Less than a week after announcing her retirement from competitive swimming, eight-time Olympic medalist Cate Campbell has found her next career venture as an Olympic commentator for Australia’s Nine Network.
Campbell will reportedly join the Australian Olympic commentating team along with Ian Thorpe, Giann Rooney, Ellie Cole, Mat Thompson, and Roz Kelly. Campbell, Thorpe, and Rooney are all Olympic champions while Cole retired in 2022 as Australia’s most decorated Paralympian ever with 17 medals across four Paralympics. Thompson is Nine’s chief rugby league caller, and Kelly is the host of the network’s Sports Sunday show.
The 32-year-old Campbell fell short of qualifying for her fifth Australian Olympic team last month, placing 7th in the 50 free final and 9th in the 100 free prelims. Her 30-year-old sister, Bronte, is headed to her fourth Olympics in Paris as a member of the Australian women’s 4×100 free relay.
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- Bronte Campbell Gives Emotional Post-Race Interview
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“While I might have missed out on being part of the Australia Olympic team and competing in Paris, I am so excited to still be heading over the Games as part of the Channel 9 broadcast team,” said Campbell, who will remain in Paris after the Olympics to assist with Paralympics coverage as well. “This will be the first Olympic Games I have watched since Athens 2004 and I can’t wait to cheer on our swimmers as they hit the pool. I hope Australia falls in love with our swimmers and I look forward to shining a spotlight on the incredible talent we have on the Olympic team.”
The Australian commentating team for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 also featured Thorpe and Rooney. Thorpe is a five-time Olympic champion, tied for the most golds won by an Australian along with fellow swimmer Emma McKeon. Rooney won Olympic gold and broke a world record as a member of the Australian women’s 4×100 medley relay at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
The Paris Olympics begin on July 26.
Do we know if Nicole is doing the Olympic feed? She’s honestly the best.
If she is, I hope to goodness she’s not joined by that bloke she did commentary with at the last Olympics. He was a Barry Crocker.
that was james parrack. bruce mcavaney is the golden standard, but he’ll never commentate that feed again. I hope they bring back the man who did the 2016 commentary
Why don’t they use Bobby Hurley or Kurt Hanson? I just don’t understand. Apparently accuracy is not a requirement.
9 prefer to use staff already employed (eg rugby commentators) & only employ a ‘name’ for a week or two if required.
Hurley isn’t on their paylist and isn’t a ‘name’ so – despite being better quality – he was never gonna get a gig.
I meant for the Olympic feed. I’ve given up on channel nine. Wonder if the Olympic feed will be on 9Now.
Apparently they will have every feed on 9now – so if u don’t want to watch whatever they are showing on 9 or Gem you can follow the archery or discus on now.
if you want to cough up some cash (I won’t) or get a free-trial for Stan, I think you can also choose different commentaries (eg Greek. Kiwi, probably world feed too).
Bruce is good, but Ray Warren was the best.
“Rabs” was only amusing for the (many many) times Nicole had to interrupt and correct his (many many) inaccuracies.
If Nicole and Bruce join up to cover the swimming for the OBS like they did in London 2012, that would be so “special”.
Yeah Bruce is unmatched – the only thing better than Bruce commentating swimming is Bruce commentating athletics.
I maintain though that Dennis Cometti is right up there with Bruce. He’s a caller like Bruce, but knows how to tell the story of the race, and the athletes and give context for the wider viewership while also adding something for the die hard nerds.
In other news, the USA couldn’t get out of the group stage in the Copa America that they are hosting.
Maybe Tim Hinchey can take US Soccer to new heights after his contract expires with USAS in 2025. 🤭🤭
Oop
Uruguay I can understand, but losing to panama is just sad lmao
We are so washed
Berhalter Out!
“We will be conducting a comprehensive review of our performance in Copa America and how best to improve the team and results as we look towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
Where is the statement from the University of Texas athletic director on the dismal performance of the University of Texas women’s swimming program at the 2024 USA Swimming Olympic Team Trials?
As for the USMNT, GreGG GGTFO!
The optics are even worse when Canada and Panama qualify for the knockout stage.
Cue the Blue Oyster Cult….
Hahahahaha
Question from America – why do y’all dislike Giaan so much? Ive never listened to an Australian broadcast.
well, facts are not the basis for her commentary, neither is what is happening in the actual race in the pool
She’s good for post-race interviews I’ll give her that
She has no clue what’s happened in the sport for like 20 years is why – we need commentators who actually do some research – rather than just show up and talk
I wouldn’t be surprised if Cate is given the poolside interviews gig. She has done that before (a few years ago, I think?), and is good at it.
However, it would def. be better if she was doing the race calls, and Giaan the post-race.
Can’t see that happening. Not for the most part, anyway. Nine would be crazy not to give her the role to capitalize on her camaraderie with the team, especially the women.
She hasn’t got enough experience to doing live race calls and Giaan shouldn’t be doing them either.
Cate couldn’t be any worse than Giaan in the booth (well even a chimpanzee would be better) so I’d give her a go.
Cate has said she’ll be going over to Paris. I don’t think they’ll be flying out the race commentators, so I assume that she’ll be doing the interviews.
Their main commentators will be in Paris this year – as opposed to recent broadcasts.
Don’t you remember during our trials, instead of talking about Sienna or what was actually happening in the pool – Thorpey was salivating about the prospect of having coffee/lunch with Phelps in Paris?
And – again instead of watching/commentating on the swimming going on – Giaan was begging to be his ‘plus one’.
Oh god! I’m glad I didn’t pick up on that at the time.
It’s a real shame so many American swim fans don’t realize how spoiled we are having Dan and Rowdy in the booth at every Olympics.
Dan a big yes….Rowdy a huge no…I,ve never heard a more unsuitable, obnoxious,shrill moron broadcast in any sport….ever.He doesn’t even seem to watch the race.If ever I was in charge of selecting a broadcaster,I,m sure they could bring in 1000 candidates and he would finish dead last.
This ^^^. Networks just don’t care though. They cater to the very casual people watching who really don’t know anything. I know that’s harsh but kind of true.
It’s so curious to me, because they know that in most major sports, fans want a deeper level of analysis. They do it in football, basketball, soccer. In the US soccer match last night, it was obvious they were told “be unabashedly pro-US,” but we also saw about 12 different iterations of the offsides line.
I’m a big football (soccer) & swimming fan & love it that the US sports fans are also debating on Soccer matches. In Soccer all nations are unabashedly pro their country.
The VAR has not worked in Soccer, there is too many ifs & buts, not black & white, this is one the best part of the game the debate between fans.
The US (track & field) trials have been enjoyable this year.
NBC’s main caller now is an Aussie – Leigh Diffey (who never called athletics downunder – only car races). The last US trials many fans seemed to hate him (accent? lol) but now they seem to appreciate that he does his research.’
The main complaint about him that I’ve seen this year is that he yells too loud. Obvs these peeps have never watched ‘Swimming with Rowdy’ lol
I can see why the “yells too loud” issue would come up. There were a few moments where it startled me.
I think there’s a technique to raise volume and excitement for TV without injuring your listener’s ears. I’m not an expert on this side of the business, but a deeper tone, and a slower build, and moving the mic away still allows the listener to know you’re getting louder but without actually having to fire their ears off.
Not sure if I’m oversimplifying it. That’s how I would do it in a less-intense setup than what NBC surely has.
I think it comes from ‘petrol sport’ where noise is seen as good. I enjoy sports callers who get loud or excited for the right reasons not someone who shouts every race (even if their producer has insisted they do).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVUlyV7FYP8