over the coming weeks and athletes joining Matt remotely from across the world, the series looks to capture the excitement and spirit of the Games, which start this week.
What Does It Take? is the latest in a series of award-winning Rising Phoenix films, docu-series and podcasts that Harder Than You Think have produced to help tell the story of the Paralympics. This includes the 2020 Emmy award-winning Netflix documentary Rising Phoenix, a critically acclaimed film on the powerful story of the Paralympic Games.
This new season is supported by Procter & Gamble, proud global partner of Rising Phoenix. The episodes will be available on all major listening platforms and video versions and social assets will also be released across the Rising Phoenix, the International Paralympic Committee and Milano Cortina 2026 channels
Matt Stutzman says: “I’m excited to be back for a second season of What Does It Take? ahead of the Winter Games. As a Paralympian, I know the power of the Paralympic Games, and through conversations with these incredible winter athletes and hearing about their incredible stories in the series, I hope to learn more.”
Calum Campbell, Director of Development of Harder Than You Think, says: “This is the first time our work has focused on Winter Paralympians, making it an exciting step for us. We are excited to have this opportunity to work with the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee and Matt to promote the Paralympic Winter Games and the incredible winter athletes’ stories to the world.”
Livia Draghi, Head of Audio-Visual Productions of Milano Cortina 2026, says: “As the Organising Committee of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games, we are proud to support the new season of What Does It Take?, that authentically and deeply explores the journey of Winter Paralympic athletes. Thanks to the teamwork with Harder Than You Think, this season offers a unique insight into the determination, talent, and humanity that define the Paralympic Movement. With the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games approaching, this vodcast represents an extraordinary opportunity to bring the public closer to the stories that make our event so special."
