Zoe Hobbs - Oceania’s fastest woman - on getting even quicker, not being ‘showy’, and the drama of the call room
Aotearoa’s sprint queen, Zoe Hobbs, is the first - and so far the only - New Zealand woman to run the 100 metres in under 11 seconds, clocking a personal best of 10.96 s. She was also the first Kiwi in nearly 100 years - man or woman - to reach an Olympic 100 m semi‑final, finishing 14th overall and edging ever closer to a global podium.
In this episode, she lifts the lid on elite sprinting, sharing the science, mindset, body mechanics and determination that drive the world’s fastest people down the most‑watched straight in sport.
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Joe Daymond on being a sensitive people-pleaser and why Kiwi crowds are the toughest in the world for comedians
Joe Daymond is a comedian, writer, director and content creator, currently touring Australia with his latest show, Hope I Made You Proud. It’s a journey through his career - from living in his car, to cleaning caravans in the middle of the night, to performing on stages around the world.
I last caught up with Joe - a proud Fijian Māori from Wainuiomata - over Zoom in 2021, and let’s just say, putting us both in a studio for a proper chat was always going to be a bit dangerous.
We talk about his endgame, why he’s feeling a bit in limbo, and - fair warning - it occasionally feels a little like a therapy session.
Plus, we play a game about what to do when you bump into someone you hate at the supermarket, and Joe explains why Kiwi crowds are the toughest in the world.
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1:30:21
Bailley Unahi wants to become New Zealand’s first female Winter Paralympian in over 20 years - and her attitude to life might just get her there
Bailley Unahi suffered a spinal cord injury at just 19 years old while studying at Otago University. She was at a flat on Castle Street when the balcony collapsed at the start of a Six60 gig in 2016.
It was a life-changing moment - one that Bailley not only faced head-on, but turned into a positive. She shares how grateful she is for everything that has happened since.
Bailley admits she finds it hard to say no to new opportunities, and it’s her relentless determination and drive that have brought her closer than ever to securing a spot on the Winter Paralympics team for 2026.
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46:39
'Te Tiriti is your friend - it’s nothing to be scared of': Eru Kapa-Kingi on why tangata whenua rights benefit everyone
This week, we meet Toitū te Tiriti spokesperson and Auckland Law School academic Eru Kapa-Kingi.
Eru became the face and voice of Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, which saw more than 50,000 people descend on Parliament late last year to demonstrate the unity of Māori and Tangata Tiriti, and to oppose the Treaty Principles Bill.
It was a historic moment - one that many New Zealanders, myself included, were extremely proud of - and it marked a changing of the guard, with the emergence of a new generation of young Māori leaders.
Eru reflects on what it was like to be part of this shift.
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59:35
Abigail Hannah on falling back in love with Aotearoa while healing from depression, and the issue with travel influencers
Today’s guest has a job that, on the surface, many would describe as a "dream job" and say, "oh, how lucky!"
While there’s no denying that the titles “travel blogger,” “travel writer,” and “travel photographer” have a certain allure, Abigail Hannah’s backstory is truly fascinating.
Born in Aotearoa, Abigail spent most of her childhood growing up in rural India, a place that felt like home. She later returned to New Zealand alone to begin her studies, and was diagnosed with depression some months afterwards.
Abigail shares her experience of navigating one of the darkest periods of her life, and how falling in love with New Zealand - by reconnecting with nature - changed the course of her life.
Welcome to Kiwi Yarns - those yarns you have where you sit down, put the kettle on, pour a whiskey or crack open a beer I honestly don‘t mind. Anyway! We‘re sitting down and we’re yarning to some great New Zealanders, their back stories, their front stories, even stories where they went sideways, we will go there. It’s a place where we celebrate the great people of this glorious nation.
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