Seven Confident Olympics Will Go Ahead As It Announces Its Hosts & Commentators

Seven is confident the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will go ahead as scheduled despite mounting concerns around the coronavirus pandemic.

On Friday, the broadcaster announced its team of hosts and commentators to lead its coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, including Ian Thorpe, Anna Meares and Bruce McAvaney.

Broadcasting across 43 dedicated HD channels across 7, 7TWO and 7plus, Seven is dubbing its coverage as the “country’s biggest broadcast and digital event ever seen”.

The Tokyo 2020 torch relay will be anchored by Hamish McLachlan, Mel McLaughlin, Johanna Griggs, Sonia Kruger, Lisa Sthalekar, Trent Copeland and Abbey Way.

Gold medallists Steve Hooker, Nick Green, Giaan Rooney, Scott McGrory, Russell Mark and Debbie Watson, while Olympians Andrew Gaze, Rachael Sporn, Tamsyn Lewis-Manou, David Culbert, Kate Bates and Ash Nelson also headline Seven’s coverage.

Edwina Bartholomew and Basil Zempilas will commentate the cultural components of the Opening Ceremony and will be joined by Hamish McLachlan, Johanna Griggs and Australian flagbearer at the Olympic Games Sydney 2000 Andrew Gaze for the Parade of Nations.

And running all over Tokyo will be Jason Richardson, Emma Vosti and James Tobin making sure
audiences are kept up to date with all the colour of the Games.

Broadcaster Bruce McAvaney said: “Just like our Australian athletes, our team is a mix of veterans and debut broadcasters. We have a breadth of experience, knowledge and the skills of a new generation to complement what promises to be an incredible Games in our own time zone.

“Tokyo is getting ever closer and we’re looking at milestone performances and practically unknown young athletes who’ll blow our socks off and become instant household names. One thing is for certain; our team and all Australians are going to experience the awe of the greatest event in sport.”

Over at the Paralympic Games, Johanna Griggs, Jim Wilson and Paralympic gold medallist Annabelle
Williams will anchor Seven’s coverage across 7, 7TWO and 7plus with up to 16 live streams.

SWM chief revenue officer and director of Olympics Kurt Burnette said Seven will set a new benchmark as
the most extensive and technologically advanced Olympic and Paralympic experience.

He said:  “The Olympics are for all Australians, and with Tokyo 2020 we’re offering more to everyone than ever before. Most incredibly of all, it will be available for free, something never before offered in Australia. We can’t wait for 24/7 to bring the biggest broadcast and digital event in Australian history to life.”

Broadcaster Hamish McLachlan said: “Australia has had some unbelievable Olympic Games teams in the past, but when you look at our team for Tokyo, sport by sport, it’s quite remarkable. We are so lucky to have world champions, world number ones and major winners, everywhere. It’s exciting, inspiring – and very humbling – to be part of a Seven commentary team that includes Olympic legends like Ian Thorpe, Anna Meares,
Steve Hooker and the iconic Oarsome Foursome’s Nick Green. This year’s Olympic Games will see
new sports, new faces, old faces, and the world’s best against each other. It’s the world’s biggest
festival of sport, and I can’t wait for it to begin.”

Sunrise will broadcast the Olympic highlights every morning, while 7NEWS.com.au will offer Olympic news and updates. The website will feature a dedicated hub for results and medal tallies, plus all the latest breaking news, in-depth features and the greatest stories from the Games.

Head of network sport Lewis Martin commented: “Seven stands alone as Australia’s Home of the Olympics and, once again, we will bring unrivalled expertise to our coverage of Tokyo 2020. We will unashamedly get behind the Australian team with the rest of the nation, but we will never ignore the stories of the rest of the world – a compelling story is a compelling story regardless of nationality. Tokyo 2020 will be the greatest event you’ll ever see and you can trust Seven and our extraordinary team of experts to take you inside every single
event, to where the best action is happening at all times.”

Seven will also be sharing content across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.