Biles, Coe and Habana herald return of Spirit of Sport

Spirit of Sport, Laureus’ flagship digital and TV magazine show, returns for a ninth series with an incredible line-up of big names. 

The first episode of the new season features Laureus Academy member and Rugby World Cup winner Bryan Habana, gymnastics icon Simone Biles, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe and wheelchair racer Catherine Debrunner. 

In an emotional interview, Habana identifies South Africa’s World Cup win of 1995 as the start of his own love affair with the sport, when the first Patron of Laureus, Nelson Mandela, handed the Webb Ellis trophy to Springboks captain Francois Pienaar. 

Habana hopes that current South Africa captain and icon Siya Kolisi can inspire South Africa to another World Cup win in France. “Siya is an inspirational superstar on and off the field,” Habana said. “He will play a really important part in South Africa’s chances of being successful. This will be the most tightly contested World Cup we’ve ever seen.”

Four-time Olympic gold medallist and the most decorated gymnast of all time, Biles, hits a light-hearted tone as she takes on a series of quickfire questions – and reveals which gymnastic disciplines she would like to see basketball legend LeBron James and Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin attempt to master. 

Coe, meanwhile, was eager to reflect on a remarkable couple of weeks in August in Hungary at the World Athletics Championships – and look ahead to changes he would like to see implemented in the sport. 
His own personal highlights of the Championships included US sprinter Noah Lyles incredible three gold-medal haul across 100, 200m and the 4x100m. 

Speaking to Spirit of Sport, he said: “Noah, by his own admission, would tell you he’s a better 200m runner. He’s within touching distance of Usain [Bolt’s] 19.19. which by any stretch of the imagination is off-the-graph good. Coming to Budapest and effectively blowing away the 100m runners was an extraordinary achievement. To cap it all, he leads the 4 x 100 team and leaves with three World Championship gold medals.”

Coe was also enthused by gold-medal-winning performances from Sha’Carri Richardson in the 100m, Shericka Jackson in the 200m and pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, but reserved special praise for Britain’s Josh Kerr, who won gold in the 1500m, Coe’s own event. “It would be difficult to find a bigger breakthrough moment than Josh Kerr in Budapest.”

Now in this third term as World Athletics President, he reflected on the challenges ahead for athletics. “We have to future-proof the sport. There will be tough decisions in the next four years. I’ve been in the sport a long time as a competitor and administrator – I’ve never been more optimistic.”

We also hear from wheelchair racing phenom Catherine Debrunner, who reflects on breaking four world record in one day, while ultramarathon open water swimmer Maya Merhige re-lives her latest challenge – a 28.5-mile swim around the island the island of Manhattan to raise funds for charity.  

Find Spirit of Sport on TV, online and stay tuned to Laureus’ social and digital channels for more unique and compelling stories and insights from stellar names from the world of sport.