Best Day Ever W/ Kara and Rudy

Chuk Enekwechi is one of the top shot putters in the world and the greatest the event has ever seen from Nigeria. A three-time Olympian and the African record holder, Chuk has spent years competing against the very best in the world, consistently proving himself on the biggest stages, and cementing his place among the greatest generation of shot putters we have ever seen.But Chuk’s story is defined by far more than just results. His journey has been shaped by perseverance. Through injuries, setbacks, and moments of self-doubt that could have derailed his career, Chuk has continued to show up, year after year. He has built himself into one of the most competitive and reliable performers in the world. That resilience has set him apart and has given him a perspective that has made his journey oh so worth it.Chuk joins hosts Kara Winger and Rudy Winkler to reflect on his Best Day Ever and what lead him to that point. It’s a conversation about persistence, identity, and what it takes to keep showing up when the journey isn’t easy.After everything it’s taken to get here, what will Chuk say is his Best Day Ever?This week's episode is brought you in part by Munti Coffee. Use code "bestdayever" to get 10% off your first order from MuntiCoffee.com.

Matthew Denny (Matt/Matty) is one of the top discus throwers in the world and a leading force for Australia on the global stage. He currently owns the second-farthest throw in history at 74.78m, surpassing a world record that had stood for over 37 years. An Olympic medalist, Diamond League Final champion, and owner of one of the most impressive single-meet series the sport has ever seen, Matt has firmly established himself among the all-time greats. Beyond the discus, he’s also a World Junior medalist, Commonwealth Games medalist, and has thrown nearly 75 meters in the hammer.Matt joins hosts Kara Winger and Rudy Winkler to talk about his journey through the sport. It is one shaped by growth, perspective, and an evolving sense of purpose. He opens up about becoming a new dad and how that experience has shifted both his life and his approach to competing. It’s an awesome conversation (and our longest one yet) that dives into the many layers of what makes Matt who he is.With a career already reaching historic heights, what will Matt say is his Best Day Ever?This episode is sponsored by Munti Coffee. Use code "BestDayEver' to get 10% off your first order at Munticoffee.com.

Mac Wilkins' career is one that is hard to summarize in short order. He one of the true legends of the throwing world and a pioneer of modern discus. Mac is four-time Olympian, an Olympic gold and silver medalist, a former world record holder and the first man ever to break the 70-meter barrier in the discus. He also touts impressive PRs in the shot put (21.06m) and javelin (78.54m).Mac's impact on the sport of discus throwing is almost immeasurable. His influence as a thrower and a coach has likely had a part in every single throwing athlete's training since his retirement in 1989. A true student and fan of the event, Mac still spends his time steeped in the world of throwing. At the age of 75, he still is learning, growing, and sharing his time and knowledge with throwing community. What day will a legend like Mac Wilkins say is his Best Day Ever?This episode is brought to you in part by Munti Coffee. Use code 'bestdayever' on munticoffee.com for 10% off your first order.

Alex Young has built his career the hard way, carving out a place among the best hammer throwers in the United States through persistence and grit. An Olympian in Tokyo and a consistent presence on the international stage, Alex has represented Team USA at multiple World Championships and major global competitions. He first made his mark in college at Southeastern Louisiana, where he became the school’s first-ever Division I national champion and followed it up with a runner-up finish in the NCAA hammer, establishing himself as one of the top collegiate throwers in the country. But Alex’s story goes far beyond results. His journey has been defined by sacrifice, working multiple jobs, relocating to chase better training opportunities, and grinding his way into the elite level of the sport. That same toughness shows up every time he steps into the ring. Through the ups and downs of a professional career, he’s remained relentlessly committed to his craft, proving that resilience and belief can carry you a long way in this life. What day will Alex Young say is his Best Day Ever?Join our hosts Rudy Winkler and Kara Winger in their conversation with Alex as they unpack his best day ever. This week's episode is brough to you in part by Munti Coffee. Use code 'BestDayEver' for 10% off your first order on MuntiCoffee.com.

Tripp Piperi has already had a long and successful career as a shot putter despite being our youngest guest yet. A World Youth Champion and World U20 silver medalist, Tripp carried that momentum into a standout career at the University of Texas, where he became a two-time NCAA Champion, a nine-time Big 12 champion, and one of the most decorated throwers in program history. His 21.74m school record not only broke a mark previously held by Ryan Crouser, but also ranks among the top throws in NCAA history. Tripp continues to stand out not just for his marks, but for the maturity and tenacity he brings into the ring. His journey hasn’t been linear, facing injuries and adversity that have tested him at every level. But time and again, he’s found a way to respond, showing a level of resilience and composure well beyond his years, and proving that his ceiling is still very much ahead of him.

