SBS assembles top line-up for WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS coverage

As Australia’s athletics team heads to Tokyo with momentum, SBS will showcase the action with in-depth analysis and expert commentary from Bruce McAvaney, Tamsyn Manou and David Basheer.

SBS has confirmed its expert commentary team for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, with Bruce McAvaney, Tamsyn Manou and David Basheer set to guide Australian viewers through what is expected to be a significant event for the national athletics team.

Joining the coverage will be world champion Tamsyn Manou, who competed for over 15 years as part of the Australian athletics team, and experienced commentator David Basheer, who brings three decades of international sports broadcasting experience. They will work alongside veteran sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney for the championships, which will run from 13–21 September.

Key Points

• SBS will broadcast every session of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo live and free on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.
• The commentary team features Bruce McAvaney, Tamsyn Manou and David Basheer, all of whom bring substantial experience to the coverage.
• The Australian team heads to Tokyo following its most successful Olympic performance since 1956, with a new generation of athletes adding further interest to the event.

All 14 sessions, including both arena and road events, will be available to audiences via SBS VICELAND and the World Athletics Championships Hub on SBS On Demand. Coverage will include daily extended highlights, short clips and full session replays.

Lead commentator Bruce McAvaney expressed enthusiasm about working with a team he described as “skilled and experienced”, and said the World Athletics Championships is considered the third-largest sporting event globally in terms of audience reach.

Tamsyn Manou, who was the 2008 world indoor 800m champion and a triple Olympian, has moved into broadcasting since her retirement from athletics, working previously with McAvaney at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, as well as last year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

“I’m delighted to be joining Bruce and David in the SBS commentary team for one of my favourite events on the sports calendar, at a really exciting time for Australian athletics,” Manou said.

“The World Athletics Championships is just pure athletics and as a fan you can really immerse yourself in the sport. I think this is going to be one of the most watched world championships we have had, because the fans can sense that there’s something special happening with the Australian team.

“For me, the best thing about these championships is the journey that the athletes take from the heats to the semi-finals to the finals. By broadcasting every session live, SBS will take everyone on that journey from start to finish, and that will allow us to show how amazing these athletes are and to tell their stories. I can’t wait for it to start.”

David Basheer has covered five World Athletics Championships, 10 FIFA World Cups, UEFA Champions League finals and cycling world championships for SBS. This year, he will be calling field and multi events, with Australian athletes such as Nicola Olyslagers, Eleanor Patterson, Matt Denny, and Kurtis Marschall among those expected to feature.

“It’s a golden generation of Australian track and field athletes – I’m looking forward to telling some compelling stories and working with a fabulous team,’’ Basheer said.

McAvaney added his own perspective on the quality of the current Australian team.

“We’ll be bringing the best in the world to an Australian audience, and highlighting our great Australian athletes. I’ve never been more excited by the prospects of the Australian athletics team, not even before the Sydney Olympics. This team has everything – established champions, great young sprinters and incredible middle distance talent. You might have heard me say this before, but this is going to be special.’’

SBS Director of Sport Ken Shipp noted the network’s long-standing commitment to athletics coverage.

“SBS has broadcast ten editions of the World Athletics Championships since 2001 and we’ve assembled an expert commentary team for Tokyo that can take our audience right inside the action and tell the stories of the athletes with unmatched depth and enthusiasm. Australian athletics fans won’t miss a moment of one of the world’s great sporting events on SBS.’’

Australian athletes are expected to compete against representatives from more than 200 nations at Japan’s National Stadium. Following a strong performance at last year’s Olympic Games in Paris, where the team claimed seven medals, there is increased interest in the squad heading to Tokyo.

The emergence of athletes such as Gout Gout and Lachie Kennedy—with Kennedy earning Australia’s first 60m medal at the World Athletics Indoor Championships—has drawn further attention. They will compete alongside established names including Jess Hull, Peter Bol, and rising talents Cameron Myers and Claudia Hollingsworth, reflecting the depth in Australian athletics across various disciplines.