Bruce McAvaney will carry the torch for the ABC’s Olympic Games coverage, while Roy & HG will return with daily hi-jinks from the competition.
One of the most familiar voices in sportscasting, McAvaney will lead a team comprised of former Olympians Melinda Gainsford-Taylor (Athletics), Sarah Ryan (Swimming), Simon Orchard (Hockey), Brad McGee (Cycling), ex-Davis Cup player John Alexander (Tennis), Matilda Amy Harrison (Football), and experienced broadcasters.
Highlights from the state-funded broadcaster’s coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will include a daily ritual from Roy & HG, the comedy duo whose 2000 Sydney Olympics spot “The Dream” became a global sensation.
Roy & HG will share their observations and banter for People, Medals and Cheese each Monday to Friday at 11am on ABC Radio and 2pm on RN and ABC listen.
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For many Australian sports fans, McAvaney is the voice of the Olympics. He’s had a box seat at the Games for 40 years, calling the action live since Los Angeles 1984.
McAvaney leaves out no detail, is as comfortable covering everything from track and field to equestrian, and knows when to let the moment breathe.
In 2002, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to sports broadcasting, and to the community through charitable and sporting organisations, and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in the same year. In February 2021, McAvaney announced that he was retiring from calling AFL games for Channel 7, to reduce his workload.
“I’ve always thought the Olympics is the ultimate event for an Australian sports broadcaster and to be given this opportunity by the ABC means a great deal to me,” he comments in a statement.
“These games will be as exciting as any. We have a 75-strong athletics team – our biggest we’ve ever sent overseas – and I’m very optimistic they’re ready to achieve great things.”
The corporation’s ad-free coverage on ABC Radio will run across various ABC capital city and regional stations from Friday, 26th July, and is in conjunction with the Nine Network.
The competition will air on the Nine Network and on-demand across its 9Now streaming platform. Stan Sport will also broadcast all 329 Olympic events across 32 sports, ad-free. The ABC coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games is in conjunction with the Nine Network.