DeAnna Price is one of the greatest hammer throwers in American history. The 2019 World Champion, DeAnna made history in Doha by becoming the first American woman ever to win a world title in the hammer throw. She’s a three-time Olympian and the American record holder, having launched the hammer 80.31 meters in 2021. Along the way, she’s added a World Championship bronze medal, a Pan American Games gold medal, and multiple national titles, cementing her place among the sport’s all-time greats.But DeAnna’s path to the top has been anything but easy. Her career has been marked by setbacks, injuries, and challenges that would have stopped many athletes. Through it all, her relentless passion for the sport has brought her back again and again, proving not only that she’s one of the greatest athletes of her generation, but also the kind of person whose resilience, character, and integrity make her just as remarkable off the field as she is inside the circle.What day will a true inspiration like DeAnna say is her Best Day Ever?Best Day Ever is brought to you by our hosts, Rudy Winkler and Kara Winger, as well as with the help of our sponsor: Munti Coffee. Get 10% off your first order at Munticoffee.com using code "bestdayever".

Curtis Thompson is one of the top javelin throwers in the world and is a consistent force for Team USA. A two-time Olympian, five-time US champion, and an NCAA champion at Mississippi State, Curtis has built a reputation as one of the best American Javelin throwers of his generation. Curtis's incredible career is highlighted by a 2023 Pan American Games win, two NACAC titles in 2022 and 2025, and a bronze at the 2025 World Championships - the first world championship medal by a Team USA athlete in nearly 2 decades on the first ever all-Americas podium in the men's javelin. Curtis's success as an athlete is only outdone by his own humility and humbleness. With such a strong presence in his sport, what day will Curtis Thompson say is his Best Day Ever?This episode was brought to you in part by: Munti Coffee. Use code "bestdayever" to get 10% off your first order at MuntiCoffee.com.

Laulauga Tausaga (Lagi) is one of the greatest female discus throwers of all time. Lagi burst onto the pro scene in 2018, where she placed 3rd at the USATF Outdoor National Championships. Then, in 2019, she made the final at her first World Championships, all while still attending the University of Iowa (go Hawkeyes). Since then, Lagi's career has been nothing short of incredible. She has earned multiple NCAA podiums, a NACAC title, has made multiple World Championship finals, and was the first ever American woman to win the discus throw at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. With such an incredible career, what day will Lagi say is her Best Day Ever?This episode is all about the things outside of our performances that make good days so good, and how, sometimes, our best days are when we make a breakthrough that changes our perception of our careers forever. Best Day Ever is hosted by Rudy Winkler and Kara Winger. They use their experiences as track and field pros to talk to other athletes about the mental side of the sport and to help their guests dive deep into all of the details that make their favorite days in sport so special. Listen to new episodes weekly wherever you get your podcasts.

Sam Mattis is one of the best discus throwers of all time. He currently holds a PR of 71.27m, which puts him at #2 all-time in the USA and #15 all-time in the world. He is an NCAA champion, multiple time USATF Outdoor champion, World Championships finalist, and an Olympic games finalist. Sam has had a long career containing many twists and turns. What day will he say is his Best Day Ever?

Alex Rose has experience as a professional discus thrower as far back as 2012. He has an extremely storied career; he currently holds the 13th best throw of all time, is a 9 time Oceana Championships medalist (with 8 golds), and is a World Championships bronze medalist. With a long history filled with all sorts of ups and downs, what day will Alex say is his Best Day Ever?

With two decades of throwing experience, encompassing 2 American records, 3 Olympic teams, multiple national titles, and many more special moments under his belt, what day will our co-host Rudy Winkler say is his Best Day Ever?In this episode, Rudy and Kara unpack his Best Day Ever. It is a conversation about his journey in this sport as a pro, how our best moments often follow moments of great struggle, and about how the people and things outside of our performances are the things we care about the most.

After more than two decades in the sport, spanning four Olympic Games, two American Records, a World Championship silver medal, a Diamond League Final win, and countless moments in between, what day would our beloved co-host Kara Winger call her Best Day Ever?In this episode, Kara and Rudy unpack her Best Day Ever and everything behind it. It’s a conversation about defining success on your own terms, overcoming great challenges, appreciating the process, and understanding what truly means the most to an athlete as accomplished and storied as Kara Winger. #bestdayever #athletevoices #sportspodcast #olympics

Welcome to Best Day Ever! The podcast where your hosts, Kara Winger and Rudy Winkler, talk with fellow athlete's about their Best Day Ever. So much of sport happens when the cameras are off, or, in niche sport, when cameras might be on but it’s not the biggest stage, so only die-hard fans are watching or will ever know. Athletes are measured by athletic performance, at the right time. By medals, trophies, records, and podiums. But what are the moments that make those moments possible? What if athletes put more worth into the lead-up, the behind-the-scenes, the personal victory that meant more than any fan might know that it did? If you asked an athlete, what would THEY say was their best day ever? Even if an athlete’s best day ever is their PR, Olympic gold, World Championship title, or any of the big things we might expect, why did those moments mean so much? What more happened beyond the field of play that day to bring out the best in that human, at exactly the right time?Kara and Rudy will connect with athletes using their decades of combined experience competing at a high level in sport. Each episode will be about 20 minutes long. New episodes will be uploaded every other Monday.If you have requests for guests, or need to reach us in any other way, you can email us at: [email protected].